Today was a good email day
I don’t open my email as regularly these days. So when I opened the mail today I was expecting the regular deluge of spam, newsletters, random offers, and missed events. And the box did not disappoint.
Then I noticed a message that wasn’t from someone I knew or a pundit I recognized. The subject said something about submissions and I didn’t really read it, as whatever…
One of my stories was accepted!
It’s a spooky story that my various writing groups, friends and family had a lot of critiques for. It was deemed too long, too short, too gory, not gory enough, and so on. Just as you might expect.
But I decided in mid-summer that it was ready to run the gauntlet of rejection that is the short-story market. It was immediately rejected by the first four places I submitted. In some cases, barely before I’d finished filling out the submission form.
I was down.
Depressed.
Not writing. Not editing.
My finished novel was going nowhere. My second novel was first drafted, but was barely worth using as toilet paper during the next TP apocalypse. I was focusing more on my art than on any writing.
And I was telling anyone who would listen (mostly my dog, and I think he only listened for the treats) that I probably wasn’t cut out for this life as a submitting fiction author.
My skin isn’t thick enough. I’m too sensitive. No one likes me. I can’t write my way out of a wet paper bag.
I am somewhat afraid to jinx this. So I’ll announce when/where/how to read this story once I’ve gotten and signed a contract. But I wanted to share my happiness with the world!
Don’t give up! I need to go back and do some editing.
Image by S. Hermann / F. Richter from Pixabay