Today, Writing, Submitting, Contests, and Food

Well, I feel yucky today. It could be because we ate at the chinese buffet, so I got some refined products (sugar, flour) in my diet. I figure I can get away with stuff like that once in awhile, at a buffet. I ate a lot of good stuff, too. But I do feel yucky now -- down.

It seems like there is no good way to talk about my works in progress. Even to me, it sounds like, "This person knows nothing," and "If she can write so many things at a time, they must lack quality." Well, actually I just have a lot of time, and I like to write. And of course a first draft is going to have some stupid things in it.

In other news, I had a letter from the assistant editor at Gateway S-F offering some suggestions on a short story I submitted. I'm making them and preparing to send it back.

In other-other news, I'm working on a first chapter from a novel I wrote when I was nineteen. I'm going to submit it to ACFW's Noble Theme contest. (Cost: 25 dollars since I'm a member. 35 for non-members.)

My mother said she'd pay for a second entry if I want to enter a chapter from another of my stories. (Has to be first chapter, no longer than 25 pgs, and font is Courier or Courier New. I don't have Courier, so naturally I'm
wondering if it would provide more writing space than Courier New?)

My brother says he wants to read some of my fantasy book when I finish it. He wonders how my writing style will have improved since he read two other books of mine a couple years ago. I said, "Not at all," but I don't really know. Lately I've been digging out short stories I wrote two, three years ago and typing them up to send out. It seems like I needed that long before I was ready to give it a shot.

I know they're good stories because they stuck with me all those years.

Whereas, a few years ago I wanted to submit a lot of things, so I wrote short stories specifically to be submitted to magazines. But it didn't work. The stories had no heart, or at least, were eminently forgettable. I figure this method has to work better. At least I'm digging out some things I didn't have the heart to submit before.

It's getting easier. I believe God is helping me. (I've certainly asked him to.)

It used to be like pulling teeth to get me to submit anything. I always thought it was just another chance at rejection. But I don't feel that way now. Now I have a number of stories on the burner to work on and submit. I even did some looking into book markets last week. I'm telling you, this is something for me. I used to love to write, but hated to let anyone read my work. I'm not so much like that anymore. And for that I'm grateful.