Mental Age, & Thoughts on Publishing

Young Inside...?

Maybe everybody feels this way.

I spent a lot of time reading today. Have I mentioned that I love children's books? Well, I do. Today I finished two of them, along with another book (one about quilting).

Anyway, this one book was about a 7th grader. I find it a little bit shocking how easily I identified with the girl in it. The intensity of feelings -- wanting to belong, getting upset about things that she didn't think should upset her, trying to balance what people thought of her and still be herself -- it was weird.

I still feel like crying from the sad ending of the book.

Maybe this is why people think I'm young -- because I never have grown up inside. I wonder. I still feel things really intensely sometimes, and I don't really seem to have gained much confidence in myself since I've gotten older.

In other news...

My poor little brother is sick! If you pray, pray for him to be well. Our mom is worried. He hasn't been able to eat much food either yesterday or today, he didn't get much sleep, and had an on-and-off fever.

And in writing news...

Well, I haven't been feeling quite right today, and I didn't even try to write. But I'm nearly finished with a short story, and will probably finish it by the end of next week, perhaps this.

I thought of something today. Why couldn't I make my own website, put up my stories there? I could, that's what. I could even make an online fiction "magazine" someday, if I wanted to.

Though, I'm not sure I do. I don't even keep up with my penpal letters, how would I do with people submitting their work to me? Well, it's an idea. But I think I'll really just concentrate on getting some more short stories published, and then find an editor or agent to approach with longer fiction. That's where my heart lies, I think. Though I only have one book, right now, that I think is worth of being published, and I haven't finished that.

Really, it's silly to feel that way, though. Does every book published have to be the best thing since sliced bread? No. It has to be a good read. That's the criteria I use for what I read -- why would it be different for what I try to publish.

Because I wrote it, that's why.