Endings and Beginnings

OK...so I did it. I finished NaNo. By finished I mean that I reached the goal of 50 thousand words written in a single month. I hear you asking did I reach my goal of finishing the novel? The answer is no. I did not. I didn't even get close. However, I rewarded myself by falling into a complete writing slump for the month of December. It is now nearly the end of January, and I still have not finished that novel.  Am I going to?  Lord, I can only hope. My current plan is to get back at it hardcore as soon as I get this semester at school under control, which should be about the middle of next week. I feel good about this novel. I think I can do it. And even better than that, I think this novel has potential.

While I didn't get any writing done in December, I did continue to submit the two short stories and two poems I have written and completed since Hindman. The gentle nudging of a "Loving" friend has finally made me realize that if I'm going to turn this dream into a reality, then submitting short stories to lit mags on a frequent basis is a large step I had been previously neglecting. Hands, the piece I wrote at Hindman that received rave reviews from peers and experts alike, is still getting rejected about as fast as I can send it out.  Currently, it is hanging out at a mag that has already had it 94 days.  Their projected response time is 30 days, and Duotrope has their average response time listed as 46 days.  Yes, I have queried.  No, I've not heard anything from that either. I'm giving them another week or so, then I'm going to pull it, or send another letter, or sit here pensively and worry.  One of the three.

Goddess is a short piece that follows the same dark tone and subject as Hands.  It is all me.  There has been peer editing by my wonderful writing group "For Shame" as well as by some of my wonderful writing friends from Hindman.  However, there has not been the editing and suggestions from a working, published author like I received on Hands.  I've pondered over this piece since October.  I've fretted, gone through four significant revisions, added a third section after I thought two was enough, and basically worried this piece like a dog would a bone.  On Sunday the 15th, I had had enough, and I just started submitting.  I sent it to all three of the mags that rejected Hands and gave me personal rejections saying they liked my "voice" or "style".  I chose two other places where I thought it might fit, and just sent it. 

I got a rejection in just under 24 hours from one of the places that had rejected Hands. You remember that 'personal' rejection I mentioned earlier saying they liked my "style".  Well, seems it wasn't so personal after all, as I got the exact same rejection this time for a different story. On Monday, one week and one day after submitting, I received my second response.  The mag that gave me a personal rejection for Hands saying they liked my "voice" and strongly urged me submit again will be publishing, both online and in print, my story Goddess. 

scissors and spackle is a pretty cool magazine.  I enjoy reading it, and would have continued to enjoy reading it even if they hadn't offered to publish my story.  I strongly suggest you give it a read, and if you have a few dollars to spare you ought to order a print copy. Also, if you are interested in such things, you ought to take a look at how they run their small press, because it is people like this that will keep all of us alive in this business.  If you aren't interested in such things, then support small presses anyway, because I said you should.

So, it has begun.  I have gotten a story out there and published the real way, the old fashioned way, the hard-work way, the I-finally-feel-like-my-writing-has-merit way.  And for the first time have realized that as long as I keep writing ENDINGS, and keep submitting, I will get there, and the acceptances will keep rolling in.  OK, maybe not rolling, but at least trickling.