Optimism

Recently I read a new interpretation of the old “Is the glass half full or half empty” debate. The glass is completely full, half with water, half with air.

It made me think about my creations. About half of my literary works have been published in various magazines, about half haven’t yet found homes. I don’t write very much short stuff, maybe one or two works a year, so each that I find good enough to edit to a publishable state is precious to me.  And yet some still haven’t found their place.

According to my new “glass completely full” theory, it doesn’t mean the writing sucks. It doesn’t mean the story is shallow or flippant or just plain bad. It means publication is a matter of getting the right story to the right publisher at the right time. And that takes submissions. Lots of them.

Sometimes even to the same publisher.

Three times, twice with short works, once with a juvenile novel, I’ve received publishing contracts after my second submission of the same story to the same publisher. The first time, one work wasn’t “surprising enough”. The second time I guess it was.

This week, I sent out a few stories to magazines and contests. I’m trying to turn my “air” into “water” – which is much preferable to believing the glass is half empty or even half full. And it’s infinitely better than saying the glass is twice as big as it needs to be. Let’s not even go there!

Posted in Random Thoughts, Ups and Downs, Writing Life.

4 Comments

  1. I’m super intrigued that you’ve had work PUBLISHED by a publisher who’s rejected it, not just once, but three times.

    >>> doesn’t mean the writing sucks. It doesn’t mean the story is shallow or flippant or just plain bad. It means publication is a matter of getting the right story to the right publisher at the right time. And that takes submissions. Lots of them.<<<

    I really needed to be reminded of this. Thanks for sharing and encouraging.

    Best of luck on all those new and to come submissions.

    • Thanks for the luck, Ev! Wishing you the same with all your submissions!

      About the three rejections that a couple years later turned into acceptances: It’s crazy, isn’t it? It goes to show that the right timing is important as well.

  2. Thanks for the encouragement and the reminder that possibility exists when effort is made. I like your story about rejection/acceptance of the same story with the same publisher. It just goes to show that there is a lot of “wiggle room” and just because something was “rejected” doesn’t mean it is bad -probably just not read on the right day. 🙂

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