Tags
being published, Don't give up, first time published, Leading Edge Magazine, Marked, Short story, thoughts
*pulls blog out of the land of the forgotten*
HI!
I’ve missed my little piece of the blogging universe. So, I’ve returned to share past writing victory. My very first published work and how it came to be.
Back in the world before writing groups and critique partners and Twitter-writer-verse, I wrote a story called “Across the Purple Sands”…probably around 2007. I entered it in the Writers Digest Short Story competition. And it failed to place.
My mom and sisters read it (like I said this was pre-critique partners), and their comments got my creative brain going. I started it in the wrong place. THAT HAPPENS. A lot.
My mom also suggested that I change the title.
So I rewrote it. I added a new beginning. I set up the story and characters better. I changed the title to “Marked”. And I submitted it to a magazine. I took a chance.
I can’t remember how I learned of Leading Edge Magazine, but I sent it…in an envelope. Because that was a long time ago.
And they accepted it!
I vaguely recall screaming. And crying happy tears of disbelief.
I remember one round of edits, where they suggested a few changes and left it up to me what to do. In December of 2008, it was released in issue 56. They paid me actual money and gave me two contributor copies.
The cover? That is an illustration from my story. Dude. I made the cover. There is still one issue left, waiting to find a home here. This was pre-e-books, so only hardcopies exist.
To see my name in print was super great. The whole being a writer thing seemed…doable.
I get the magazine out every once in a while to remind myself that I can do it. Even when it’s just me sitting in front of my computer, I have the ability to put words together.
I’m good enough.
Never give up.
