Keeping My Fingers Crossed

I'm trying to work on other stories, and different articles, to keep my mind away from one nerve-racking memory: I sent in two submissions last week.

How do you feel, after you've submitted a piece of work? What goes through your head as you slide that envelope containing that little piece of your heart into the mailbox?

Me, as I prepared the submission packages, I felt very writerly and efficient. As I got in the car to drive to the post office, I felt exultant. As I pushed those envelopes through the slot, and they left my hand, I felt terrified. This was it. Now, those ideas, those stories, are making their way to different editors. They are going to be ripped open, and perused with a critical eye. Those little pieces of me are going to be taken apart, and put back together, and it's as though a little bit of me is being weighed and judged.

To keep my mind off that grim aspect, I close my thoughts down and set about trying to come up with other stories, and read up on different markets. I try to pretend that I haven't submitted anything, so I shan't get too nervous. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Through it all, I stretch my hands and discover I've still got my fingers crossed! Here's to good news, right?

Where did I put my pen?

Thanks for reading! I've just finished a book myself, Leviathan by Scott Westerfield. He gave me a bunch of good ideas. Don't you just LOVE it when that happens? Me too!

God bless