Life is What You Make It
November 15, 1997
They say good things come in threes. I received a rejection a couple days ago. It went with the two I had received the day before. Writing can be a crappy business when you're just starting out. Heck, from what I've seen of "real pros" it can be crappy after you've made it, too. Make no bones about it, though, I certainly don't put myself in the "I've made it" category. So for me, the business end of it is generally pretty depressing. How do I cope? Silly things really. Things like considering my postage cost as being storage fees, instead. You know:
Things like tracking my rejections on the "Accept-O-Matic" (Irony at its finest, eh?) Things like, well, I could go on forever, but it would be too danged boring. But life is what you make of it, I think. And good things do come in threes. Thursday, I found out that Kristyn Rose had selected my site as a Suite 101 Top 5 Site. Check it out. She's already got me listed right above the Global SF registry and Orson Scott Card's place. Seeing that OSC is Lisa's most favorite author, it's quite a gas seeing me listed above such a master!  Then Friday, I wandered through a bookstore and was surprised to see Dragon #240 had been published. Inside its glossy cover, the astute will note, is my short story "True Power". I've changed my things I've published section, too. (just so you know) It's a total blast seeing my name in print. Exhilarating. I hope I never lose it.Good things come in threes, though, right? What's the third, you ask? That would be the rejection I commented upon at first. That's right. The rejection was actually the first good thing.
That's right. I called them to clarify a few things, and found that "Schrodinger's Soldier" was indeed one of only six finalists this time through. While I was talking to them (Judy Young), she encouraged me to both market this story, and to submit to them again. I told her I already had, and questioned her about the next quarter. You know, general chit-chat. I have "The Disappearance of Josie Andrew" there now, a story I'm very proud of. I hope it does well. After all, it is my last chance to win. Because with the publication of Dragon #240, I no longer qualify as a new writer in the eyes of the Writers of the Future. And while I still don't think I've "made" it. I think this is a milestone I'll chose to enjoy.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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