Nine Manuscripts ...
December 31, 1997
Happy new year's eve, everyone. It's been a busy couple days for me. Somehow, I managed to let my submissions fall behind a bit, so I've worked very hard for the past two days to get a total of nine stories ready. Usually, this is not such a big deal, but this time I decided I wanted to take stock of my inventory. So I sat down and read (in detail) everything I was submitting again. And I rewrote everything. Well. Not really, I guess. I modified several pieces slightly, and rewrote reasonable portions of two stories. I also fine-tooth combed "The Disappearance of Josie Andrew", the story that was just named a finalist in the L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of the Future contest. Now they all sit on the edge of my desk, wrapped cozily in their pretty little manila envelopes, waiting to be exposed to the harsh world of publishing. Almost makes you sad, doesn't it? In addition to all that, I finished what I'm calling the first draft of "Whispers in the Darkness" (it's actually the third draft, but I'm deluding myself a bit here--don't ask me why . . . I'm a writer, you know?). The structure remains similar, but I've changed the primary direction of the piece. I'll let it sit a day or two now, then go back to it with a razor blade to make sure I've not let it get too flabby. It grew in the retelling, and is now a short novelette--yes, I know--how loudly can I scream unmarketable? 1997 draws to its end now. I look back on it with mixed feelings. The year saw me published twice (Dragon, and Return of the Dinosaurs). It saw me sell a short story to Adventures of Sword and Sorcery. It saw me launch p e r s i s t e n c e. It saw me named a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest twice. Good achievements, all. Still I expected more. But I leave here tonight with great hope for 1998. It will be a good year. I know it will. It has no choice. I refuse to alow it to be otherwise. Nine stories sit one my desktop, ready to go forward. Just like I am.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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