Keeping Busy (a.k.a. Trying To Avoid Thinking About Contest Results)

Back in August I entered a writing contest for Glimmer Train, a quarterly publication for short-fiction stories. Immediately after submitting my entry, I went to work on other projects knowing that the results wouldn't be out until sometime in October. I was so busy with other goings on that I all but forgot the short story I submitted and the excitement of knowing that somewhere a judge would be reading my words and comparing my story to other new writers.

Surprisingly, that all changed October 1st. Although I'm still as busy (busier, in fact), I suddenly find myself wondering when I will find out how I did. I hope that I placed in the top 25 authors... honorable mention would be just fine by me as I could always use another pat on the back to solidify why I walked away from a steady job to begin with.

I'm going to try to forget the contest, and let the results come as a surprise whenever it is that they are announced. Whether or not I win, the truth is that I know I can break out into the world of literature. It's just a matter of time and persistence. On that note, I am going to be spending the next 4 weeks re-writing my novel and hopefully by Halloween I will have the final draft of my first big work. Contest or no, you can't beat the accomplishment of completing a six year project.

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Don't Wait

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Quiet Keystrokes and Midnight Ramblings

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