Yes, it has been a crazy summer and I’ve managed to get off my schedule. Sorry for that–summer gets busy at work, busy with the family and we’ve had some unforeseen issues popping up which has kept me away.
Life goes on.
So what’s new in the writing world you ask? I can officially say that I have another story getting picked up by Jazz House Publications. My first was the Christmas story, Traditions, which came out last year in the Of Silver Bells and Chilling Tales Anthology. Well, now I’ve got a new story called The Sea God, coming out in the “Into The Deep” anthology. I’ll keep you posted on when, but it’s exciting. It’s something I wrote recently and you can check out my Published page for more details.
However, I’d like to devote this post to a friend I met who helped me go through this one. Caleb Stephens who I met on Discord. He and I were chatting stories and when I told him what I was working on, he offered to read it. He ended up giving me very sound editorial advice and I am ever thankful–appreciate it man!
You can find Caleb here:
https://www.calebstephensauthor.com/
Which leads me into the topic of feedback. Take it wherever and whenever opportunity arises. Not that you should be panhandling for people to read your work, but talking to other writers and hanging out with other writers–you make connections. You find those people you click with, like all friends, and sometimes it helps to get opinions when people offer.
In the case with Caleb, he offered to read my story and I tried to help him with a piece he was working on. At least for me, he had some great insights into what I was trying to do and showed me how to kick it up to that next level. I am ever appreciative and hope I at least helped him back a little.
And it’s another point–help others when you can. Writing is a lonely and often vacuous profession and when you get opportunities to help other writers out just for the sake of helping, you need to step up and do it. It’s not a competition thing–we’re all in this rejection mess together and I keep preaching it, but no one can see your work more clearly than someone other than you.
Feedback is what gives you those “ah-ha” moments where you realize you weren’t telling people as much about your character as you thought you did, or that you could have started this story four pages earlier and stepped up the tempo right out of the gate.
Writing should be about camaraderie and struggling together–in groups or even with a few friends. I still have my lifelong friend who helps edit my stories and gives me the honest feedback. We both have our writing worlds, but it makes all of the rejections easier when you’ve got someone in your corner cheering you on.
Alright…I will endeavor to get back on the blogging track! Take care, keep writing and keep sending your stuff out!
Craig