A Walk On The Bright Side

by Margie Senechal
 
My husband likes to play this game, "Do you want the good news or the bad news?"

I hate this game. As any writer can tell you, the bad news that pops into our heads is cataclysmically bad. Not just your average bad. So, I always take the bad news first to get it out of the way. And usually, it's not really bad news just not great news.

That said, I'm going to play this game with you. 

Bad news: I received a rejection from Deidre Knight after getting *liked* in a twitter-pitch contest.

Good news: She liked my pitch! 

Further good news:I didn't have a complete manuscript to send had she asked to see the full. And that would've been an awkward email to send.

More good news:I made some great progress on the work-in-progress book I pitched in that contest. And I'm still enjoying the story. And even though, there's another story niggling at the edges of my mind, I've stayed true to this one. That's kind of huge for me.

Best news: I realized how much I liked being on submission. It's kind of like having a lottery ticket that you haven't checked yet. There's always hope that this is the one. I love the anticipation of checking my writing email account to see if I have any messages and even though I'm disappointed not to receive a request for more, I remain hopeful, dreaming dreams of publication and retirement. Hey, my kids weren't raised on, "When Dad wins the lottery or Mom sells a book." for nothing. 


It's been almost two years since I received my last round of rejections for Bix in which time I've courted the many stories that ramble through my head including another rewrite of Bix, but not finishing anything that I could send out.

And the only way to go back out on submission is to finish something. It's a vicious cycle, but I am up to the challenge. Because writing is where I find hope for my own good news.