My dear storybuff,
The night was young for some; late for others; and grueling for me. Had my week become more full than I anticipated? Yes. Was I cashing in on some of my spoon reserves? Yes. Had the submission deadline changed? Nope 📅
So, there I was sitting half-crissed, half-crossed, sans applesauce in my bed. The glow from my laptop perched in front of me was the brightest thing in the room—save for my hopes and dreams. My finger scrolled up and down the submission page every so often to check off that I included everything the publisher required ☑️ The wheels in my head were cranking in rhythm to the cerebral checklist running like a teleprompter therein.
The promised land was so close. That blessed "submit" button. But then, came the snag 🤦🏾♀️ (What would the process be like without a snag!?)
A detailed cover letter. You know, the "optional" cover letter the publisher "invites" you to include in your submission. The one its call for submissions didn't mention. A cover letter the very thorough instructions very kindly left out. The kind of cover letter that doesn't make an appearance until the weary, weathered writer gets to the very end of the submission form. Yep 😑 That cover letter.
After making sure my eyes weren't trippin', a deep breath, and much gratitude that I made my personal deadline days earlier then the actual deadline, guess what? I got to work 💪🏾 I hadn't gone through the adventure of drafting a chapbook, getting it peer-reviewed, and editing it just to give up. A standard cover letter wasn't going to stand in my way.
Fast forward some minutes later... There was a cover letter. I was back at the very end—of the online form, that is. And with a tap of my finger, I leaned into the possibility of a beginning. 🌅 The beginning of short fiction publication.
What had I submitted? It was a speculative fiction chapbook. The plot seems simple: In a world still reeling from a global pandemic, a rags-to-riches corporate executive must reckon with their decisions or succumb to ruin. The plot twists, however, are anything but 🌀 And my adaptations to the standard Freytag Pyramid story structure, gave my piece the wings it needed to soar in the space between surrealism and socio-political commentary.
Daunting kinda comes close to what it feels like putting my work—a part of myself—out there for critique or rejection. How have you put yourself out there this month?
Cheers for my first go at submitting short fiction for publication 😊 That's my story morning glory. Keeping living out yours. And, remember, stories tell us.
Peace ~ D.V. Gwyth