Good news, good vibes

As a self-proclaimed wordie, I write and write and write. I read obsessively because it helps me stay current and knowledgeable. As writers, we do this without complaining or whining (well, maybe a little). Rejection letters mean progress, but an acceptance letter means ... well, everything.

I received a mood-altering email informing me that one of my six-word memoirs will once again be included in one of their upcoming books. I've been smiling ever since!  

Six Words Fresh Off the Boat marries the phenomenon of Larry Smith's successful Six-Word Memoirs with ABC and 20th Century Fox Television's hit comedy Fresh Off the Boat. The book captures hundreds of takes on the immigration experience, from every-day people as well as world-famous celebrities including Aziz Ansari, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Julianne Moore, Mario Batali, George Takei, Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Billy Collins, Junot D az, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. This book will have you thinking in sixes and challenging others to share six words about their lives.

If you're familiar with Orange is the New Black, then you know the character Larry. Well the real-life Larry is the one who started and oversees Six Word Memoirs. I submit dozens of memoirs to the Six Word Memoirs project each week (2,831 total so far, having joined in Oct. 2014). I won't know which one was chosen until I actually get my copy of the book, which comes out September 5, 2017. Even though it's just six little words, it has a big meaning because 1. I'll be officially published again in the non-fiction world, and 2. I'll be in a work that includes some very cool people, as you can see in the caption above. (Click the image to go to the Amazon page.)

What a nice boost of confidence. Just enough to keep me going. 

And going. 

And going.

Submission isn't a bad word

In the writing world, submission is the proof of productivity.

Often, my free time revolves around writing and creating paper flower designs. If my writing endeavors end in me submitting my story to one or many publications, I know I'm doing well. Still haven't scored my first fiction byline, but I'll die trying. I recently finished writing a ghost story that had attracted the attention of some editors who then requested character development and a more powerful ending. After completing that, I ended up with a story that is triple the size it was when I originally sent it. Hopefully, that isn't a new deal breaker. It's been resubmitted and was my last one for May.

Today, I submitted my first work of June, an essay to Chicken Soup for the Soul, under their book title "Stories of Redeption." I've been published there twice thus far. A third essay, focused on the subject of moms, had made it to the final round but didn't make the ultimate cut. Non-fiction is where I've had most success. No surprise since I was a journalist for 10 years. It's hard not to keep swimming in the sea of non-fiction possibilities, a world that still brings me joy. Fiction, though, is still my prime focus since it's new territory.

If you want to explore submitting to Chicken Soup, here is the link;
http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

Because you never know.