One of the things I learned about in the Personal Essay class I took earlier this year was the process of submitting my work for magazines, anthologies, contests, websites and other publications that accept personal essays. Our teacher explained that we should have a plan in place for the day a rejection comes in. In other words, as soon as one piece is rejected, we should already know where we want it to go next and get it in the mail immediately.
This is all still new to me, and for the moment I am working with a small number of finished pieces, but I have put my teacher’s advice into practice and am starting to develop my own small database of statistics. My spreadsheet shows which essay has been sent where, what the end result was and where everything is at any given time. I've submitted to magazines, essay contests, anthologies and websites. I've been published, I've been rejected, and I've received my first check for a published piece of writing. In other words, I've officially begun my journey as a writer, reached a couple of milestones, and see very clearly the wide open expanse before me. Some days that feels overwhelming, other days thrilling, but most of the time I try to stay right where I am.
Structuring my life around writing is still something I am figuring out, and I feel like a toddler just beginning to learn how to write her own name. I have, of course, set big goals for myself, which involve nothing less than my byline in The New Yorker, Sun magazine and the Modern Love column of The New York Times. Oh, right, and another book that someday ranks up there with May Sarton and Anne Lamott and enables me to participate in a book panel discussion with Elizabeth Gilbert and Dave Eggers.
So there you have it. My Big Dream List For What I’d Like To Accomplish As A Writer.
But as I said, I still feel like a toddler, and know it is going to take some time before The New Yorker comes calling and I’m sharing café au laits with Ms. Gilbert. More importantly, none of my big bold dreams might ever come to fruition, and then what am I to do with myself? As Nemo might say, “Just keep writing, just keep writing…”
I realized this weekend that I need to remember how precious this time is, this time as a toddler writer just beginning to find my way and figure out how to get where I want to go. There are so many steps between where I am now and all those big sparkly dreams, and I have to take special care of this little bud inside of me that has only begun to blossom. The New Yorker will always be there, and every rejection I receive is validation that I’m writing, I’m putting it out there, I’m doing the work writers do.
I also need to carefully manage the pressure I put on myself to submit, submit, submit. My goal for this summer is to create a beautiful book proposal, and maybe right now that means I don’t worry about where these essays of mine will go next. Maybe they need to take a summer hiatus until my proposal is on its way. Goals are good and deadlines motivate me, but too many at one time can muddy up the waters.
My mission, more than anything, is to become a good writer, and that has to be the foundation of everything I do as a writer. That has to be the driving force behind writing, editing, mailing out, getting published, and getting rejected. That is the part that needs to remain precious rather than the pursuit of lines on my resume and publishing contracts. Without that, my List of Big Dreams is hollow. Without that, it’s all for ego.
What a great post! I'm with you in spirit and have taken another big step myself this week that I'll tell you about very soon. xx
Posted by: Marianne | June 29, 2009 at 02:03 AM
This is a beautiful post and I can so relate. I wrote constantly long ago in high school. I'm just now starting up again and feel very much in that toddler stage as well. Thanks for sharing and soon... we will be pre-schoolers :)
Posted by: Torrie | June 19, 2009 at 06:45 AM
Christine, I love that you are putting your big dream out there — I can see it for you and am holding the beauty of that vision. (You go, go, go…!!!)
I was looking at one of my journals today and a printout of one of my favorite pieces on the craft of writing dropped out — Elizabeth Gilbert on Writing (from here:
http://www.elizabethgilbert.com/writing.htm)
She says:
Your job is only to write your heart out, and let destiny take care of the rest.
I love that you are committed to savoring where you are right now…and recognize the trap of the ego that is so easy to fall into in all our creative projects.…
I would offer the possibility that as Gilbert wisely says your only job is to write.
The being good at it will unfold naturally in the perfect time.
For me, I see my job as a writer to show up and write.
And from a place of openness and surrender to honoring my "job" as a writer, I always find that flow, wisdom, and sometimes really good writing can naturally emerge.
I've even found that sometimes things like fame and fortune can follow from this place, too.
(Granted a princess job as an ice cream expert or getting flown to NYC to "star" in an ice cream documentary for the History Channel isn't the same as a NYT best-seller, but these opportunities and earning as much as I did from writing my book was as much as a surprise to me as if I had been a NYT best-seller)!
To your big dream and the writing that is unfolding within you…
Love and light,
Shannon
Posted by: Shannon | June 16, 2009 at 12:10 PM
how brave of you, to place your "dreams" here. i think that should count as more than one, baby step. ; )
Posted by: Christina | June 15, 2009 at 09:18 PM
it's funny, because i met you at your book release and have always thought of you as a Big Successful Writer (did i spell that wrong?) so to hear you talk about baby steps almost makes me scratch my head. you are a Big Successful Writer! now...to let the rest of the world know. Linda
Posted by: linda e | June 15, 2009 at 05:32 PM
As Elizabeth Gilbert quoted--"It's not the world's fault you want to be a writer...now get back to work." You are great and I am very happy that your dream is transpiring before you!
Posted by: Cassie | June 15, 2009 at 02:29 PM
I love this post, Christine. You & I sound like we share a similar trait: impatience! I always want to reach my goal yesterday, & am just learning to stop & smell the roses. I have practically stopped multi-tasking so I can fully commit to what I'm doing & savor each step. It really is hard to not be where you want to be, but I think the success will be so much sweeter if you recognize the hard work along the way. Hope you're celebrating all your accomplishments!
Posted by: Michelle | When I Grow Up Coach | June 15, 2009 at 02:04 PM
Admitting publicly how big we dare to dream really takes courage,
Best of luck dear Christine!!
Posted by: m-c | June 15, 2009 at 10:57 AM
and i when you are a famous published writer, i will say that "i read her as a toddler".
Posted by: Diane | June 15, 2009 at 10:09 AM
I love how you are making this dream of yours real. A strong foundation and love of what your doing will take you far.
Have you visited Michelle Fabio's blog? It's called Bleeding Espresso and she has a ton of info regarding freelance writing. Hope it could be of help:
http://bleedingespresso.com/category/freelance-writing-week
Posted by: bella | June 15, 2009 at 09:33 AM