Monday 21 May 2012

My Short Story has Left Home...

It's been quite a few years since I last submitted a short story to a woman's magazine, so I have to admit to a few last minute jitters before I put the envelope in the post box...

I mentioned a few posts back that the story (I've been working on) was originally created in 2007 and had had quite a few revisions since then.

By last week I was finally happy and left it for a final reading this week, and to check for anything I'd missed.

Plus an objective writer/reader read through it to give me an honest opinion; they highlighted a bit of a dialogue/description issue for a minor character that needed looking at, but otherwise enjoyed it and didn't see any spelling or grammar errors.

I even gave it to one of my sons this morning to ask him what he thought- I don't usually ask family members to read my work- but he's the really creative one on my sons, so wouldn't need explanations of why I'd done such and such in the text. He said it was okay- which is as good a response as it will get...

I had the stamps and envelopes but I wasn't too sure of the final weight, as I didn't want it underpaid I went to the nearest post office and checked- 90g, so it was 10g within the large letter weight and I could use the stamps I'd bought before the late April price rise.
It was only 2,000 words, but a story with 3,000 words could probably be in the next price band.

So it's now on its way to Woman's Weekly.

I know it will now be a long wait, but my previous attempts have all been rejected by three months, even when the quoted time was four months.

I really feel confident about this story, so if it gets rejected, I think it won't be because it's a bad story, or lousy grammar and spelling. And if it is a no, it will then be winging its way to Alfie Dog Ltd, the short story download site, for their consideration.

I'm determined it will find a home.

Now I can get back to my longer projects...

5 comments:

Angela Barton said...

Well done for getting your story off to the magazine Carol. So many people intend to get that far but never seem to get to the posting stage. I'll cross my fingers for you. Ange x

Diane Fordham said...

Well done and good luck Carol. x

Rosemary Gemmell said...

Good luck with that story, Carol - I've never cracked WW yet and will need to try again.

Keith Havers said...

Good luck, Carol.

Carolb said...

You're so right, Ange. Well it's on it's way now, so at least I've partly done one of my plans for 2012. :-)

Thanks, Diane.

Thanks. Now might be the time to try again, Rosemary, as they seem to be wanting new ideas. Good luck.

Thanks, Keith.