Thursday, November 3, 2016

WRITING CORPSES

Sorry about the ISWG post delay
I had a long travel day yesterday.
Anyhoo
I had been visiting my daughter and grandkids in Ohio
While there
I went through boxes of things I’ve stored.

One box was filled with writings since I was ten
Poems, short stories, even a year’s worth of a comic strip
Written by me, illustrated by an artist
Yet never saw the light of publication
And then
At the bottom of one box
Was my first manuscript
I was in my twenties when I wrote it.
The story was about a housewife
Who stumbled upon a government conspiracy
While reading nursery rhymes to her daughter.
Though the topic was serious
I put a humorous spin on it
And then, not yet a third of the way into the manuscript
A TV show came out with a similar concept called
And I immediately quit the manuscript.
As I read all the other writings stored in this box
A sadness came over me that turned to insecurity.
What if all my writings just wind up in a box?
What good are writings in a box
When the only one who sees them is me?
Through the years, I’ve heard several writers say
“I don’t care if I get published or not, I just enjoy writing.
Well, that’s not me
I want to get published!
I want to see my name on a book cover!
I want accolades that come with being a published author!
But with five manuscripts sitting in boxes
A.K.A. Word files
It feels like Ithe words of my mother are haunting me
“You start things, but never finish them.”
OMG!! Is it true?
Can I make it to the finish line now
And become a published author?
So tell me about you
Was the road to publication
So frickin’ difficult and long?
What insecurities did you have to overcome?

P.S. The title of this post was to coincide with DIA DE LOS MUERTOS. (Day of the Dead) which ended yesterday.

Always,

Em-Musing