where do I go from here?

[machepap]

hello all,

I could use some advice.

I'm a 35-year-old aspiring writer, aspiring mother, and part-time abortion counselor, just coming off my second miscarriage this year, which sucks, but on the bright side it lights a fire under my butt to DO something with my writing - this, at least, is something I can control. So I just finished writing a long personal essay (about 9500 words) about the whole miscarriage/abortion/to-be-or-not-to-be-parent connundrum, which is my life these days. I think the essay is pretty good, if I do say so myself. But the problem is, I've never even TRIED to publish ANYTHING, because I'm timid, I guess, or cynical,(expecting failure) or lazy (why try if you're going to fail anyway?). Pick your weakness, I have them all. Anyway, now I'd like to break out of this and I could use some help figuring out how to do it.

So what am I asking for here? Suggestions of where to submit, for starters. Maybe even someone willing to read the article and tell me what you think, where it might belong, if anywhere, amid the published masses... Or at least a little cheerful you-go-girl encouragement (and so-sorry-for-your-loss encouragement too).

thanks for hearing me out
amy

[mommaJ]

Hi Amy!

I would LOVE to read your essay! I have a background in creative writing and am longing to get my hands on something to read. Your story sounds very interesting.

I am so sorry for your loss...sincerely. Please PM me if I can read your essay. You may want to post this in The Writing Group and Talk Amongst Ourselves areas also.

Best of luck with your journey!

[machepap]

yay! okay, now what?

hey,
thanks so much for your response. I'm new to this forum, I don't know what PM means, but yes, you can read my essay, thanks! Tell me how to send it to you.
amy

also, I thought I did post this to some kind of writing related forum, no? But now I see just "finding your tribe" so I am confused.

[danaan]

machepap - welcome! It takes a little to get aquainted with this forum - just keep poking around, and it'll start to make sense.

I don't think the lazy/scared/clueless thing ever goes away. I have published two articles in magazines, a bunch in literary mags in school and in online journals, and written two books. I'm facing the same thing, because it came to my awareness almost a year ago that I need a new agent. My current agent is a nice guy who has contacts in the wrong market -- but he's my agent, so he feels "safe". But safe never got a book published, so I'm in the process of finding a new one. Boy, does that challenge my fears and such!!

My point is, jump right in! Magazines often have submission guidelines on their websites. Pick a magazine you like that would fit your essay, and check out their guidelines.

There are also two possibilities in the Submissions thread in the Writing Group forum.

Just keep at it, and know that rejection is more about timing than your skill. Although, I do recommend having someone read your stuff before submitting it.

Good luck!

[BelovedK]

Please post your essay, it would be great to read it. It sounds interesting. I'm so sorry you've had to go through a miscariage Many hugs to you. You sound like you have an interesting life.

[**guest**]

from what i have been reading lately on first rights -- if you hope on publishing the essay, it cannot be posted on the web. if it is posted on an open forum, like here, it is already considered 'published', as it is available to everybody to read.

good luck with placing your essay.

[zenfulmama]

hey annabanana, what if you revise the essay, or whatever the piece may be, as a result of your posting? is a work in progress considered a final piece? would it be considered "published" if you are posting a work for feedback with the intention to change a word here or there? i'm curious to know, as I post poetry quite a bit that I would be interested in publishing...

[machepap]

annabanana~

thanks for passing along this info. I'm curious to learn more about the publishing on the web issue. Could you tell me where you read about it?

thanks
amy

ps. in the meantime, even though I've made changes to the essay since the version I posted, I did remove it from the site, at least until I learn a bit more about this