We all have something we write that we fall in love with; a story, a poem, a novel idea. When this happens it can be hard to share with the world for fear that the world won’t see the beauty that you see, connect with it as you have or even understand what you were trying to say.
I had one of these stories come out of a Write It Up! session a couple years ago. I loved the story and it stayed in the back of my mind, but I didn’t do anything with it.
Then in 2016 I decided that if I was going to ever reach my goal of moving from writer to published author I was going to have to submit something already. I had submitted a couple “Your Story” creations to Writer’s Digest over the years, but nothing that I loved as much as Flicker.
Flicker was special to me as it touched on my thoughts and feelings towards my grandfather and great aunt who had passed away some years before I wrote it. I couldn’t read it myself without tearing up because it touched something in me that was so very personal.
I pulled it out, polished it up and sent it off to the 2016 Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition and hoped that someone there would ‘get it’ too. Then I waited for what seemed forever, thought it was only a couple months. I finally received an email about Flicker. I opened it and began to read…
“Thank you for entering the 2016 Writer’s Digest Short Short Story Competition. All of our winners have been notified…”
Ah. My first true rejection letter, sent in response to my favorite story. I thought I would feel disappointed, but mostly I just felt sad that I hadn’t been able to convey to the reader what I intended. That they hadn’t been moved as I was by the story.
The following year I pulled our Flicker again, I polished and polished. Then I sent it to a couple of my fellow writers who are wonderful editors as well and provided me some wonderfully constructive criticism. I took it and went over my beloved story on more time. I polished until she shined and I sent her off once again.
I waited once again, this time only a few weeks less than before. Then the email arrived.
I opened it and began to read…
“Congratulations! Your story, “Flicker,” won Twenty-Second Place in the Writer’s Digest’s Short Short Story Competition.”
Wait. I read it again. Then I jumped up and did a happy dance, laughing the whole time just like my kids do when something great happens in their lives.
I did it! I made Flicker into something that a reader could connect with as I had. I was over the moon and couldn’t wait to receive my copy of the collection. Only the top 25 stories are published in the collection.
A few days later I received another email informing me that due to an unexpected withdrawal from the competition, my story was now 21st in the competition. This didn’t change anything for me, except where in the collection my story would appear.
But for someone who received an email that stated “…the winners have been notified.” I couldn’t help but feel excited for them. Because their second email went something like, “Congratulations! Your story won Twenty-Fifth place!” and is going to be published in the 17th Annual Short Short Story Competition Collection.
I was as excited for that author as I was for my own Flicker!
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