Three posts ago, I mentioned that manuscript.
Remember? The one I submitted in desperation?
As months went by, dreary thoughts plagued me. Perhaps, in the vacuum of my English and Creative Writing instructors' praises, and a few classmates' encouragement, I really didn't have what it took to be a story writer.
I went on to other projects. I forget about the story.
Months went by, and I received an email.
From an editor!
With my story title in its subject line and a question if I was the author.
The editor had lost some contact information, and so, forgot where the submission originated.
I read the message, realized it WAS mine, and quickly replied.
I learned, through email correspondence, he was also the magazine's co-founder.
The ball rolled quickly afterwards.
Edits back and forth. In this general theme publication, he made two changes: in my earlier draft, have the characters wearing 'skivvies', and to describe the matchmakers' processes.
He explained: many readers may not be familiar with Chinese culture, and so, it would be better if I were more specific with the matchmaking!
Oh, did I forget to mention, the editor, by reading his name, turned out to be Chinese-American?
I nearly fell from my chair.
Here was a story taking place in my fantasy world of upright felines, with cultures and beliefs created from a decade's worth of research, and yet, my FIRST editor took something from it, saw within the story his background, and explained to a nascent writer how to improve its narrative.
No, I'm not making this up. This happened.
Is it a coincidence? I don't believe in it. I believe there is a rhyme and reason to many things.
For instance, there is something to be said about storytelling, that many writers strive for. We would rather be known for telling a good tale rather than how well we do the grammatical mechanics.
Yet, while learning and TRYING to perfect the mechanics of crafting a tale, we can get to the heart of the work, and, within its characters' lives, touch something in the reader.
****
NOTE: It's now official! I am a WikiFur entry! I tweeted this, but here is the link.
Carmen K. Welsh Jr. - WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia
(Whoever wrote this perfected my own information I contributed to my writer's guild and on my official site. Scary. The person(s) wrote about me better than I did!)
Remember? The one I submitted in desperation?
As months went by, dreary thoughts plagued me. Perhaps, in the vacuum of my English and Creative Writing instructors' praises, and a few classmates' encouragement, I really didn't have what it took to be a story writer.
I went on to other projects. I forget about the story.
Months went by, and I received an email.
From an editor!
With my story title in its subject line and a question if I was the author.
The editor had lost some contact information, and so, forgot where the submission originated.
I read the message, realized it WAS mine, and quickly replied.
I learned, through email correspondence, he was also the magazine's co-founder.
The ball rolled quickly afterwards.
Edits back and forth. In this general theme publication, he made two changes: in my earlier draft, have the characters wearing 'skivvies', and to describe the matchmakers' processes.
He explained: many readers may not be familiar with Chinese culture, and so, it would be better if I were more specific with the matchmaking!
Oh, did I forget to mention, the editor, by reading his name, turned out to be Chinese-American?
I nearly fell from my chair.
Here was a story taking place in my fantasy world of upright felines, with cultures and beliefs created from a decade's worth of research, and yet, my FIRST editor took something from it, saw within the story his background, and explained to a nascent writer how to improve its narrative.
No, I'm not making this up. This happened.
Is it a coincidence? I don't believe in it. I believe there is a rhyme and reason to many things.
For instance, there is something to be said about storytelling, that many writers strive for. We would rather be known for telling a good tale rather than how well we do the grammatical mechanics.
Yet, while learning and TRYING to perfect the mechanics of crafting a tale, we can get to the heart of the work, and, within its characters' lives, touch something in the reader.
****
NOTE: It's now official! I am a WikiFur entry! I tweeted this, but here is the link.
Carmen K. Welsh Jr. - WikiFur, the furry encyclopedia
(Whoever wrote this perfected my own information I contributed to my writer's guild and on my official site. Scary. The person(s) wrote about me better than I did!)
