As I attempt to get through the anthology, I’m realizing most of what’s included is from over the last three years. So where’s the rest?
Interesting question.
I spent many years as a strictly ink Writer. This was actually a silent protest against publishers, critics, and pretty much the rest of the world. You see, it was critical that I wrote for mySelf and no other. I still believe that once you start creating Art for other people instead of as a reflection of who You are… something gets lost.
I have no idea where all of my writing books are. I do know, however, that every writing book I’ve had pre-2002 has been thrown in the garbage by an angry Italian mother that was very unhappy when her youngest daughter moved out of the house fairly unannounced, twice.
Ok completely unannounced.
It’s been ten years since I started running away. And exactly like the first time I reached a point where dealing with anyone in physical form proved to be too much for my spinning head… I still keep two suitcases packed. One of clothes. One of books.
Just in case.
Having all of my writing thrown away not once, but twice, has had an effect on me that I’m still making sense of. I think it’s contributed to me not caring or bothering to keep track of what I scribble. It’s like, I write something down – get it out – move on.
This is the part when an industry person is supposed to start paying attention to me…
Now that I’m putting together my first collection, I can’t help but think about certain things… like the 300 page writing book I lost on the subway back in 2001 when I was off my face. Or the two dozen books tossed around my present residence that I haven’t opened in years, and the ones that have disappeared in between.
The anthology is coming my beloved cult members.
… hold onto your hats.
Finally – someone with my problem! Gretchen, I’ve been writing things down: lists, stories, poems, scripts, entire novels in my diaries and notebooks since I was able to scribble my name as a baby. I’ve entire boxes of notebooks and diaries strangers have walked off with without my permission. Keep them in a bookcase or locked file cabinet and send copies of them off to a publisher for submission regularly and maybe you can actually make money off of them. It’s in the blood. Real writers tend to be kind of selfish with their work for whatever reason. Either they don’t want anybody to see it until it’s perfect, or for some other reason. All the Best!
Pamela your comment reached me at such a perfect time… just counting down the hours til I go into yet another job that will detract from who I am and what I should be doing. It is definitely in the blood like you say and because of that, real Writers have got no choice but to spend life trying to figure out how to get over the similar issues we seem to harbor and get ourselves out there. Love to you & thank you!!