Writing is in my blood, my mom writes, my dad wrote, my daughter writes, my aunts wrote, well you get the picture. It is what I do and I am at my happiest when I am sitting at a keyboard playing with words. I also LOVE to see my words in print and to see how they look when they are put out there for public consumption. Maybe that makes me narcissistic, but that’s okay.
The first time I had a story published at the Champaign News Gazette, I stood at the grocery store the day it was to be published and waited for the driver to arrive with the newspapers. Once I had it in my hot little hands, I rifled through it until I saw what the editor had done with my story. There is something about a byline that brings me pure bliss because I know that other people are reading and absorbing what I’ve read.
Over the years I’ve written for a number of publications, but have never been able to break into the big glossies that sit on the newsstand or inhabit the check out counters. I’ve sent of pitches, but haven’t been able to catch anyone’s eye. The Internet is changing that as some of the glossies are soliciting input from their readers to fill the pages of their online magazines. More, one of my favorite magazines, is one of the magazines that is reaching out to readers and asking for input. Two weeks ago, I submitted a story about finding bliss through blogging to More and they published it on their site. Being published online isn’t as big of a thrill as seeing my name in the pages of a magazine, but it is still pretty cool to see my name somewhere that isn’t my site. More.com is also featuring an article of mine about Patrick Swayze on the front page.
More.com had a link to a site called Divine Caroline and digging into their site, I found out that they also look for submissions for members and I posted a story about stealing back moments of your life.
Everyone reading this probably thinks I am totally self absorbed, but I’m not posting so all of you can rush off and read my writing and tell me how wonderful I am. I’m writing because writing is bliss and because it becomes even more blissful when I know that others are reading the words I’ve put down on the page (or screen) and hopefully being positively impacted.
What brings you bliss?
Cairn by Cairn 