Reflecting on a Year of Writing Growth: June 2023 - 2024
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Chapter 1: A Year in Review
As June 30th, 2024 approaches, I find myself looking back at the remarkable journey that began one year ago when my first short story was published. The excitement I felt upon hearing the news is still vivid. After nearly two years of serious dedication to writing short stories and prose—along with many prior years spent primarily writing scripts—this achievement felt monumental. It marked the start of a year filled with successes that not only celebrate my anniversary but also highlight my growth as a writer.
June 30th, 2023: The short story titled "Titanium, Thorium, and Tungsten" was published in Sci-Fi Shorts. One of the advantages of this publication is their approach to submissions; if they see potential in a story but believe it needs refinement, they provide feedback and allow for revisions. I received valuable critiques regarding repetitive language and areas lacking clarity. Armed with this guidance, I improved my narrative and resubmitted it, ultimately leading to its publication.
The first video, titled "Sunday 30th June 2024," delves into the author's journey over the past year, showcasing key moments and insights gained throughout the process.
July 14th, 2023: Just a fortnight later, another fantastic milestone awaited me—two of my stories would be published on the same day in different magazines! I had been submitting my work widely, so it was a delightful surprise. One of these stories, "The Booth," found a home in Clever Fox Literary Magazine. This story came about in a burst of creativity rather than careful planning, highlighting the benefits of allowing inspiration to flow freely. The other story, "Looting While Dead," was published in Sci-Fi Shorts, marking my second successful submission to them.
August 11th, 2023: I previously entered the 6th Annual Launch Pad Prose Competition, where my story reached the Second Round. However, this time, I entered "Darkness of the Ecuadorian Sunset" into the 7th Annual Launch Pad Prose Competition and was thrilled to learn that it had made it to the Top 100! This position meant my story would be promoted to industry professionals, offering exciting possibilities.
August 20th, 2023: After submitting another story to Sci-Fi Shorts, I faced another rejection. However, I used this as an opportunity to brainstorm new ideas for a sci-fi narrative. I revisited a concept I had previously considered for a longer piece and adapted it into a short story titled "Fury of the Yellow," which was also published in Sci-Fi Shorts. This experience taught me the value of concise storytelling and helped enrich my understanding of the larger narrative I hope to develop one day.
September 1st, 2023: The story that advanced to the Top 100 in the Launch Pad Prose Competition moved on to the Top 50! This development meant further exposure and ranking benefits, allowing my story to attract the attention of agents and producers.
September 3rd, 2023: My fifth published work and fourth in Sci-Fi Shorts, "Language Barrier," came to fruition after consistent submissions and valuable critiques from the publication. Their feedback has been instrumental in my writing development, making me more aware of recurring issues in my work that I needed to address.
Section 1.1: The Journey Continues
September 22nd, 2023: Although I didn’t make the Top 10 in the Launch Pad Prose Competition, I received an unexpected email shortly after the announcement. A representative from a Management and Production Company expressed interest in my story and wanted to discuss potential representation! The meeting went well, providing me with valuable insights into what industry professionals are looking for.
April 5th, 2024: I revisited a comedy script, "A Tale of Two Tales," that I had written years ago. After some revisions, I submitted it to the TSL Free Screenplay Contest, which boasted over 15,000 entries. I was elated to find out that my script had made it to the Quarterfinalists, a testament to the uniqueness of my ideas.
April 13th, 2024: Until this point, every short story I submitted had been accepted on the first try, which sometimes led to doubt about my other works. However, I had a story that had been rejected multiple times, "The Origin of Curse Words," which was finally accepted by Mollusk Lit! This experience taught me that rejections often stem from the fit between a story and a publication rather than the quality of the work itself.
May 3rd, 2024: The TSL Free Screenplay Contest announced its Semifinalists, and my script had advanced again, landing in the top 250! While this was as far as it would go, I felt confident about the potential of my script.
May 27th, 2024: I sent another previously rejected story, "How Things Are Here," to On The High Literary Magazine, and it was accepted! This publication marked my seventh short story published in just one year. It was a story close to my heart, blending personal experience with fiction, reinforcing that drawing from real life can yield powerful narratives.
June 28th, 2024: To my surprise, I learned that "Darkness of the Ecuadorian Sunset," previously submitted to the Launch Pad Prose Competition, would be featured in their Summer Reading List for industry professionals. They praised my story with a review that felt akin to a film critique, leaving me honored and excited for the exposure.
Reflecting on the past year, I take immense pride in my accomplishments while acknowledging the invaluable lessons learned along the way. This year has been challenging yet rewarding, filled with relentless writing and personal growth. As I look back on my journey, I cherish my achievements but remain driven to continue pushing forward, eager for even greater accomplishments in the future.