Ups and Downs in a Writer's Week

On Wednesday I reached out to the editor who has been in charge of assigning prayers for Bread for the Day, a devotion book.  I've been writing prayers for the project since 2011, and I've really liked that writing assignment.

Well, I won't be doing it this year, not for that project.  The editor has already assigned the prayers.  He wrote me a very nice e-mail saying that he tries to keep the roster of writers varied and thus adds 4-5 new people each year.  There are only 12 openings for writers.

I felt a sadness all out of proportion.  It's the writing job that pays least well--second to least, if we count contributor copies.  There's not a lot of exposure.  It won't lead to a great full-time possibility.

But I liked it.  And lurking in the background is that demon of self-loathing, always ready to speak up:  why did I write for the past several years only to be excluded this year?

My demon wanted to submerge me, but I dusted myself off and polished my Living Lutheran blog posts that were due by the end of this month. 

And yesterday's mail brought good news.  Back in November, I submitted a manuscript, Life in the Holocene Extinction, to the Concrete Wolf chapbook contest.  While I didn't win publication, I did win the First Runner Up title (go here to see the complete list).  Plus, I got a wonderfully supportive note.

It gives me encouragement to keep sending manuscripts out.  And so I will--there are some March contests which look interesting . . . stay tuned!