Getting Started

In the past two years, I have been diligently working to become the person that my eight year old self wanted to be when I grew up -- a writer. Yes, when other kids wanted to cops, firefighters, soldiers, or athletes, I was the one that wanted to be a writer. (Now, there was a time when if someone had dangled the starting centerfielder position for the Reds in front of me, I think I might have done it, but when you hit .237 in Little League, you're not destined for the majors.)

Over the past couple years, I've put in my time not only writing, but also studying the craft as well. I've sat at the alter of Stephen King and of Lawrence Block who are great teachers. (Check out King's "On Writing" or any of the instructional books that Block has authored.) And I think it's paid off -- at least some. Late in 2011, I got my first story published. It was a story I had written in the late 1990's but never took the time to try to get it published. It is titled "Home Schooling" and was released on the website A Twist of Noir. I am eternally grateful to Christopher Grant for not only publishing my story but for also providing me with the encouragement to proceed with my writing. There are far too many that want to dash the hopes of young writers.

I continued to work in my writing and got a second story published in March of 2012. It was a flash piece for a great crime flash fiction site, Shotgun Honey. The piece was titled "What You Don't Know."

I toiled at my first novel for over three years, released it to a set of beta-readers in late 2010 only to get resoundingly thrashed by their critical comments. A real learning lesson and one that I can say still stings. But what can I say? Should they have been kind and said nice things? Yes, I would have liked that, but it wouldn't have made me a better writer.

The secret, as it is with all things, is that you learn more from failure than you do with success. My lesson was learned.

Anyway, while I sulked in silence, I also decided to return to writing horror (which is something I hadn't done for over 20 years) and found some immediate success. Or near immediate success. I got about 5 rejections and 4 no responses before Jeanie Rector at The Horror Zine accepted my story, "The Dark Child." Now, I can tell you, of all the experiences I've had with any of the editors at any of the outlets I've submitted pieces to, this was the most gratifying and instructional. Jeani worked my story (as she does with all the stories) and made it better what I submitted.

Anyway, I write this initial piece to tell aspiring writers that if you stick with it, you'll find success. Does that mean riches? No. I haven't made a dime yet, but I write because I want to and sometime because I have to.