als writes - the last week

this blog is partly here for bcers to diarise (is that the word?) their bc experience.

so...

sometimes, bc is a slog.

in fact, there's some discussion from time to time on bc about how hard it is for all of us to fit the writing in around our lives.

it's true; writing, trying to be a writer, getting words down, subbing, critting, rewriting, keeping a record of what you've done, what you've subbed, blah blah blah

it can be hard

but but but

recently we've had 'subs blasts' where we are 'encouraged' - that means big shouty capital letters - to send our writing to competitions, ezines, anywhere that might publish it, or give us cash for it.

we've also , for a while now, been 'encouraged' to write a story (2000 words at least) a week, post it, crit it, rewrite it (if you want) send it out somewhere as a sub (if you can)

hard, hard, work on top of life, family, work, football (euro semis and promotion/relegation races take up a lot of time!)

but but but

it works.

the last seven days - i got a story on a shortlist for a biggish comp ( big prize) - top twenty out of 500-plus entries

i won a fifty quid second-place in another competition

i got a poem (poetry, for god's sake!) accepted at a print mag

i got sent a print mag through the post with another poem of mine published inside

i'm not giving it the johnny big bollocks here - i also got a rejection back from a site i've been trying to get into for ages, and i had another two poems rejected - but what i'm saying is, the hard work pays off, a little

sure, it's small fry - fifty quid's not paying anyone's mortgage, and little poetry mags are, well, little poetry mags.

but the stuff is out there

people (however few) might read it

it's better than it sitting on my hard drive

and it creates a bit of enthusiasm in me for this whole writing lark

getting a hit emailed to your in box, it's nice

the encouragement we get to write write write sub sub sub at bc (not just from the boss, although he does shout the loudest, but from everyone else) that's what leads to getting stuff published, placing in comps, and - eventually - improving as a writer

i'm not bigging-up bc here

i'm just saying that the hard work is - sometimes - always - worth it.