Waa, Waa, Boo Hoo. Cry me a River!

When I first started my blog, I planned to write positive, uplifting posts about my journey as a writer. Recently I’ve been in a funky sort of mood that I can’t describe. I’m not depressed, exactly.  Mentally lethargic might be more accurate. I’ve become ambivalent about my writing – discouraged, even. I don’t like it, but I can’t break out of this rut.

It has to do with the fact that I seem to be going nowhere with my writing.  I feel I’ve moved past the label of “hobbyist writer.” I’ve been published. I’ve been paid small amounts for some of my work. Fact is, there are so few paying markets, and I’m growing tired of writing for free. I’m always happy to see my work in print, along with my name and bio. It’s a rush. I sure would like to have a check to go along with it, though. I feel my writing is good enough to warrant a paycheck.

Few of the online markets pay, and the pay is minimal for those that do. I received $3.00 for my story that is currently featured on Romance Flash.

Some markets used to pay in merchandise like t-shirts or pens or a coffee mug. Heck, I’d take a coffee mug. With what I’ve earned recently with my writing, I couldn’t even buy a friend a cup of coffee, so I’d have to make a pot at home. At least I could serve up it in new mug.

I have one piece out at two different places. I have high hopes that it will be picked up by one of them. Neither is a paying market. I have ideas for a few articles that would be a good fit for a couple of online sites I know. They don’t pay. So I haven’t written the pieces yet. I can’t work up any enthusiasm about doing so.

Some of the overseas women’s magazines do pay for fiction, and I’m looking into that. I hate to pay postage to send it over, though, and an SASE for a reply. I don’t know how much it would be.

The Sun, a literary journal, pays its writers. According to their guidelines, the magazine takes from 2 -6 months to get back to the writer. Six months is a long time.

Unless you are a writer, you have no idea how long it takes to research the markets and get work out.  Some publications will not accept simultaneous submissions, which means when you send out a piece to the editor, you have to wait several months to hear from them. That’s great if it’s an acceptance, but if you receive a response that says something like, “Thank you for submitting your work to ­­­­_________. We must decline at this time. We wish you success….”, you’ll have to start the submission process all over again.

I’ve let my mood spill over into my blog writing. This post hasn’t been positive or uplifting, for sure. I must have heaved out a dozen big ol’ pitiful sighs while writing this.  I can’t help it, folks.

It is what it is.