Dipping My Toes In

So....I've decided to try it.

I mean... I'm almost 21. Most authors have sent their short stories or poetry out to be looked at and possibly published by now, right?

The idea occurred to me last night as the boyfriend and I were just about the leave Barnes & Noble. I had gone over to the magazines and, just as I was about to bend down to look at Writer's Digest and The Writer, I saw it. The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction.

And then it hit me. Publishing. I've never tried to publish any of my stories. I mean, sure, two of my science fiction/fantasy short stories are being published in the boyfriend's astronomy book in December but that's not the audience that I want my stories read by. It's only kind of bragging rights for me. Because, when you know the two people who are publishing the book, it's not hard to stick your stories in and it's hard for me to want to go around and be like, "Oh. I'm getting published. Check me out."

I really would like my stories to be read by the audience that is meant to read them. The people who obsess in science fiction and fantasy, just as I do. So, I've gone to the magazine's website, I've looked at their info, I've chosen the story, I've put it into the right format (using Scrivener, which I mentioned in my last blog and which I find AMAZING now that it has helped me so much), and all I really need to do is write a cover letter. Then, I will send it away and cross my fingers. I'm not expecting anything except for a rejection letter (actually, I'll be very surprised if they do publish it), but at least it means I will have taken my first steps towards getting my stuff looked at and getting my name out there. One rejection letter after trying to publish is better than nothing after never trying.

So, ready or not...