Submitting poems and fiction has become a bit of a painful process nowadays. I think it's because I've done so many submissions that I'm beginning to fear literally running out of places to which to submit. The fear of having no choice but submitting to the sorts of places to which I was told not to submit (i.e. little-known online publications that don't pay) is becoming a very real and legitimate thing. I really don't have anything against little-known online publications that don't pay but during my training at art school for creative writing...well, I was advised against sending to such places and the idea's sort of become ingrained into me. Fighting that is difficult and it's not very fun.
It's become like pulling off a band-aid. We all know what that's like, we all know that metaphor. Needing to do something quick and painful for your own good and if you prolong the process for too long, it just becomes painful but you can do it with minimal pain if you brace yourself enough and are willing to accept it as a necessary but temporary pain.
I hate writing those submission e-mails and getting half the cover letter written but being afraid of formatting the document how they want it or choosing which version of my authors' bio to use and so I leave it for a bit to go make some tea or do some entirely unnecessary cleaning or play something on the piano that I've played at least a hundred times before or lay on the floor and talk to more light fixtures. But this is what we call "procrastination", and it only makes the process of pulling off the metaphorical band-aid harder.
I think a lot of things for me are like pulling off a band-aid. But sending my writing to other people especially so.
I pulled off a metaphorical band-aid yesterday and I've just pulled off another metaphorical band-aid today. I intend to pull off more.
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