Friday, January 31, 2014

Cathy T. Colborn on Temple Radio! (SORRY, CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER)


Cathy T. Colborn on Temple radio, this Monday, Feb. 3rd, Whipradiotu.com @ 8.45P.M. Readings, discussions, and plain old silliness. The WragsInk crew and my squeaky tones piercing the sound waves...tune it in. Turn it up.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Happy New Year, Happy New Writing Goals

"New Year Flowerworks," Photo by Cathy T. Colborn

First, great news! I have been published in an anthology by WragsInk called, Strangers of Different Ink.   I've been busy promoting the collection and finishing up my MFA, so sorry if I haven't posted in a while. Strangers is available on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Different-McKinley-Colombo-Finocchiaro/dp/0983045488/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1388956393&sr=8-1&keywords=strangers+of+different+ink


Please buy a copy or pass the word to fans of short story collections, because the tales are really great. Leave a review. It will be much appreciated. I have an article on my short historical fiction piece in Strangers of Different Ink here: http://wragsthinks.wordpress.com/2014/01/03/strangers-of-different-thinks-a-quick-word-with-cathy-t-colborn/

This news has inspired me to once again bring up two things: making connections online and succeeding at your writing goals. Two things which I've written about in recent blogs, but if you haven't read those here's a short recap.

Online Submission Love
Don't post your best stuff online, but send your best stuff to online publishers. It's a fine line. I know. The only way I can warn you without preaching too much is to say that once you post online (even Facebook or Twitter or personal blog), you're published. Therefore, if you wish recognition online before being in a printed book (without screwing yourself), please consider one of the many online journals. There's a publisher for everything. Be patient. Subscribe to places like Duotrope or peruse lists of open submissions online. Buy a copy of the Writer's Market. It's heavy and a bit of cash, but it's updated every year and easy to maneuver. Nothing is left for guessing. It'll payoff. You'll build an author bio and if patient enough, you may end up in a "best of" print anthology. I speak from experience. Two times.
How about starting by submitting your work to my journal, Philly Flash Inferno.



Ongoing theme: The Seven Deadly Sins/redemption. You can find guidelines and archived issues here: phillyflashinferno.com. Just be kind and don't hate if your stuff is not what we're looking for. Always remember writing is subjective. Grow a thick skin or die. Don't burn bridges...we're in this together...and all of that.

Now for some recap on New Year Writing Resolutions Rules that are worth a try:

Here are my top five suggestions:

1) Make a Short Term Writing Goal
Short term...meaning just that.
Example: "Within the next few months I'd like to have at least one acceptance letter."
Start with a low number. If you pass it (or even reach it), you'll really savor the reward.
2) Make a Long Term Goal for the Year
You don't have to abandon the idea of the Award Winning, Accepted Movie Rights book. Instead, you can make other things happen while the big hit awaits. If it doesn't happen, you'll find you've made many small successes (like added to that art/writing bio they always ask for).
3) Don't Throw in the Writing Towel if You Immediately Make Your Short/Long Term Goal
Okay, so maybe it's getting close to the end of the year, and you didn't get that book deal, but in February, you made a spread in "Insert Some College Review Here." That doesn't mean sitting around the rest of the year without rebirthing the rebirth. Don't just sit on the couch watching Real House Wives of Atlanta marathons with a feedbag of Doritos. Keep submitting and see how far you can go past the original number of goals you set.
4) Don't Sellout to Make Your Goals
Just because we have them down on paper, electronically, or sworn to a friend over a holy book-why sell yourself short and check (or overwrite) it off the list? If you don't like what the company that's taking your submission is about (or editing in your piece) then why sellout for the sake of credit or chore setting? Sometimes it's just about the writing and not about making a buck. The buck is nice, but there are a lot of places that you'll be lucky if you get a PDF copy of your work (let alone small cash). Changing the message of your piece to get "writing street cred" is totally not the way to go.
5) Prepare for Next Year's Writing Rebirth in the Fall
I did very well last year with going beyond my short term goals in both my writing and art. I think in ten places I submitted each, I received three acceptances in each category. I didn't sit on the couch and eat a hefty bag of caramel popcorn with Saturday cartoons. The submitting machine kept working on surpassing my short term goals. When the Fall leaves slowly started to let go, so did the fierce submitter, and I started to reflect and make a rough list for January 2014. That didn't mean I abandoned the writing tree I planted, I just watched its color fade and let go...piece by piece. I checked my inbox diligently and tried to get an idea of who was looking for Spring submissions (Remember: editors are always a season or two ahead).

So there you have it. I made a long term goal of being in a short story print collection in 2013 and it happened by October. I didn't make the big one for my novel being published in 2013, but I got a maybe for 2014. See? Keep pushing. Never enough. Never settle. You can make your dreams come true, but the publishers are not going to knock on your door. So keep knocking out those submissions and be heard!
Peace, Love and Luck in the New Year,
Cathy T. Colborn