Writer | Teacher | Editor | Publisher
Deep into edits
of stories about family,*
I am reminded why
we explore
the boxes,
the stacks of old letters,
the clippings
from news,
pages of a journal.
Every word a link
to history.
Every image a glimpse
at our past,
Hand-held.
Pieces to the puzzle.
“Write what should not be forgotten.” ~ Isabel Allende
There is a stretch of ground next to our driveway that refuses to let any cultivated plant take root. Stubborn, the dirt cracks in the sun and floods in the rain. It fills with prickly weeds and trash blown in from the street. It is a source of frustration and endless contemplation on how to make it work. But, one respectable wildflower pops up in the mix now and then: chamomile. Small and fragile yet somehow withstanding, she takes on the look of a weed–so as not to get smothered by the others I assume–and often gets pulled in a frenzy to clear out the rubbish. This time, thought, I aim to let her stay as long as she will; tiny flowers make me happy.
We really do have a wretched strip of earth to contend with each summer, but I could be talking about my noveling or editing. Here’s a tip: When you’re waist deep in a draft, do not go back to the beginning. You will find weeds and cracks and trash. You will be tempted to throw everything out as yard waste, including the little gems. And, there are little gems.
Write forward.
The road to publication requires persistence, and patience. This is true whether you’re on the editing side of the table or the side of writers writing. Then, submitting. Then, biting nails, waiting and hoping and anticipating.
Last week, COMPOSE, a new literary journal online, released its first issue. As Assistant Editor, I participated in the behind-the-scenes work that comes with putting a journal together–not an easy task. As Suzannah Windsor says in From the Editor, “the challenge [of creating a literary journal] is greater than just finding some writing and publishing it. The challenge—if a journal is to be successful—is to go beyond the ordinary, to create something that stands out for its content, design, community, and professionalism.” This first issue looks amazing, and I couldn’t be more proud to be part of COMPOSE.
Just as exciting, I lived through the writer’s side of journal publication by having one of my short stories chosen to appear in the inaugural issue of COMPOSE. I worked on this particular story for a long time, and Tamara Pratt, one of the Fiction Editors, gave me wonderful feedback that helped make my work stronger. Thank you to her and Suzannah for giving my story a home.
I hope you’ll take a look at the journal as a whole. And, if you’re partial to fiction, take a peek at my short story, The Saint of Lost Things.
Then, if you like the look of the journal (and I think you will), consider submitting your own work.