Who Knows What the Future Holds?

Over the holidays, I found I'd given some serious thought to my life as a writer. I asked myself the following questions:

1. Where do I want to go with this?
2. What do I want to come of this?
3. Why am I delaying in sharing my work with the world?

Anyway, all of those thoughts came flooding into my mind. I think it may have to do with the fact that this is my last semester and then after this, I’m gonna be out there in the ‘real world’ as QUT likes to put it.

So I was doing some serious thinking, mulling over past assignments, noting how far I’d come in my trade and thinking about how much more I wish to accomplish.

Well, about the first week of school I was talking with Jess, another Creative Writer friend, and we were both thinking, “What the heck are we waiting for?” We should just be out there getting people to read our stuff.

So with that, I pulled together some of my best work and just sent it off to people. I wasn’t being particularly picky, I didn’t care if they paid or if they didn’t. I just thought do it, share your stuff.

Anyway, I sent the travel piece I posted to a campus magazine called, ‘The Universe.’ Honestly, I just pitched the idea to the guy, didn’t give much thought to him getting back in touch with me.

Well, little to my surprise I got an email from him the next day. He said, ‘Jacqui I love your ideas, send them through and I will have a look.’ Now, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited because I was. So, I spent the weekend editing and revising and on Sunday sent them out. I have to say it was somewhat nerve racking sending a stranger my work.

That week I went back to school. Nothing Monday, nothing Tue, nothing Wed morning and by then I thought, “OMG, I he probably didn’t enjoy my pieces.” Well, that afternoon I’m waiting to go to class and I jump on my email. By inbox is full, and the first email is from the editor from Universe. WOW, the email was so nice! He said he really loved what he read and wants to publish my “Bucket of Crickets” article in the next issue. I was thrilled. It just was like a boost in confidence when it came to my writing. I felt like wow, if a stranger sees potential in me, who knows what the future really holds!