Clarionniversary, Mega-Three-Year Edition

(NOTE: Based on time elapsed since the posting of this entry, the BS-o-meter calculates this is 16.884% likely to be something that Ferrett now regrets.)

Three years ago, I walked out of Clarion and called a mulligan on two decades of bad writing.  I had, I said, never written a thing before this day, at least not one that counted.  And so I started clear.
I use these anniversaries to look over what I’ve done since then – both to remind myself of what I’ve accomplished, and to serve as a showcase to others as to the kind of effort it takes for a mediocre-to-good author like myself to scrape the bottom layers of what one might call “a professional” career.  (Not that I’m ashamed of what I’ve done – I’m quite proud – but I’m nowhere near a household name, and have been nominated for no awards.)
This is what it takes.  At least for me.
In three years:

  • 51 stories started
  • 46 stories completed
  • 32 stories final-drafted and submitted to at least one market
  • 172 rejections (or, on average, one rejection every six days for the past three years)
  • 19 stories sold
  • …6 to “professional” markets
  • 12 stories published
  • 3 stories made into audio productions
  • 6 stories retired when I realize I’d be embarrassed if I got them published
  • 1 novel written and completed
  • 1 old novel read for notes and revision

There are geniuses out there.  For the rest of us, it’s a lot of hard work.

1 Comment

  1. Debs
    Aug 11, 2011

    Thanks, Ferrett,
    Im at three years since I started writing. Boy I love comparing myself to others. Bad habit really, this is not a race etc, but I just cant help it. Is fun.
    I think Ill do a similar round up on my blog.
    Also loved your new BCS story.
    chin chin

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