Poetry

Finally It Arrived

In November I posted Published, about a flash fiction piece of mine I’d entered in a competition. It got published in a book. My first publication in print. I was so excited, but the longer I waited for the physical book to reach me, the further the doubt monster crept into my psyche. Maybe it wasn’t true. I’m not good enough anyway. My mind was doing a stellar job of talking itself out of the truth. Do all authors feel like this the first time? That is, until they hold the bound pages in their hands. I got to do that. Note it was posted on 24 November 2021 and I received it on 10 March 2022. I’m glad I got it at all.

Don’t ask what I’m raving about if you’ve published a novel, but this little win is something for me. I fight that doubt and self-worth demon daily, and my inner critic is a loud-mouth. So I’m celebrating. It’s true! My name is in print!

To those still fighting, carry on. Writer, artist, musician, whatever your dream. Call the voice out. It’s a liar. You are more than enough and you can do anything you want. Prove it wrong. I know it is only trying to protect us from heartache and disappointment, but it is keeping us from achievement and excitement and ecstasy and greatness.

You’re Wrong

Resist it
Fight it
Defeat it
That deep seated desire
The one the voices inspire
To be a packrat in the brain
Of criticism
Of doubt
Of falsehoods
And limiting beliefs
Of all these things that play anchor
Against progress
Against greatness
And achievement
The gatekeeps of joy and ecstasy
No floating in the clouds
If you give these refuge in your mind
For you will heed the warnings of protection
To your own detriment
And forever be stuck in possibilities
Instead of your intended reality

Debbie Gravett © 2022.03.13

FOWC: Float
RDP: Packrat

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

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Debbie Gravett

A word painter; a story slave; a believer of magic and mystery; a lover of life.

14 thoughts on “Finally It Arrived”

  1. I think everyone has a horror story. My worst will soon be resolved (so they say): I submitted a poem for a (print) anthology tribute to an author (whom I will leave nameless until publication.) Here’s the timeline:

    Submission date: 4/15/20
    Receipt acknowledged: 5/20/20
    1st Status Inquiry: 9/10/20 (no immediate response)
    Acceptance Received: 10/17/20
    Email from Publisher projects “early 2021” pub date
    Update Query: 1/13/21 (no response)
    2nd Update Query: 7/15/21
    Publisher email 9/25/21: “Eary next year”
    Publisher email 2/10/22 “Printer will deliver books to publisher for distribution to authors on 3/24/22.”

    We’ll see.
    There are some extenuating circumstances (including COVID & the death of the author for whom the anthology is being created), so I suppose I can’t complain too loudly (esp since the publisher has an otherwise good record), BUT… two years?

    Hang in there!

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    1. Thanks Ron.

      Yes, this one also took quite long to go through the selection and print process – also probably due to Covid. I thought they might have gone out of business and hey, eventually I got the book.

      You also hang in there. COVID has messed with us enough now.

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  2. Hugs and bravo! I am just starting to collect rejections, since I’ve been off Family Medicine for a year on March 20th. Sigh. Guess I will concentrate on writing. Still on oxygen part time.

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  4. I know an author – who has been published several times – who, when they habve not been published for a while – worries that they have gone off the boil.

    Copnclusion: you’re always gonna worry about something.

    The only way you can do this is to write for yourelf. If you enjoy the writing process, what more is there?

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      1. It’s interesting because it makes me wonder if there’s ever a time when they *won’t* worry.

        I bet even Stephen King worries that his next book will be a flop. Will tarnish his rep. You can’t win!

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      2. I’ve heard that imposter syndrome doesn’t go away, no matter how successful you get.

        So as you said, write for yourself and if they like it, then it is a bonus. I think the act of writing is the win.

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