Write.
Revise.
Critique.
Write.
Revise.
Get a second opinion.
Edit.
Proofread.
It's done, yeah!

Find markets.
Research markets.
Agonize over your cover letter.
Catch typos just after you hit the submit button.

Your submission is but one in a crowd so you wait.
And wait some more.
What's wrong with this publisher? Why can't they move faster.
Agonize over whether to query the publisher about your story's status.
Wait.
And hope.

Finally an answer:
No- go back to the start. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.00.

Yes!-- return to the waiting room.

Hurry up.
Wait.
Wait.
Wait.
At last the book is here! Yippee.

Excitedly tell all your friends.
They'll probably ask something like "So, have you sold that book yet?"
Feel deflated.

Read a random blog post on the Green Gecko Publishing blog.

Read these some quotes like this:

"I've got a folder full of rejection slips that I keep. Know why? Because those same editors are now calling my agent hoping I'll write a book or novella for them. Things change. A rejection slip today might mean a frantic call to your agent in six months." - Mary Janice Davidson

And this:

"You must keep sending work out; you must never let a manuscript do nothing but eat its head off in a drawer. You send that work out again and again, while you're working on another one. If you have talent, you will receive some measure of success - but only if you persist." - Isaac Asimov

And one more for good measure:

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." - Calvin Coolidge

Send your story out again.

Write a new story.
Revise.
Critique.
Write.
Revise.
Get a second opinion.
Edit.
Proofread.
It's done, yeah!

Thanks everyone for your submissions. Whether it's a yes or no, know that GGP appreciates you.

Because of the nature of the 'Passion for' series, we get a lot of submissions from people who haven't thought about writing professionally. So here are a few pointers:

You don't have to send us your resume`. Anyone can submit a story. Your writing is all that matters. We do get a lot of good submissions that aren't quite what we are looking for so don't take a rejection personally. If you're worried that there is something you can improve, join a good on-line or in person critique group. Writers are a friendly lot, happy to share their knowledge.

You can increase your chances by taking a few minutes to research industry standards. Speaking of industry standards, let's look at pay rate.

Green Gecko Publishing is a semi-pro market. Semi-pro pays 1 to 4 cents per word. Pro markets pay 5 cents and higher.

Some markets pay a flat rate. Five, ten, and fifteen dollars are common amounts. This allows the magazine to acquire longer stories but the per word rate is often token.

For the love markets are places that don't pay. Getting your foot through the door can be easier with these markets, but a writer doesn't want too many non-paying "sales" on their writing resume`.

Because Green Gecko Publishing pays at the semi-pro rate, we are most likely to acquire stories that are near the professional level. That makes us a pretty good writing credit to put on your resume`.

Context, convention and circumstance are all. Let me repeat. Context, convention and circumstance are all. When a writer seeks to make money, it is wise to "dress up" language based on who is paying and how much is being offered. But language does not need a suit and tie or sparkles. Over dressed language is just as hard to sell as under-dressed.

The correct attire at GGP is simple, straight-forward sentence structure with a strong story arc and pace. Keep your subjects and verbs close together. Put the main idea of your sentence at the front of the sentence most of the time. (Don't hide it behind prepositions and phrases, except for variation.) The same goes for tense. Keep it straightforward most of the time, and stir it some of the time. Don't get fancy with modifiers. Above all, tell us a great story from beginning to end.

Hello all! Now I know you guys have been thinking, "What the heck had the intern been up to?" Well, I'm back from a short vacation to see my mom! However, on the last day of our visit, I came down with a cold and my sister got pinkeye! Gross! So, as I haven't worked this week (lazy, I know), I thought this edition of "What's The Intern Been Up To?" will be a list pertaining to my last few days. So here ya go!

THE TOP 5 THINGS I HATE ABOUT BEING SICK:

5.  Looking Like a Melting  Yeti 
<--------------------------me yesterday

Why does it always seem like when I go out to get medicine, that's when I run into someone I haven't seen in two years?

Me: "Oh hey, Personfromhighschool, I was just checking out these placenta hair treatments in the corner not hiding from you!"

Personfromhighschool: "Hey Shannon, I thought that was you!"

Me: "Yep. It's my lucky day! What have you been up to? You look great!"

Personfromhighschool: "Just working at *****. So do you!" (That's just cruel).

Me: (defensively) "I'm sick"

Continue uncomfortable conversation way too long while staring blankly, mouth open, and dreaming of acquainting my face with the floor.

4. Daytime TV

I don't ever know what's going on but it seems dramatic! I also use up precious energy trying to find the remote which has apparently discovered a time rift between the couch cushions and only appears after I search fruitlessly and call a family member making me look like an idiot. "Did you even try to look?"

3. Everything Tastes Like Old Socks

Ice cream? No. Old socks.
Raspberries? No. Old socks.
Lima beans? No. Lima beans (which taste like old socks)

2. Having the Energy of an RC Car

Now I'm not talking about Christmas Day, Mom remembered the 8 nine volt batteries RC car. I'm talking about the day after Christmas, pitiful, most of the batteries drained, RC car. I also tend to make the same low whining sound, too, which brings me to the final thing I hate about being sick:

1: Sounding Like a Whiney B

Which is probably because I'm being a whiney B...........but I'm sick  :(

Later, blog readers!

Author: Shannon the Intern