When I began freelancing almost two years ago, it was excruciating to wait for an editor to get back to me about a submission. Is my idea at all interesting? Am I entertaining? Does this make good copy? Waiting to hear truly sucked. There are still times I feel impatient upon pitching NON-autobiographical material.
However, no one is happier than me about the fact it takes months for a submitted CONFESSIONAL to be accepted by a magazine, published, and then paid for.
Why the discrepancy?
Exhibit A. The illustration above by Aaron Romo (of me and my son) accompanies a humor piece I wrote for this month's PARENTWISE AUSTIN'S "My Life as a Parent"column. The piece here paints a picture of a very hormone-licious me in classic OCD mode after discovering the kitchen, screen porch, and deck are covered with hair. Thanks for running this, Kim and ParentWise Austin.
If things were published straight away, the wounds would be too fresh (WOUNDS? Ok, busted. I'm a rich American with sometimes rebellious kids...we'll call em 'scrapes'). A few months gives me a chance to hopefully heal and forgive...
until publication when I can feel shame all over again.
