I am fortunate to be friends with a fantasy and SF writer/editor whom I have always considered to be a tremendously insightful and entertaining individual. Somehow, I kinda thought he had gotten into the business maybe a half dozen years before I managed to do so. To my surprise, when we talked about it a little while ago, he actually made his first sale after I made mine. Ah, but I had stepped away from fiction writing for a good number of years, so I certainly feel more junior in various respects. He looked me up in the Internet Speculative Fiction Database and discovered that my first published story came out in 1999–25 years ago! Wow. This feels like a milestone. And yet, it is easy to look back and wish I had accomplished more of what my youthful self dreamed of doing. Instead, I want to take time to celebrate a few things in hopes of encouraging all newish writers out there to hang onto your dreams. May you find yourself celebrating not only the milestones you crave, but also the surprises that come your way you proceed along the creative path that is uniquely yours. Here are some of mine:
- Science fiction, fantasy and horror stories in 7 anthologies and a slew of periodicals
- An interactive fiction adventure game
- A bunch of articles in various venues
- A regular book review column in Analog Magazine
- Regular appearances at genre conventions and other speaking events
- Serving on SFWA committees
- Teaching and mentoring others in the craft
- Author readings
- Several stories on readers’ award finalists lists
- A story that won the Sidewise Award for Alternate History
I wish everyone I have met along the way joyous surprises that outweigh the inevitable frustrations. Let’s all keep the creative fires burning brightly.