One in a Million...

So the other day I checked an old email account (the one I kept so I could sign up for stuff online and have the junk mail sent there) and had an interesting message:

"Dear Jason - found your email through [some website I vaguely remember joining] and thought you would be a good fit for my magazine. I'm looking for free-lance writers to provide interesting articles. Let me know if you're interested."

Granted, that's a truncated version of the email, but you get the gist.

I smiled. Once upon a time I believed (like many beginning writers) that if I just signed up for the 1.3 BAJILLION writers websites out there, someone would contact me with that perfect writing assignment, that once-in-a-million opportunity that would vault me to fame and fortune and publishing credits and book deals and eventually a spot on Oprah's couch as she told everyone how...much...she...LOVED!!!...my book. Instead, I ended up with an email address that just collects writerly spam.

"Jason - agents are looking for your manuscript now! Send me $400 and I'll get make sure they can't tell you 'no'."

"Looking for the beast editting servises? My wrates are fare, and Ive hellped many other athors get published two!"

"For the latest in enhancement...consider my Ebook formatting software - only $599.99."

"Get published within the month!"

"Make your readers fall in love with your words for only $29.99 a month."

Suffice it to say, my days of trolling the interwebs looking for the latest and greatest writer helps are over. I might check in on the random site here and again, but for the most part I've finally learned the lesson that all writers dread learning:

You have to write, rewrite, submit and repeat if you want to get anything published.

Granted, with the digital age in full swing, the self-publishing route is much easier and offers a much wider reach than it once did. I've dipped a cautionary toe into those waters and plan to eventually get in up to at least my ankles. But the old fashioned, tried-and-true method of banging out your best stuff and sending it off for discerning eyes to dissect is still the best way to get your name in print (or electronic type).

And since I've not submitted anything to anyone other than Sharon in the last six months, I decided to reply to that email and see where it would take me. I even provided my blog here as a reference to my material, my style of writing. So we'll see where it leads.

I doubt it will go anywhere (though if it does, I'll be sure to let you know), but as a writer, I just needed to give it another shot.

You know, in case Oprah is still keeping her couch warm...