To all of the writers out there who see award nominations, book deals, publications, but are working towards any of these - KEEP GOING. The only reason I even got published years who is because...(1/6)

I was doing standup comedy and a fellow comic (over 70 long gray beard) suggested I post some of my stories on a website. I told him he was crazy, but I did it. I posted a few things and one day...(2/6)

I got an email saying I had won a contest and was asked to sign a publishing contract for an anthology. I thought it was a joke. It wasn’t, and so, at 31 I had a print publication but...(3/6)

I didn’t know what to do after that so I googled HOW TO BE A WRITER. I’m shameless - yes, I actually googled it. And it actually was helpful. It suggested lit journals, then chapbooks, etc. I just kept writing and submitting and submitting and submitting...(4/6)

And was even naive enough to submit to lit agents. Talk about rejection. Talk about being made to feel like a total piece of garbage. Some days I would get 7 rejections from all sorts of stuff, even mean and personalized “we don’t like vagina stories” emails. Fun. (5/6)

Keep going. Keep writing. It’s a learning process - one that strengthens your skill AND YOUR SPINE. (6/6)