My story, Speed Trap, was returned with suggestions for a rewrite. I have not written anything new in almost a year now. I am not excited about breaking this story out and working on it. It is a unique piece, unlike anything I’ve read in any of the internet zines, but it would be nice to find it a home.

I wrote Speed Trap New Years Day, 2003, and it has been out at various zines the whole time since. I have rewritten it many, many times. The current version does not resemble the first draft at all, and I don’t have a clear vision for it anymore. This was one of my favorites, or I would have trunked it long ago. It always gets a “close but no cigar” comment from editors.

I don’t exactly have writers block, because I still get many ideas for stories and my idea book gets a new entry almost every day. I just don’t have the heart to follow through on the ideas. The submit/wait/reject/submit cycle makes the whole process discouraging. My own experience with an ezine tells me that very few people actually read the stories that eventually get published. (eZines are only read by writers who want to publish. There is no other audience.)

I will retire some time in the next 10 years. I will then open up the idea book and start cranking out words. I am not sure that I will submit any of them, though. I may just post the stories to one of my websites – cut out the middle man.

Only one story left out there, now. I submitted that 179 days ago to Black Gate and I don’t expect the reject back for another year, if ever, as John O’Neill has a new job and admitted he has no time for the zine, anymore.