The Postman Cometh

I took this photograph in October of 2009 thinking I might need a photo of the Postie making his rounds to help tell a story one day, and today is that day. As some of you may remember, I picked the word Completion for 2011 and I have been hard at work trying to tick things off my list since we rolled into this new year.

Today, I ticked a box that I had not even planned on and I had to complete it fairly quickly to meet a deadline. Somewhere around the middle of January, I decided to enter a piece in a short story competition here in the UK. I had something that I had worked on a few years ago thinking that it might evolve into something bigger , but had never completed it. So I dusted it off and began to work with it and quickly realized that writing a short story is very different than writing a novel.

Looking at it now, it’s difficult to see more than the roots of the original story and I learned during the process that it is easier to write a new one than try to graft a piece on here and there to make it fit.

I was surprised by what unfolded and how good it felt to see it on its way today when I dropped it into the post box outside our village shop.

I’ll keep you posted (no pun intended) on any feedback I receive, even if it turns out to be nothing more than a thanks for entering. I am going to sleep tonight satisfied that I’ve completed a good first step in creating a work life where things go out the door with an intention and focus on publishing.

You have to send it out to have a chance and mine left about 4:00PM today.