Writer Unboxed

Lately I’ve been looking for a sign, some sort of confirmation from the universe that, yes, I can do the “writing thing” and that, no, I’m not wasting my time. (As most aspiring writers will tell you, confidence is like a pendulum, ever swinging back and forth between complete and utter belief in yourself and complete and utter despair).

The first sign came a few weeks ago when Beyond the Gray surpassed 10,000 hits. Okay, I thought, people are actually reading what I write…and returning for more. A good sign indeed.

The second sign – and this one, a complete shocker – came last week. As you may or may not know, the popular literary blog, Writer Unboxed, recently held a contest for one lucky unpublished writer to become a monthly contributor, joining the ranks of its heavy-hitting panel of authors, an agent, and an editor. Apparently, 187 people applied for this coveted spot (including me) and though I wasn’t selected to be the monthly contributor, I was named a semi-finalist and earned the title of Honorary Guest, which means that I’ll be contributing to this fabulous blog once a year!

I’ll admit, at first I was bummed not to have snagged the monthly spot, but the fact that my writing was regarded highly enough to land an Honorary Guest spot is such an honor that I couldn’t be bummed for long. After all, a year ago at this time my writing dreams were still very much in the closet, so this is, without a doubt, a huge accomplishment, a big step forward, and the cosmic sign I’ve been looking for.

I’d like to send very big THANK YOU to Beyond the Gray reader and dream chaser, Suzanne Anderson, for not only bringing this opportunity to my attention but for encouraging me to go after it. Thanks, Suzanne!!

For the full list of Writer Unboxed’s finalists, click here: http://writerunboxed.com/2010/04/06/unpublished-writer-post/

Stay tuned: interviews with Writer Unboxed’s founders, Therese Walsh and Kathleen Bolton, are coming soon!!