Photo by Jonathan Bean on Unsplash modified by me using GIMP photo editing software.
Many moons ago, a fresh-faced youth of twenty-something was emailed by their university lecturer to inform them that they would be included in an upcoming poetry anthology.
This was my first experience of that magical moment when you see your name in print.
It may not be my best poem, but it was an important milestone for me as a writer. This publication (please see picture collage below) made me believe that one day, I could make a career out of writing.
Although this poem's inclusion in the 'Poetry Pool' didn't earn me any royalties, it's these types of milestones that are so important to keep you believing you can make it in an industry with such a high level of standards, especially when it comes to writing fiction (and getting it published in the mainstream).
With an ever-increasing difficulty to convince an agent to represent you, when it feels like you're bashing your head against a brick wall, with rejection emails in the inbox, and no certainty of success regardless of your quality/talent (particularly when it comes to genre fiction as there are fashions/trends within the reading audience), this is when these milestones are invaluable to look back upon - a tonic to lift your spirits, and give you the impetus to forge on.
Hive has undoubtedly had its part to play in driving my writing ambitions as well, and I would like to share that first instance of ambition made a reality with all of the Hive community.
As my lecturer would say to me if she were still alive, "The Writing should speak for itself, if you have to explain the premise/theme too much, you've failed as a poet."
So, I hope you enjoy...
Thanks for reading 🙂🌿
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