I’ve gotten feedback from some generous readers on stories I’m putting together. Asking for feedback triggers insecurity and guilt (“I’m sorry to bother you and you don’t have to read it if you don’t want to.”) but oh, people’s comments are incredibly helpful. The feedback isn’t only helpful in the practical sense (“Thanks for catching those typos.” and “Oh wow, that is a plot hole!” ), but it keeps me from throwing myself off the writing-dreams track.

People who take the time to read and respond to my work give me hope. They bring me away from the edge and back to the page.

Feedback doesn’t, of course, fix everything. Enthusiasm makes a difference, but it doesn’t ease the stress of bills or expand the hours of the day. It’s priceless, nonetheless.

Have I given up on the dream though of finding a traditional publisher? I don’t know. I’m sharing my writing on Patreon, and while it certainly isn’t going to let me quit one of my day jobs, traditional publishing isn’t likely to do that either.

There’s a great deal about self-publishing that has never felt like anything I have the energy, time, and resources for. But traditional publishing doesn’t take care of a lot of those things either these days.

Well, as I muddle through and try to figure out what to do on the publishing front, I’m still writing. Somehow stories will get out into the world.

Thanks for reading.