A Dream Becomes a Reality

So, I know it's been awhile, but do ya'll remember this post?  Feel free to NOT read it all the way through - just refresh your memory of something I committed to three years ago.  But, if you are going to read it, the first and last parts are the most important - especially where it says the odds of ever getting printed in a magazine are about 10 to 15 percent.

I have been determined to get published in a magazine, and have sent numerous ideas out to magazines these last several years. 

Drum roll please...

I sent an idea in nearly a year ago to The New Era, the LDS's church magazine for youth, circulation 230,000 worldwide (or at least it was in 2009 according to my writer's manual).  The only thing I heard back was a nice little, 'our editors will be reviewing your submission.'  Well, that was a lot better than all of the rejection emails I had gotten earlier from other magazines.  I was very hopeful for this story, but as it had been nearly a year, I had pretty much given up on it.

I didn't give up hope though, and sent in another article to them last month with another nice, 'our editors will be reviewing your submission' reply.  My first thoughts were, great, this is the one magazine that doesn't want to hurt writer's feelings with a rejection, so they just say they will review it, then your story gets lost in magazineville with all of the other submission entries. 

Against the odds, I received in the mail today, a very official contract from the The New Era asking for my permission to have my article printed in their magazine!!  I could hardly believe my eyes - even now, I am shaking with excitement and almost disbelief!  Something I have dreamed about for years has finally become a reality. 

It didn't come easily though.  Like I said, I have received numerous rejections, only to keep resubmitting other ideas to other magazines. 

As I mentioned in my post three years ago, Randy Pausch, who wrote The Last Lecture, said something about how when walls are put up, it is to see how badly you want something, and if you want it that badly, you figure out a way around the walls.  

I am here to attest that I had nearly given up, but I can now say, it is possible to achieve your dreams, even if they seem too hard to reach. 


Alas, it may take months, even up to a year before my article is printed according to their contract letter - and by all means, it is not a very long article, but it is enough to get me in the door, and maybe against all odds, the recent article I sent in that is a little lengthier that received the nice little reply will get a contract by this time next year.  One can only hope.  And if it doesn't, on to the next magazine.