13 Wonderful Things about Getting Published

My first creative nonfiction piece "Going Home" is now up in the summer edition of "The Raving Dove." This piece was sadly inspired by last summer's second Israeli-Lebanon war. Writing this piece came naturally to me having spent over sixty days as a refugee living in other peoples' houses, in hotels, in friendly environments, but didn't have the feel of home.

I appreciate the feeling of home as i do the exhilaration of becoming a published writer. While it is still a fairly new venue for me, online literary journals seem to be most receptive to publishing new writers and thus, I found a 'home' for this particular piece having been homeless for so long.

So here is my thirteen great reasons about getting published. Although i have been published before, every time I see my name in print (and it isn't everyday) I feel alive again.

1. It raises your confidence.
2. You draw a wider audience of readers.
3. your writing slowly enters a different level.
4. people give comments
5. great to put on a resume or a list of publishing credits.
6. You don't feel so 'small' as a writer anymore.
7. You don't experience the new or green feeling as a writer starting out.
8. You are recharged with a new sense of purpose and energy.
9. You can now return to revising that short story or article.
10. You become more tolerant of the written word.
11. it lowers your anxiety level.
12. it is easier to feel more comfortable with your writing voice.
13. It's wonderful to see your name in print!

Happy Thursday Thirteen!