I completed my first year of retirement on August 1. It’s been quite a year. I haven’t reached all my goals, but I have made progress and had some happy and unexpected surprises. The biggest one I can’t reveal publicly yet, but come back on September 6, and I will give you all the juicy details.
So, here’s what I wanted to do:
- Become a member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses
- Improve the quality of the journal
- Improve my websites, blog weekly, and enlist more subscribers for both Hey, Mrs. Winkler and Teach. Write.
- Finish the teaching memoir that my mother inspired me to write
- Seek production opportunities for my musical “A Carolina Story” and make the most of my year as a Dramatist Guild Foundation Virtual Fellow
- Continue writing short stories and seeking publication
And here’s what I’ve done:
- Becoming a member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) required me to start a new website dedicated to the journal, which I easily did with the help of WordPress. I quickly was granted membership soon after. Thank you CLMP.
- Being a member of the CLMP has been great for the journal and its editor. I have learned so much from the regular e-mail threads by various members. Also, having my journal listed in the directory may have helped with the increase in quality submissions.
- Of course, I am biased, but I do feel that the quality of the publication has improved since my retirement. The process is certainly less stressful now that I have more time to devote to reading submissions, editing, layout, design, and publication. I love my passion project even more now!
- I have finished the rough, rough draft of the teaching memoir my mother inspired me to write. My mother will be 89 in December, and although she is going strong, I have felt the need to make the book my top priority along with working on my play during the fellowship.
- Speaking of the play, I am in negotiations with a local theater to produce “A Carolina Story” and have high hopes. As part of the fellowship, I am working on a revision that is halfway completed. I have learned so much during the fellowship and have made many friends. In October, the Foundation is bringing all of the fellows to New York for meetings with writers, producers, and agents as well as headshots and makeovers. Then, we will attend the Foundation’s yearly gala. Ooooo, la la!
- Finally, I have had two short stories published. The first, “Horsepower,” was published by Waywords Literary Journal in October 2023. Then, just a few days ago, I got word that my story “Trolley” is slated to appear in the September edition of Books ‘n Pieces Writing Magazine.
Bonus Activties—
- Attended the fall North Carolina Writers’ Network conference in Charlotte.
- Wrote two short dramas for church services
- Taught 3rd and 4th graders for my church’s drama camp and adapted the play we used.
Yet to do:
The biggest thing I had planned to do that I didn’t work on much at all is improving my websites by blogging once a week and enlisting more subscribers. However, I am feeling rather accomplished right now, and I am excited to start working on these goals and completing the next edition of Teach. Write. to be published on Oct. 1.
One more thing–you are the first to know: I’m changing the title to Teach. Write.: A Literary Journal for Writing Teachers. One of my contributors suggested the change to avoid grammatical confusion, and I thought it was a good idea, although I stubbornly insist that A Writing Teachers’ Literary Journal means the same thing–A journal for teachers not just one teacher. Oh, you can tell I was an English teacher for over 35 years, can’t you?
Still time to submit to Teach. Write. Submissions close on September 1 for the fall edition. See my submission guidelines.
Don’t forget to come back on September 6 for the big news!