Print Me

2002-07-24 - 8:10 p.m.

Do I have what it takes?

I'm struggling right now, trying to determine just that. See, I entertain the notion of being a writer from time to time (read: daily). I found a publisher that sounds neat-o, but they ask that you read one of their books before submitting crap to them.

So, today, I bought one of their books. It's a fairly good book too. The author shares some of my humour, but clearly differs on opinion of what poetry is.

I like Seussian poetry. I like rhythm and rhyme. I find it more challenging to come up with a witty or poignant flow of thoughts in a rhyming meter than to just poop thoughts out

This is not to say that I shun non-rhyming poetry. I've actually been known to do a little myself every now and again.

But (beginning not only a sentence, but an entire paragraph with a taboo conjunctive word) I wonder if my particular brand of poetry is what publishers could put their faith in? There's certainly more of the non-rhyming, spoken word format being put out right now than the misunderstood and oft scoffed lyrical type.

It essentially boils down to my fear of rejection. I like writing - nay, I love it. I want other people to be able to read me. I would feel no greater pride than to be able to point to a book on my shelf, with a purty cover, and say, "I wrote that." I don't want fame or fortune. I want qualification, justification, tangibility of a skill. I want someone whose job it is to give writers thumbs up or down to give me thumbs up. I want a publisher to give me a hug and say, "I love you."

And (did it again) I'm scared they won't.