My year submitting manuscripts to Rate Your Story has helped me to focus on my strengths, which seem to be short biographies. MARJORY STOOD, my 400-word biography of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, won an honorable mention in the non-fic division of the RYS contest, and my biography of LEGO artists Nathan Sawaya, THE BOY WHO BUILT A DOG, received a 2 with some helpful suggestions. (It's a 1-10 scale, with a 1 meaning it's ready to submit.) An agent showed some interest in my 300 word bio of glass artist Dale Chihuly, but then I never heard back. So, for the year 2001, I think I'll concentrate on subbing my bios to agents, and I'll save all my fiction attempts in case I'm asked for more of my work.
My writing life has divided itself into sections: the early reader phase, where I had five stories published by Continental Press, Seedlings Division; and then the magazine phase, where I sold 12 pieces to the Highlights family of magazines plus Jack and Jill, Appleseeds, Knowonder, Spellbound and others; and then a long drought with no sales at all! Hopefully I'm coming closer to the published book stage with my short bios.
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