Mr. L usually did not wake up to read anything extraordinary in his emails or online Messaging stream. Just the usual business: family giving the regular updates, solicitations from faux publishers, designers & editors, naked pictures of people he did not know or care about. But this morning, to his great surprise, there was a message from an online editor – an editor wanting to publish a book review Mr. L wrote the previous week.

“Holy Hell,” he said to his laptop screen.

It had been a long time since he had been accepted for publication… especially a legit publication.

“What’s the kicker,” he continued mumbling to the screen.

Something had to be included, edited – CHANGED!

And there were: some news links that had to be added to the piece. An image included.

Not so bad, he thought.

The editor could have asked for an entire rewrite. That he liked the piece but wanted everything reworded. This was something good… something Mr. L has wanted for a long time. Even though he wrote every day, very rarely did he submit the work.

Fear of failure?

Not being happy with the work…

Both of these things always plagued his mind. No matter how many times he heard his work was good, always – always – there was a nagging, almost itching, sensation it was all bullshit. People want to be nice. They don’t want to g through the uncomfortable confrontation that honesty can conjure.

So how do you know if they are being honest?

About anything!!!

But that email was confirmation. Yes, yes. A real-life editor wanted his
written piece for the magazine. Mr. L was smiling… couldn’t wait to tell
someone… but would they be as excited as him? Would they understand this was
a major accomplishment for him, a middle-aged writer that is always trying to
make his words better?

Sure. The writing would always come.., even when it didn’t, it is always
there, whispering inside of his head. To show something for it… that was
something entirely different.

This – this acceptance – was something to show for all the hours, all the
heartbreak – EVERYTHING!

A by-line, the written work – ALL of it there for all to see.

Mr. L was feeling good.