Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Take a moment, step back from your concerns, and focus on one thing: You have one life to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted. Sounds simple, but when you really focus on it, let it seep into your consciousness, you realize you only have about 100 years to get every single thing you’ve ever wanted to do. No second chances. This is your only shot. Suddenly, this means you should have started yesterday. No more waiting for permission or resources to start. Today is the day you make the rest of your life happen. Write down one thing you’ve always wanted to do and how you will achieve that goal. Don’t be afraid to be very specific in how you’ll achieve it: once you start achieving, your goals will get bigger and your capability to meet them will grow.
(Author: Colin Wright)
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I want to have something I wrote published in The New Yorker.
When I was 16, I imagined a dreamy future where I was a full-time writer. I would be published and well-liked and everyone would think I was brilliant. I was 16 and I knew I was dreaming. For as much as I wanted the adorable apartment, comfortable bank account, and numerous bylines, I knew that it was going to be difficult for me to achieve. After all, you can’t make everyone happy and not everyone would think that I was the best damn writer in the world. But anyways, I digress.
Getting published in The New Yorker is something that I’d like to give a try one day. To reach this goal, I’ll need to read the magazine more than I do now. Get a feel for what type of writing is there – and how I might fit in. Subscribing may be a good idea since, for now, my exposure is limited to online reading and whenever I find an issue in a waiting room.
With a better grasp of the “feel”, I think I can write something worthwhile. I fully expect for there to be several tries. Maybe dozens. Hundreds. I don’t care though – I’ll write and I’ll try. It’s all I can do. Attach the PDFs and send with a pitch. Send a query and hope for a response. Pray for good vibes and actually getting a second look. In between, I’ll be scouring for advice and guidance on how to make it happen.
Yes, I think it’s decided. I’m going to try when I’m ready. As for when that is, I think I’ll just know.
Right now may not be the time, but it is coming.
You should really try to do this! I know you have the talent to land in those pages; reading the magazine and finding something to say that’s of interest to them is the only trick, and I’ve no doubt that you are more than capable. One day I want to open the New Yorker and read a story and a byline and be able to say, “Hey, I KNOW that girl!”