The Hungry Artist

I’ve just received an offer from an editor to revise and resubmit a favorite story of mine, “Backwards” for possible publication. This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked to re-work a piece for publication. The first time was back in 2009 when I reworked a story called, “Schemas” in response to the editors specific suggestions, and luckily, she accepted it for publication in her anthology. Believe me, that story underwent many drafts and revisions, stemming back from my undergrad days. This particular editor has pasted the comments from 4 different readers, each pretty much saying the same thing – that the first 2 and a half pages (out of 4) are excellent, but then the ending falls flat. There are parts they believe where the narrator “tells” too much rather than sticking to tight imagery. Looking back at my story, a form of slipstream/magic realism, I would agree they’re on to something. I have noticed of late a tendency on my part to allow my musings to spill too easily onto the page; what I mean is I’m trying to make too much sense of the narrative and it shows. So, though I don’t look forward to the painstaking work and the possibility of re-rejection…I think I’m up for the challenge…