Stasis

Everything has slowed down so completely that it is almost threatening to stop. The heat doesn't help. 32 degrees, blazing sun, air so dry that it could make a fortune on the comedy circuit. A small fortune.

Not much happening on zoetrope.com either. Three pieces up on the flash board. Nothing. Actually one of them got a review that said I had captured everything that was wrong with humanity in less than 650 words. It's an ambition, I suppose. I don't know if I am to be delighted at the compression or upset that I have no words to spare for everything that is right with humanity. Well, to be honest, I do know. I was delighted, of course. But that passed and then nothing else happened.

I reviewed more and more to fill the void. Began to appreciate stasis:

I notice that your character does absolutely nothing. She simply sits in a forest, looking at a deer. The deer does nothing either. Then it ends. I LOVE this! It's so TRUE!

and so on...

Part of the problem was me being spoiled. I got some acceptances recently of the high grade cocaine quality. And now of course, I want that buzz every day. But the buzz is a buzz because of its scarcity. So now I am sitting, the wind wafting my beard, hopeless and untroubled.

But of course, that's all nonesense. Petty whining. And Duotrope's Digest is the cure, the reminder that it's not about acceptances, feedback and love. It's about writing and writing and getting better. And that's all.