Now that I’ve had three acceptances from the Chicken Soup for the Soul people, I occasionally get a “Story Call Out” email from them. In these emails, they ask if any of their past writers have additional stories for books they’re currently putting together. Often the deadline for these stories is extremely short.
I recently got a Call Out for Christmas stories. It asked for stories about such topics as “The True Meaning of Christmas,” “Holiday Traditions,” “Memories of Christmas,” “Gift Giving,” Holiday Humor,” “Christmas Through the Eyes of a Child,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and the all-inclusive “any other stories you would like to share.”
There was a two-week open submission window.
Yes, I thought, I do believe I have several stories that fit those categories. Maybe a few more than several. So I began compiling a list of possible titles I could write for Chicken Soup about Christmas. And finally, bright and early one Monday morning, I put on a little holiday music, sat down, and began writing. And writing. And writing. And writing. And writing. And by Thursday I had 11 stories in final polished form! Eleven stories! It took me some time to get them all sent in, but now it’s done.
The toughest part, at least for me, is not in the writing, it’s in the waiting. It could be several months before I hear back from the Chicken Soup people, and that’s only if I have a story accepted. But I have a tingly suspicion that for the first time I’ll have multiple stories printed in the same publication.
I can feel it in my toes! Christmas is coming! I’m sure of it!