Dog!
One of my essays--about counting dogs as a spiritual practice--appeared Sunday at Episcopal Cafe and is available by clicking here.
How this essay came to appear here is a study in keeping one's ears alert--like a dog's, if you will--because I'm not a member of an Episcopal church and ordinarily wouldn't have heard about this publication.
My sister is Communications Director at a large Episcopal church in Arizona and participates in several Facebook pages where people share ideas about communication strategies. The editor of Episcopal Cafe posted that they were looking for new voices for their Magazine, which features pieces about a specific topics.
Meanwhile, last fall I'd written part of this essay as part of my daily writing practice, and as part of my ongoing effort to write shorter pieces. I'd submitted it to one paying market, and it had been rejected.
When my sister pointed out the Episcopal Cafe opportunity, I recognized that expanding on the explicit spiritual element would create a larger context while making it a better fit for the publication. So yeah, I ended up making it longer; go figure!
And--this is important--I had already made the decision that I'd be willing to have it appear, even if it didn't earn money. Not everyone can make that decision, and I respect that. And I don't make that decision about every piece I write, either.
Although today is apparently a day for counting snowflakes instead of dogs, prime dog-counting season is upon us. So, go look for something happy today! Woof!
How this essay came to appear here is a study in keeping one's ears alert--like a dog's, if you will--because I'm not a member of an Episcopal church and ordinarily wouldn't have heard about this publication.
My sister is Communications Director at a large Episcopal church in Arizona and participates in several Facebook pages where people share ideas about communication strategies. The editor of Episcopal Cafe posted that they were looking for new voices for their Magazine, which features pieces about a specific topics.
Meanwhile, last fall I'd written part of this essay as part of my daily writing practice, and as part of my ongoing effort to write shorter pieces. I'd submitted it to one paying market, and it had been rejected.
When my sister pointed out the Episcopal Cafe opportunity, I recognized that expanding on the explicit spiritual element would create a larger context while making it a better fit for the publication. So yeah, I ended up making it longer; go figure!
And--this is important--I had already made the decision that I'd be willing to have it appear, even if it didn't earn money. Not everyone can make that decision, and I respect that. And I don't make that decision about every piece I write, either.
Although today is apparently a day for counting snowflakes instead of dogs, prime dog-counting season is upon us. So, go look for something happy today! Woof!