I finally submitted something. I boned up, grew a pair, whatever you want to call it, and submitted something of my own to people I don't know for their acceptance or rejection.

I sent it to Common Ties, a website one of my good friends uses to submit to sometimes. They seem like a decent site, and those who have read it tell me I've got a helluva of shot at getting it published. My anxiety doesn't listen to it, but that is neither here nor there. I'm told the up-and-down roller coaster of emotions is perfectly normal, so I'm glad to know I'm freaking out in the right order.

How do people do this the first time? My family all say 'you submitted work in high school, this is no different'. I was in charge of the creative writing papers in high school, there was no question that my own stuff would be used. And when I was asked to submit to a weekly paper in Pittsburgh, I didn't have to submit either. I was asked to put in works the paper had already read, they just wanted permission. See, no pressure there to be good at it, they already liked my stuff.

Common Ties doesn't send out rejections, only acceptance letters/contracts if they take your work for publication. So I get to sit and stew for the next six weeks wondering.