Well, I hope you’ve enjoyed the three parts of The Basics so far, and the future ones, hopefully.

It’s been a while since I’ve updated here, and things have kind of changed. First, for perhaps the first time since I started this PhD, I can say that work is going, well, ok. Even a glimpse of The End; even a glimpse of a publication? Seriously – my supervisor even left me a note saying “THAT’S WHAT I LIKE TOO [sic] SEE!” in response to some fiiine data I got on Saturday. A note! On standard lab filter paper nonetheless, but a note! I could even use it to dab away the tears…

In other news, data aside, I was hoping that today would be a Big Day. Why? Because today was the day that Manchester-based magazine “Transmission” would select short stories for it’s 7th issue – and I had submitted two back in August. They said they’d contact me if I got chosen but so far it doesn’t look good, especially with their notice now reading “We are looking for short stories on the theme of ‘Time'”, which was something not particularly clear when I submitted. Still, we’ll wait and see. At least they invited me to their party…

I’ll tell you, it sure knocks the wind out of you. You start trying to get your work published, and before you know it, you’re waist-deep into rejection slips that read something like this:

“Thank you for letting us see your material, which we have now read and considered. Unfortunately, it is not something we feel that we could successfully represent. However, this is a personal reaction and we wish you luck elsewhere.”

In short, “You Suck.”

…and it starts getting to you. Now, I know that “all writers have faced rejections”, but I’m pretty sure that, before they got published, they seriously doubted it would ever happen for them. And that’s where I am right now…

At least the PhD is doing better…

Notes of consolation to the usual address.