Postscript: On finding one’s own measures (Part 1)

Letter: ‘What’s an “Emerging” Writer and How Do I Become One?’

There are, obviously, milestones that signal to others that one has “made it” as a writer. There are also, less obviously, the milestones that signal to oneself that there is permission to continue. This is the strange journey I wanted to get to in this week’s letter, and it’s gotten me thinking about what those moments have been for me—what did I think they mean, and what did they actually mean?

My first publication acceptance after college.

Writing was my secret forte in college. I took classes and published with friends but didn’t get to the career end until after that. After reading more literary journals and submissions that didn’t pan out, I remember being shocked when I received my first acceptance at a favorite journal that I fell out of my chair.