Write1Sub1: Come for the Challenge, Stay for the Community
Once upon a time, Ray Bradbury was a struggling young writer in love with the craft. He wrote a short story every week, polished it up, and submitted it to a magazine. Rejection letters flooded in, mainly due to his prolific number of submissions: the more you write, the more responses you get. There were also acceptances along the way, and they inspired Bradbury to keep doing what he loved: telling stories as only he could.
He once said, "If you can write one short story a week—doesn’t matter what the quality is to start, but at least you’re practicing—at the end of the year, you’ll have fifty-two short stories, and I defy you to write fifty-two bad ones. Can’t be done."
This year, over 150 writers have decided to follow in Mr. Bradbury’s footsteps by joining Write1Sub1. Some write and submit a new story or poem every week, and some do so every month. So far, more than thirty participants have had their work accepted by over seventy different markets—from Twitter fiction to pro-paying short story venues—and they've cheered each other on every step of the way. But they've also been there to commiserate with disappointments and rejections, because that’s what Write1Sub1 is all about: community.
"I am not alone. All over the world there are people doing the same things as me: writing, subbing, laughing in the face of rejection, and celebrating the occasional acceptance. It’s good to be part of a community. That’s the best thing about Write1Sub1 for me."
— Deborah Walker, Write1Sub1 participant
Visit Write1Sub1 to participate alongside fellow writers devoted to honing their craft either as a Weekly or Monthly participant, and post the corresponding badge on your blog to tell the world about the adventure you’re embarking upon. As with any epic quest, all it takes is that first, fateful step—and it's never too late to start.