Saturday, November 10, 2012

Seasonal Excuses

Seasonal Excuses

by Barbara Etlin


I can't submit my short story in July.
Vacation season starts now.

I can't submit my short story in August.
August is the slowest month of the year. No one is in the office.

I can't submit my short story in September.
The kids are starting back to school and chaos will ensue.

I can't submit my short story in October.
I need the entire month to prepare Halloween costumes.

I can't submit my short story in November.
I'll be busy doing NaNoWriMo instead of submitting.

I can't submit my short story in December.
Everyone knows no one in publishing does any work between mid-November and New Year's Day. They're partying or hung over, if they're in the office at all.

I can submit my short story in January.
The editors will be back from their six-week-long vacation and will be rested. However, my manuscript will be lost in the huge slush pile that collects between mid-November and January.

I can't submit my short story in February.
Winter is too depressing. I'm going to hibernate.

I can't submit my short story in March.
The kids will be on March break and chaos will ensue.

I can't submit my short story in April.
April is the cruelest month. (Don't ask me why. Ask T.S. Elliot.)

I can submit my short story in May and June,
so I'd better hurry and write something.



Copyright 2012, Barbara Etlin , all rights reserved