Friday, January 23, 2015

Short submission possibilities!!



Sometimes we have to start small to reach our goals. Granted what may be small to some are rather large to others.

So. Here is what is going on right now with my dreams going into paper or in this case, a possible print!

I’m currently going to wrack my brain for ideas to submit to two fiction anthologies. One I will need to do a little more research on but I research all my writing. All writers spend hours and even days researching material be it the tiniest details to what they wore in the Edo period or every stand at the World’s Fair of 1939. I want to know these things. They make you a better writer.

I remember something I researched was human trafficking. For a story me and my friend were writing. I wanted it perfect. I read articles, watched documentaries, interviews…you name it. It was tragic and eye opening but at least I would know as much as I could. Though what I researched the most had to be the holocaust. I took a course on it in college to further my knowledge and even got to meet a real survivor. Now of course not everyone likes research. But to me it can be rewarding knowing that what you’re bringing to life may be a work of fiction but the dots of truth are very real.

The first fiction anthology is for Darkhouse and it has a fairly close deadline with a short word count of 2,500 to 7,500. So we got to make it juicy. Actually it’s about what I mentioned at the top, The World’s Fair.

 Now the second doesn't have a word count. My Favorite Apocalypse Published by TulipTreeis what I have to work with so I have a lot on my paws.

I've attached links for anyone else to send in submissions. I’ll also update at a later time when I’ve finished and sent in manuscripts!

Remember these may be small but it is getting your name out there. It will look good on a query letter to have something because having nothing can hurt you.

So get to writing!

Much love,

Lady Rika

Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.
-Vincent Van Gogh          


Monday, January 12, 2015

The First Step


Hello Everyone!

I'll introduce myself properly so that we can get to know one another, since I do want this to be a shared journey. I want us to think of ourselves as friends.

My name is Rika, I am an aspiring writer and the purpose of this blog is to follow me as I go through the trials of trying to get published. There will be failures, success and I do hope we can help one another. I am inspired and won't let anything stop me.




I'll start from the beginning. I was always an avid reader in school but it wasn't until I wrote my first story in fifth grade for a school Halloween project that I fell in love. It consumed me. My imagination that'd always been so vivid would now travel out of my mind and away from my toys and onto paper. The calluses I had on my middle finger from pencils were a trophy for me. I filled notebooks to the brim with ideas, short stories and dreams. Poorly done doodles accompanied the stories but we won't talk about those.

I was told early on that writing was a hobby. Not a real job, not a career...to give up on it.

Later in life I found out that those words are told to so many aspiring writers. How many of them lost out on their dreams? I almost did.

I got my associates degree in Psychology, But it wasn't till I was in my third year of college when I finally broke. I was miserable, my mind was bursting at the seam and the only writing I did were little short stories for my friends and roleplays with my closest of friends. In the end I couldn't take it anymore. I was hungry for the written word and my words weren't getting out, So I switched majors and haven't looked back. I'm much happier now.

I found myself through writing. It was the only thing that could save me; free me in my darkest of times.

I needed it as much as my characters and ideas needed me.

So this journey will begin.

First will be talks about manuscripts, submitting, query letters, rejections, ebooks--you name it! I'm going to do it and blog about it. Hopefully with success.

I won't change myself. I'm still going to be my playful self. Not everything I blog about will be writing related since waiting on responses from Agents or Publishing companies take time! So I'll fill it with random things so we can get to know one another.

Until next time my beautiful dreamers, much love~

Lady Rika


The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.
- Oprah Winfrey