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Quick popin

I’ll be returning to update this after a while, but right now my editing and Typehouse sites are getting an upgrade first. But for fun here is a post I wrote a long time ago with an assignment from one of my college classes. The ONLY thing I have changed are the pronouns, as this was 2003, before I openly came out as Bi/Queer, let alone Genderfluid/Genderqueer – Grey was always just partner tho! The projection date for graduation was accurate, as was the first publication, beyond that was my imagined life (I never made it to be a tattoo artist sadly)! Still working on the novel tho. Enjoy.

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09/16/2003: So for one of my journalism assignments we had to write our own obituary. Now it’s not as morbid as it sounds LOL I was a bit freaked because we were supposed to put our parents names in and stuff and I didn’t want to. So I didn’t, and I sent her an email telling her that it was a conscious decision. And she seemed cool with it. So here’s my fake obituary LOL All in all not a bad fake life to have, hits most of my major goals quite nicely I think! (My name, location, and child’s name – and school – are changed obviously from the assignment obviously LOL) All other names are not real people (Obviously) Either that or I am really good at fortune telling!

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Eyez, Onyx: PORTLAND:

Onyx Eyez, 83, of Portland, OR. died peacefully at their home on October 23, 2059, following a short illness. They was surrounded by their close family and friends when they passed, as well as their cat Meiser.

Onyx was born in 1976, in a small town in midwestern California. They overcame a brutal childhood and bouts of homelessness to become one of the most well-known authors and journalists of their time. Although it took them eleven years to complete school while a single parent to their child Little, they finally graduated with B.A.s in both journalism and art from State College in May of 2006. Their first short story was published in April of 2003, and their first novel in November of 2010. During the time that Onyx struggled to grow their writing career, they also worked as a tattoo artist in Louieville, KY., a career that they continued part-time until 2035. Their art skills also enabled them to illustrate many of their writings, including designing the cover of their book Dark Wells of Time, for which they won a Hugo Award in 2029.

Onyx was well known for their sharp wit and wry sense of humor, as well as their indomitable spirit, and willingness to lend others a hand. They was always approachable to their fans, and was known to give support to many aspiring writers. Their family and friends knew them as someone who could always be counted on for a shoulder or applause, and was fiercely loyal to their family and friends. An insatiable wanderer, they crisscrossed the globe, and was on the maiden voyage of the Columbia II, the first passenger vessel to Mars in 2035.

Onyx is survived by their partner of 47 years, Gray Jackson, their child Little Eyez and partner Mark Collins, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. In lue of flowers, well-wishers are invited to plant a tree for a local nature preservation society, as it is Onyx’s wish that that the few remaining green places on Earth will be preserved. Cremation has taken place, and a private circle will be held on October 31, 2059.

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To reprint, or not reprint, that is the question…

I find that in my own publishing career I run into the question of what to do with works once they have been published. If they are still online to attract readers, than it is easy to leave them there. They also serve as an accessible way to show someone your work, either by giving them the direct address, or linking to them on your website, as I do. But what if it was published in an old print magazine? Or a website that is no longer in existence? I know some people retire their story and leave it be once it has been published, but I’m not a fan of that. For example, I’ll use three different scenarios I’ve come across.

  • One is a story that was published in a medium market in 2003. The story has been out of print for eight years, and the magazine no longer exists.
  • One is a story that was published in an online pay to view site that went out of business and the work is not longer available.
  • One is a story that was published in an online site that was up for  a good while and then went out of business.

All three of these I chose to try and have reprinted elsewhere. My logic behind each one was similar – the piece in the print market is no longer available anywhere, as are the two online pieces. With both of the online pieces they were up for a good amount of time, and a significant amount of time passed before I submitted them to other markets. One has been published, and the other hasn’t yet.

I tend to feel that the more accessible a piece is, particularly if it was published in a  small market, the more it can benefit me as a writer. It’s like being able to pull out a résumé on demand, and offer someone samples of my work. And of course the more visibility you have the better.

I should say though, I spend just as much time researching second markets for my work as I do for new market submissions. Having a piece reprinted in an unprofessional manner, or in a sloppy-looking format hurts more than it can helps your career. I don’t feel that having a piece reprinted is an act of desperation to get it into public again, rather it is a matter of finding the right place to give your baby some sunlight once again.

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