We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Bonnie Jo, thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us a story about a time you failed?
Throughout my career, I’ve published over 90 stories–and received over 1,500 rejections. To make it as a writer, you have to thicken your skin to rejection, because it’s a certainty. Building that thick skin takes time, maybe some therapy, and a change in thought patterns. I had to learn that it’s not always about the work itself, but about the individual tastes of the editors and the circumstances of the magazine. Sometimes, an editor has received 100 stories about mermaids and can’t accept another one. Or one particular editor prefers stories told in first-person. The trick is to keep writing and keep submitting until you find your story a home.
Bonnie Jo, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m a science fiction, fantasy, and horror writer who has published over 90 stories in 40 magazines and anthologies. I teach classes on fiction writing and the traditional publishing industry. My work has appeared in venues such as LeVar Burton Reads, Popular Science, and Lightspeed. I have a novella and a short story collection forthcoming in 2022.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
Submission engines such as Submission Grinder, an online database of magazines. Also, I wish I realized the wealth of fiction and classes that local libraries offer.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Hearing from readers when they email or find me on Twitter
Contact Info:
- Website: www.bonniejostufflebeam.com
- Twitter: BonnieJoStuffle
Image Credits
Tony Najera for the portrait-style photo