What it Means to be Published

Written by: John Edward Betancourt

I guess to paraphrase one of my favorite films, as far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a writer.  As a kid, stories were my thing.  My toys didn't merely get played with...they told a story.  Sometimes it ended happy, sometimes it ended sad, but stories fascinated me from the get go.  

Film only made it worse as the years grew on. The idea that you could tell an incredible story in a matter of two hours utterly fascinated me and at the end of high school, I took my first real shot at writing and penned my first screenplay. Needless to say, it was bad, real bad.  So we'll leave it at that.  Instead I took time to study scripts and writing and a few years later I entered my first screenplay contest and placed in the top five.  This led to another script contest a few years later with a couple of pals to see if we could get a television show idea put together and once again, we placed in the top five.  

Yet after that, I more or less forgot about writing.  I knew I had the potential, I just moved on to other things, floating about until I realized that I truly missed writing and after much soul searching I realized I couldn't waste anymore time in my life and needed to get back to the one thing I always felt I was good at, writing stories.  So I set out with a few goals in mind.  For one, finish what I started with screenwriting and get a film sold and produced.  I also wanted to get a short story or two published, followed by the big one...publish a series of novels. 

I told myself I couldn't deviate from the plan, that I had to accomplish these three things as quickly as possible and as I write today, I feel good about my progress so far.  I've written a screenplay entitled Hurricane Kid that is currently under contract and in development out in Los Angeles. I've actually written a produced radio commercial, which I guess was a surprise bonus goal and I get to sit here on a regular basis and blog on this website, which has been a blast.  

But while one might think I would spend some time talking about Hurricane Kid, that's for another time. Because as I said before, there are three goals on my list.  I now know I can write a film and be taken seriously for it, but filmmaking and writing is quite different from published writing and it's a topic I will discuss in detail another time.  

You see, while getting a script out there is an incredible boost, I was always concerned if I was good enough for the publishing world.  There are writers out there who can write scripts but cannot do novelized work and vice versa.  I was always fond of the thought of just being able to write whatever story I wanted in whatever medium.  At last I can say...that might be the case. On November 1, 2013, Evil Girlfriend Media made a second wish on my list come true by publishing my short story An Undying Love in the horror anthology Roms, Bombs & Zoms and I have to tell you, I could not be happier or more filled with pride and also incredibly grateful for being given such an amazing opportunity. 

To see my name in print, and know that my story is out there...is an incredible relief.  Whether it be film or printed work, a common word to hear...is no.  So to hear a yes, is a weight lifted from my chest.  I can do this, was the first phrase that came to mind when the book was released, followed by...I am good enough after all.  I say those insecure things because writing is a scary venture.  You don't know how it will turn out until someone else has read it, it's truly an intangible idea until that moment.  

But more importantly, it means that two goals on my list are down.  While I've enjoyed basking in the awesomeness of finally being published, it has in turn galvanized me further.  There is more work to be done, there is a novel that sits finished on my shelf that needs to be looked over once more before heading out to agents.  I have to finish the list, I have to see this through to the end.  Because what it means to be published...is that you are only fueled that much more because all that fear is gone. Instead it is now replaced with determination and a sense of accomplishment that I've never known...and want more of. 

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