Writing Raw Submit

The Most Amazing Thing That Happened to Writing Raw in 2009

By Weeb

With the start of the New Year, I thought I would sit down and write about our first amazing year here at Writing Raw.

When we started Writing Raw, our goal was simple: to provide writers with the opportunity to showcase their work. What a fantastic idea, right? Man, were we ever wrong on that aspect. The hate mail we received during our first months was astonishing. The "haters" claimed we were destroying the actual art of writing and publishing (if anyone can be published, does this make them an author or just a writer? How can we differentiate "us" from "them?"); that Writing Raw was taking money out of the writers mouth by not offering payment (please, do a search and see how many other sites or literary journals actually pay a writer these days); one "well-known" supposedly respected group even started hating us for having our pictures on the site and how "ugly" we were (this would be so funny if it wasn't TRUE!!).

Anyway, as the hate mail poured in we just took it all in stride and thought - no matter what anyone thinks, we are providing a valuable service to authors who might never have the opportunity to appear in print. Not because they weren't good enough, but because of the current state of the literary world. Compare today with, say, the 1920's and 1930's when the shelves were filled with literary magazines. When I go into the local bookstore and look through their literary magazines, I'm shocked that I can only find about four or five devoted to printing new authors. Hell, there are more magazines out there instructing a writer on "how to write" then there are that will actually publish what has been written.

But, over the next few months… things started to change. I wouldn't exactly say we became reputable, but we did begin growing at an amazing rate. Besides offering online novels, short stories, poems, essays, etc., we started our 7 Question Interviews with established authors, literary agents, and publishing houses… from there the site grew to include book reviews, writing exercises, a store so other's could advertise their self-published books, advertisements and various links for writer's groups and retreats… In a matter of months Writing Raw grew from what we used to call "the YouTube for the literary world" to an entertaining and informative online magazine devoted to all forms of the written word.

And, the best part of all of this - it was FREE!

Well, all of this rambling is a great thank you to everyone who has contributed and reads Writing Raw. Without you, we would never have reached the heights that we have achieved in our first year - and, for this, we offer our deepest love and affection. Thank you… and we look forward to a bigger year in 2010!

****

Now I want to write about the MOST AMAZING thing that happened to Writing Raw this past year.

I am going to use first names only in this part (out of the respect to their privacy) so bear with me while I try and relate this… Back in January, 2009, we were contacted by Shawn Inmon (who offered us this bio: "I've had an interesting and fun life... working on an Alaskan crab boat, as a radio DJ and programmer, running a t-shirt trailer on the Unlimited Hydroplane Circuit, being a department store buyer, a real estate broker, and a part time clerk at Blockbuster. I feel, for now, like I've got one important story in me that I have to write. I'm here to see if anyone else has any interest in reading that story. I'm very thick skinned and really welcome any criticism.") who wanted us to consider placing on Writing Raw this "one important story in me that I have to write."

The soon-to-be first serial on Writing Raw was written in a unique style (every "chapter" was an email sent to his sister in the present, explaining what happened to him and the "love of his life" back in the 1970's). It was a unique coming of age novel, written in a truly remarkable voice, and relating how circumstances (no matter how big or small) can change the eventual outcome of our lives. I don't want to ruin what happens, but the ending was heartbreaking and these two young people were torn apart for the rest of their lives… never getting to say good-bye…

That is, until Writing Raw entered their lives!

While Shawn was posting monthly on the site, more and more of the story, purging all of his feelings for his lost love onto paper, the FATES decided to smile down on him…

In June, I received an email that asked me to remove EVERYTHING concerning the growing novel from Writing Raw. It would seem that Dawn, the love of Shawn's life and who he hadn't spoken to in well over 30 years, emailed him out of the blue. It would seem that her daughter Googled a few words concerning their family and guess what happened… Writing Raw came up in the search and she discovered this serialized novel by someone named Shawn who was writing about her mother's first love. When she presented this to Dawn, things didn't exactly go as planned (not as if there was even a plan - mind you, this was Shawn releasing something inside himself that he needed to get out after 30 years). Dawn was mortified that their history (even though lightly fictionalized) was out there in the world for anyone to read! She emailed Shawn (his contact information was on the Bio's Page of Writing Raw) and, well… all references to the ongoing book were removed from the site.

So, the story ended… or did it?

Shawn and Dawn started emailing each other, filling in the 30 years of their separate lives… subconsciously rebuilding that relationship that ended tragically so long ago.

Weeks passed, months passed, and Shawn would write me about once a month and let me know what was going on in their lives. I don't want to get too personal here but… after 30 years of loving each other from a far… Shawn and Dawn will be getting married in October of 2010, and finally get to live the life they were destined to live so many years ago!

The reason I relate this beautiful story to all of you is because it all happened because one person, who had a story of burning lost love deeply within him, needed to release it… and Writing Raw was there for him.

The FATES move in very mysterious ways, my friends!

Shawn and Dawn are rewriting the original text that started this "new beginning", and it is now titled:

A Perfect Fit

Click here if you would like to read the Introduction and Chapter 1 of A Perfect Fit

****

All of us here at Writing Raw get such enjoyment every time we publish something new by a fresh original voice… we continue to provide the blank pages for any and all writer's, no matter the genre, to fill… and we will continue to be here in the coming years, helping other's make their dreams come true…

But, you know what… if the site went down today, I wouldn't mind one bit.

Besides allowing well over 100 authors the opportunity to see their work in print… we brought a 30 year old love affair to an end - or would that be a beginning?

Shawn and Dawn - all of us here at Writing Raw wish you a lifetime of love and understanding. And who knows, I may just crash your wedding this year (everyone knows I love a good party, LOL)

As for all the other contributors (whether you call yourself a writer, an author, a poet, or a prince or princess) without you, we would be nothing. You are all wonderful artists - and we wish you continued success and love in all the words you place on the blank pages that we call life.

Peace out

Weeb, Rib and Ditch

The Poker Sisters