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Magical thinking?


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Hi all,

Happy new year!

Some if you may remember recently I submitted a story about a fantasy character with OCD to an anthology. It got shortlisted and I was thrilled and told loads of people. Then it was turned down and I was really upset. I also became convinced that I had jinxed it by getting ahead of myself and telling too many people and decided to keep it to myself in future unless something of mine was actually accepted.

I submitted the same story to some other publications and got an email yesterday (after a month) saying the reader had enjoyed it and had passed it to the Editors for review. From Googling this publication it looks like the majority of stories don’t even go to the Editors but are turned down by the readers. I am therefore quite excited but I haven’t told anyone. I really want to, but I feel really anxious in case I jinx it. I feel that if it now gets rejected (which of course there is a good chance of) and I’ve told anyone I got to the next stage, it will be because I jinxed it by telling people.

I feel silly even asking this, but is there ANY chance my thoughts are accurate and not OCD? I suspect this is magical thinking but even telling you guys about it I feel anxious in case I’ve jinxed the whole thing. Recently I had an article published and didn’t tell anyone until it was accepted but they were really quick- it was published in a week- whereas what I read about this publication is that it may take several months for a decision even after going to the Editors.

I think making a big deal about it on social media etc is out as last time I felt embarrassed that I then had to go back and say actually it’s not being published. But I really want to tell my wife and a few close friends but I am terrified to in case it means it’s not published. But if I have to wait several months for a decision and keep it to myself all that time that’s also very hard to do!

Should I just ignore the worrying about jinxing it and tell a couple of people I am close to?

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1 hour ago, kaheath80 said:

Should I just ignore the worrying about jinxing it and tell a couple of people I am close to?

That seems sensible :thumbup:  And that is what I would myself do, I reckon.  

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I think magical thinking is normal, there are tons of superstitious people around.  Where magical thinking becomes OCD is where it impacts detrimentally on your life, which in this case it is doing.  I think you know the answer is you need to expose yourself to this fear - tell your wife, face the fear that this may jinx things.

Oh and - well done!! What a MASSIVE achievement to have your story get sent onto the editor.  So many thousands of wannabe short-story writers and only a teeny tiny handful get to where you've got so kudos! :) 

Edited by gingerbreadgirl
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Thanks everyone! I appreciate the advice- I did tell my wife when I got home but it took me a while as I did feel anxious. I feel if it now gets turned down I’ll think it’s because I jinxed it, but logically I know the Editors will make a decision themselves and it will have nothing to do with who I’ve told!

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42 minutes ago, gingerbreadgirl said:

Oh and - well done!! What a MASSIVE achievement to have your story get sent onto the editor.  So many thousands of wannabe short-story writers and only a teeny tiny handful get to where you've got so kudos! :) 

Thanks very much :) when it got turned down before the shortlisting made no difference to my thoughts, I felt like I was a rubbish writer. I’m trying to be more positive now and think that even if I get the same result from this one, the story was basically shortlisted by two different publications, which must mean it wasn’t rubbish, and that must mean I’m a decent writer!

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