Tuesday, February 7, 2012

By-Line Blues

Professionally, I  have written lots of stuff.  Press releases.  Annual report paragraphs.  Brochures. Training video scripts.  Speeches.

Yet I have never once received an official by-line.  Instead, I was always an anonymous corporate voice.

Nameless. 

Faceless.   

A phantom.     

Do you remember that scene in the movie Rudy where the guys discuss how the only way to be listed as a player for Notre Dame football is to be involved in just one snap of the ball?  It didn't matter how well the practice squad guys performed or how many injuries they sustained - without that one snap, it was as though they never suited up a day in their lives. 

As a writer, I have always felt stuck on the practice squad. 

I know, I know.  Lots of great writers go unpublished.  It's a competitive world out there.  It doesn't make me invisible. 

blah blah blah

Tell that to my ego.

So imagine my excitement when Chicago Parent Magazine notified me that they were going to put one of my essays in their hard copy edition!  I was finally going to get that elusive by-line!  All of those years of diagramming sentences was finally paying off!

Yet being somewhat fatalistic, I am pretty certain that the magazine is going to change its mind or I'm going to be replaced with a sexy story on ergonomic diapers before all this actually transpires. 

In which case, you will still be able to find me here, crying in my Red Bull and depleting my Weight Watchers points by noon each day.

And I will always be so very grateful you showed up.

"I believe that writers, unless they consider themselves terribly exquisite, are at heart people who live by night, a little outside society, moving between delinquency and conformity."

- Guillermo Cabrera Infante

18 comments:

  1. Congratulations! :) I'm sure your essay is WAY sexier than ergonomic diapers.

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  2. I think the main pure joys in writing come from the actual creative in the moment process of doing it, and then looking back on your whole body of work. Thats what is going on between your own two ears. All else is fluff, and other people start to get involved.

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  3. Congratulations! Take a picture of that by-line and post it when it comes. I am so happy for you that your writing is getting some attention!

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  4. That is exciting and validating and super cool! Boo on ergonomic diapers and hooray for you!

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  5. Congratulations! that's great news

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  6. A by-line is about the sexiest accessory ever! Congrats!
    Also, love that quote!

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  7. Great! Congrats :)

    Love
    http://www.meghasarin.blogspot.com

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  8. When you are a famous hard copy edition published writer and you are making millions of dollars....will you remember that I am your favorite sister-in-law? ;) Missy

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  9. Congratulations, Marianne! You deserve every success!

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  10. Congratulations! That's great news!

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  11. Hey, that's awesome! Congratulations! You're a rock star!

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  12. Congrats!! How exciting!

    Robyn

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  13. Congratulations, Marianne! You deserve the fame and recognition! You are a fabulous writer!

    xxo
    MOV

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  14. Thank you everyone for your encouragement and support! You guys are the best!

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  15. Awesome!!! and they are lucky to have you!!!

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