I got involved in a bit of a group online discussion today (probably should have been writing, but I’ll write about that WNTD next week) and realized that a writer friend had taken a classic WNTD and turned it around into a What Exactly To Do.

First, the WNTD: Don’t go counting your money for the manuscript ’til the check comes in, grasshopper. But, honestly, is there a writer out there who hasn’t fallen for that? You send your article or story or essay off and weeks later the contract lands in your inbox. Wheee! Before you can say, “I just sold another one!” you get an email saying that you are not, unfortunately, one of the finalists. Or that the magazine will not, unfortunately, be using your article. Or the webzine’s gone belly up. Whatever.

The bottom line is the same. You spoke too soon. And now you feel like, well, I think we’ve said enough about that. Best to move on to the What Exactly To Do, as my writer friend did ever so promptly.

Take that glowing piece of writing and immediately send it back out again. If there’s not a market available now, keep checking back…there will be. Because here’s the thing. If it was good enough to be a finalist, or considered for a magazine the first time around, it’s still good. It’s still saleable. And don’t you forget it. Or the article.