Brad's in Analog AGAIN...

I think Brad has a T Rex on his tail.

A Freakin' T. Rex, if you will.

Given Brad's Army career, I suspect the Freakin' T. Rex looks like a drill sergeant.

HA!

All kidding aside, though, I like to highlight Brad's successes because he was right where we are just three years ago. He's proof of what you can do from here if you set your mind to it.

Yes, this. From 1992 to 2009 I had zero professional sales, over 120 rejections, and 870,000 unpublished words.

Hopefully none of you have to experience that kind of incubation delay, before you crack the glass.

However, once you do crack the glass, I advise pushing yourself to the next Warp Factor. Capitalize. As soon as I won Writers of the Future in late 2009 -- November to be exact -- I began to redouble my efforts. Additional sales followed. Then, in early 2011, a readers choice award from a major magazine. Then I got the *cover* for that major magazine. Then that cover story got me on the Nebula award ballot. And the Hugo. And all of these things cumulatively got me on the Campbell ballot.

Good things happen quickly, but only if you keep at it and don't expect instant successes -- or settle for one-time successes.

Thank you, Brad!

I can top that incubation delay, but that's not going to be the point of my post. I want to thank you for not giving up during that long delay. Some days it gets tough to sit down in front of the computer and keep plugging away without much hint that it's going to turn around (yes, I have done some e-publishing but I'm still bouncing along the bottom). I start off the first five minutes of my writing schedule with my head on the desk, willing myself to get moving. Eventually I get going, because that's what writers do, but it's like being on a long march with no end in sight. Honestly, it feels like my career as a writer is being measured in glacial time.

Do I get little reminders that I should keep going? Yes. My books are routinely reviewed at a 4-star level. I get back the occasional personal note from magazines. And frankly, I care too much about storytelling to give up.

But one thing that helps is knowing how long you labored before the dawn finally broke. I'll give myself a pep talk by thinking: "A few years ago, nobody knew who Brad was." Now, I don't think I'll have a tenth of the success that you've been having when it does change - everyone has their own career and each person's path is different - but knowing that you worked that long and hard before seeing it turn around gives me hope.

So thank you, Brad!

And good luck this weekend with the Nebulas!

And good luck this weekend with the Nebulas!

Yes, this!

Oh, yes! Good luck, Brad!

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I promise I am not paying Martin to do this.

When I make it, I'm hiring Martin as my PR person.

Hmmm... Getting paid to talk... I might have a future there...

Hmmm... Getting paid to talk... I might have a future there...

Isn't that also your past and present?

P.S. Awesome interview, Brad!

I promise I am not paying Martin to do this.

Uh-huh. Yeah. Sure.

Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddd!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great interview, Brad!

You get a few award nominations, and suddenly everybody wants to talk to you...

(Thanks, Patty!)

Brad's in Analog agaaaaaain!

And I think I forgot to mention he was in there last month...

Just saw that Analog is changing their title to "Analog: By Torgersen"

Seriously, congrats Chief!

Looks he could do an Analog anthology of just his stories.

Good going there.

Can we be jealous now?

Brad's in Analog agaaaaaain!

And I think I forgot to mention he was in there last month...

Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn.

Gator! Honestly, you're so rude. And for goodness sake close that mouth of yours, you're scaring people.

And seriously Brad, grats!

This thread should be updated when Brad *isn't* in Analog. It will keep things under control.

This thread is 4 pages long...

On a more serious, but no less truthful note, I should be getting my issue in the mail soon.

On a more serious, but no less truthful note, I should be getting my issue in the mail soon.

Mail? what's that?

Thank you Martin for the kind mention. Yep. Winning the Contest certainly launched my career into high gear. From zero to 90 if you catch my drift. Not every winner gets after it. But then again I think how much you make out of the win -- how much you succeed following the Contest -- depends greatly on how determined and focused you are going into the Contest. Some people win, and then they just kind of... go to sleep? Get busy with other stuff? For me I'd waited 18 long, disappointing years to be professionally published. When I found out I'd won I was 100% determined to ensure that I didn't fall off the radar.

So far, so good.

Definitely a big congrats from me Brad. Not to sound too cliche, but I think it's a safe assumption that your story is an inspiration to a lot of us.

Breaking out from my self-imposed NaNo exile (did I mention I'm taking a self-imposed NaNo exile?) to say... Brad's in Analog agaaaaaaaaain!

Congratulations, Brad!

Go, Brad. Way to represent. 😉

Heehee, awesome.

First novella! Congrats, Brad!

Congrats, Brad! 7th sale to Analog. Impressive!

Martin, you really don't have to do this.

But thank you. And thank you, everybody. Just let it be a reminder to all who are still trying to win the Contest: nice things happen for those who never give up!