Does One Publication Me A Writer Make?

That was the question Hubby put to me yesterday. Without thinking too long, which would only have made my must-be-humble quirk kick in, I said of course that makes me a writer. Someone else determined my work was good enough to be put into a print publication that will be shared with a larger audience. In a way, it's no longer mine. The story belongs to those who read it, who, hopefully, enjoy it. To me, that's what writers do--share their world for the pleasure of others.

All I've been thinking about is how the second editor to see this piece liked it enough to want it. The first editor declined it but did say he very much enjoyed the theme of the story. And everyone who has read it has just simply liked it. Each person that I've seen read it came to the end with a smile and a satisfied nod, like the story had the just-right ingredients to make it pleasing at the beginning, through the middle, and even the end. Like that perfectly seasoned chili, not too spicy but not to bland, either.

Now I'm working on some other pieces to send off. Two have already been rejected once, but I've revised them, so we'll see what happens the second go 'round. One of these pieces I'm very attached to, almost umbilical cord attached which is not a good thing, but I kind of get the same feeling from it that I did the piece that will be published. Though the ending of this story isn't positive or even happy, I truly think it's the right ending for the story. Or do we always need happy endings?

Maybe that's a question for Women on Writing, my newest fave website (as if I need one more thing to read). It'd be interesting to hear what Brenda Hill, Moira Allen and company have to say about sad v. happy endings.