Reading, writing and reading some more!

When I returned to the Sudan at the beginning of August, I had a dozen and a half new magazines in my luggage. I actually prefer to read books: autobiographies, travel stories and good novels (of which I brought a few along as well) but as I'm trying to break into magazines in South Africa, I have to know what each perdiodical is about. So far I've read two thirds of the magazines and sent queries to about half of those.

I've had an article accepted (the cheque has been banked already!)  by the magazine in the top left of the photo - next to Writers Digest - called Quad and Outdoor Adventure SA; I'm waiting for a reply from Selamta (the in-flight magazine on Ethiopian Airlines). The editor of the magazine above it, Weigh Less has asked for samples of my writing. I've just completed an article for Country Life (South Africa),  the magazine with the windmill on the cover and will submit it this week. I have another article ready for submission for Fair Lady magazine and the editor of a large bank group in South Africa has a sample of my writing for possible publication in their in-house magazine. I await replies from all the above. 

Since we're visiting the desert regularly now and seeing so many interesting places, I 've sent queries/proposals to Garden and Home magazine (top right-hand corner of the photo)  and the Afrikaans magazine called Rooi Rose (which means Red Roses) offering them articles on the temples and pyramids in the Sudan for their travel features.

Having completed a course in Magazine Journalism, (you can read about this here, if you wish) I'm trying every appropriate magazine to see if I can break in and become a published journalist. For those bloggers reading this post who are writers and been through this, you will know how many rejections you receive. You will also know that no matter how disappointed you are when you receive a mail saying: "Thank you for your query but unfortunately at this time we are unable for xxx reason to take accept your article", you have to re-submit the article to another magazine and continue to write new articles for further proposals.

In between reading these magazines, writing articles and opening rejection e-mails (lol!),  I subscribe to Writers Digest (USA). I 'm greatly encouraged when I read how published authors say they could paper an entire room with the rejection letters they recieved before their work was eventually accepted. I also learn about the writing craft and have gleaned many tips from this informative magazine.  

So while I do read all your blogs,  I don't always have the time to comment at length on each post. Be assured I love all your posts and enjoy seeing your world through your eyes. I also enjoy sharing my world here in the Sudan, for now.

Bless you all.

The Arabic word for magazine is Mjlh (Mashella)
The Arabic word for journalist is Şḩāfy (sahafa)
 I can't find an Arabic word for wannabe -LOL!

BTW: Tonight we'll be sleeping in the desert. I hope to get stunning sunset photos this evening and of course, as it's full moon, I will try to capture this planet in all its glory. Tomorrow morning I will be up on the highest point I can find behind our campsite to photograph the sun rising over the desert. We should be home by tomorrow (Friday) evening.