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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: The Manuscript (04/29/10)
Five anxious manuscripts wait impatiently atop Carolyn's desk. "Sure wish she'd make up her mind so we could get out of here and on the road again." groaned one of the manuscripts.

"Hush your complaining, T.R." snorted T.S.W., "I've been mailed out more times than all of you put together, so cool it."
.
"Yeah, T.S.W., we're fully aware of all your many mailings, and we also know how many times you've been returned, stamped 'REJECTED', too."

"Geez, guys, Knock it off! After all, we're all in the same boat; just trying to get in print, and instead of being just a low-life, no-sell manuscript, we're all striving for the same thing...to be Published."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Leave it to good old I.T.A.G. to put us in our place, squash our complaints and put the lid on our...."

"Shhh...she's coming," T.R. interrupted in mid sentence.

Carolyn came in and sat down at the desk. She began picking up the manuscripts one by one, folding them and then sticking them in a #10 envelope. She then wrote an address on each envelope with a pen that tickled the manuscript's back inside. She then stuck a bunch of postage stamps on three of them, and just one stamp on T.E.M and I.T.A.G., as those two consisted of only one page...as they only held one short poem inside.

Licking the envelopes closed, she stuffed them in her purse and then dropped them off at a mailbox on her way to work.

"Wonder how long it will be until we're picked up?" came a muffled voice from inside an envelope.

"Is that you. T.R.? Must be scared of the dark or having a touch of Claustophobi, ah.. Clostophob.. er....Where the heck is Carolyn when I need her?" A few muffled chuckles echoed throughout the box.

Soon the door opened and all five were on their way to far away places, and as each one was separated from the rest...they'd yell out, "Good Luck", and adding, "Hope you return to Carolyn in the form of a check."

Carolyn, of course, waited daily for the mailperson to bring her an acceptance and/or rejection letter. Well, lo and behold, two weeks later I.T.A.G. was the first letter back...with an acceptance check.

Then day after day, one by one, all five manuscripts were finally, accepted, and were "Published"...in print.

No longer would they be known as just a typewritten "manuscript". No longer would they lay dormant, just waiting, waiting, waiting. No more traveling by mail from city to city and from Editor to Editor scrunched up in cramped envelope, and then being manhandled by strangers who checked them over with a fine toothed comb; only to be tossed into File #13 or returned to Carolyn with their "Regrets".

But this time Carolyn got lucky! All five of her last batch of manuscripts were sold. And in such a competitive business this is rare - but now she can call herself a genuine, bona fide, published writer, and her last five manuscripts, (Bless their grumbling, complaining and competitive little hearts) could finally shed that No Sell "manuscript" status for ever after...

....and if they could Really talk, I betcha' they'd still be arguing about which one got Carolyn her biggest check?



^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
The Five manuscripts that made the grade into Print.

I.T.A.G. - "Is There a God?"
T.E.M. - "The Empty Mansion"
T.R. - "The Rescue"
T.S.W - "The Silent Witness .
M.O.T.C. "Mystery of the Century
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This article has been read 1348 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Lisa Keck
05/06/10
Well it's no wonder all 5 got accepted with such talent as this storytelling demonstrates. But it trully is remarkable as well. Congratulations--may their messages be well received.
Laura Anne Harrison
05/06/10
Very creative point of view.
Jan Ackerson
05/08/10
Definitely a unique POV.

Call me a pragmatist--whenever I read a story where inanimate objects talk, I find myslef wondering things like "where are their lips?" I know, I'm just weird that way.

I doubt there'll be any story similar to this out-of-the-box entry!
Mildred Sheldon
05/08/10
I loved the talking manuscripts. This was right up my alley. Will I ever get a manuscript published? That lay with God. I enjoyed this.
Carol Penhorwood 
05/09/10
Very creatively done!
The Masked Truelovers
05/11/10
very creative way to encourage writers that those impatient manuscripts will eventually find a publisher if the author himself or herself keeps the determination. That is hard for every author.
c clemons
05/13/10
I hope this is a true story and those manuscripts really did get published. I am not a fan of talking things but the point was well done. Good job.
Marilyn Schnepp 
05/15/10
Author's note to self: #15 out of 36 on the Ratings List.
Marilyn Schnepp 
05/15/10
I'd like to critique myself; after reading the last paragraph - I thought it would have been MUCH better to have said, "They'd be still arguing about which one made the most impact on the hearts of the people, and which one sowed the most seeds for God. But Hindsight is always better when you have time to evaluate...right? (*.*)