One year ago today, I became a published author.
It’s a mind-boggling concept, and yet… has it already been a year?! Time flies when you’re struggling with the creative process. Nah, I kid. I’ve been a lucky ducky to have had the year that I’ve had. 27 story acceptances and many other firsts later, here I am. And since I’m a man who counts his blessings, let’s do so in list form. Here are my Top 10 Milestones and Lessons Learned from my first year of publication.
10. First Story Acceptance!
After 10 months of busting my hump writing stories to various publishers’ prompts and getting dozens of rejections, I finally got an acceptance! My Christmas horror story “The Christmas Wish” — which I turned in days after the publisher’s deadline, having reached out to them and begged for an extension — was the first story I ever sold. I remain forever grateful to Outsider Publishing for giving my writing career such a colorful start. The Christmas Chaos anthology is still available if you want some horror-tinged holiday vibes!
Working with Tiffany Vega and Nate Walton on this project was eye-opening for me as a newcomer to the writing industry. Those two lovely humans introduced me to many nuances of the editing and publishing process that I never knew existed, and helped guide me into this tricky industry with warmth and support every step of the way. A guy couldn’t wish for a better start!
9. First International Publication
Soon after my first story was accepted… Australia came calling. What a strange concept it is, looking back on it. But the amazing Black Hare Press bought my story “Cry Uncle” for publication on their Patreon and later in their Year Six anthology. This drabble (100-word story) was a one-off oddity I penned on a hotel bed in Key West, Florida, on a rainy vacation day. Inspired by my incredible real-life niece, this is not a horror story at all (but please don’t tell Black Hare Press!). I joined the ranks of BHP authors, whose online community has been inspiring me every since, and I’ve had 7 (!) additional tales published by them as well. Still, you never forget your first!
8. First Author Interview
When the excellent horror/comedy periodical Sometimes Hilarious Horror bought my supernatural rom-com novelette “Meet Cute,” they also surprised me with the request for an interview. Wednesday Lee Friday, the hilarious and thoughtful creator and editor-in-chief of the magazine, sent me some questions which I answered to the best of my ability.
What nobody tells you about giving an interview is, you can’t just ramble on. The questions are pointed and specific, and you’d better give a succinct response! And good luck not sounding like a pompous ass while you’re at it. I sweated over this interview for days, realizing that I must give answers that are true to who I am, but also funny and insightful, which required knowing myself and my predilections. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have a low-key existential crisis so I could get my thoughts out in a coherent interview format. I’ll do better next time, I promise!
7. Was Published Across 3 Continents
This kind of blew my mind. It turns out, the writing community is a vast global space with innumerable members — but it’s also a tiny, cozy community! Not only have I been published in North America, Southeast Asia, and Australia, but my work is currently pending response from publishers in Europe and South Africa! I never expected to have my name and stories printed in all these countries, alongside gifted local and international authors. My mind reels at realizing how many writer friends I’ve made from sharing the same table of contents. It’s a bond that traverses culture and language, and I’m hungry for more!
6. Became a Member of Two Author Associations
Another lifelong dream achieved! You see, I grew up reading old-school fantasy and sci-fi bards like Roger Zelazny, Ray Bradbury, and Samuel R Delany — all of whom have won the coveted Nebula Award for their F&SF achievements. What a mind-blowing turn of events, then, that I finally earned enough money from my published work that I could join these amazing storytellers’ ranks?
That’s right, I’ve joined the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA or, as my wife affectionately calls it, “The Unicorn Club”) as well as the Horror Writers Association (HWA, who give out the Bram Stoker Awards). It’s not so much that I have a ghost of a chance of earning one of those awards, but for me, to stand on the same hallowed ground as the genre greats who came before me is reward enough. I am humbled and excited to make friends in these communities, to find new authorial resources, and to share my work through the networks they provide. Highly recommend to all authors who are starting out their journey.
And, dare I say it? Hooray for The Unicorn Club!
5. First Non-Horror Publications
Look, I love horror. I’m a horror guy, and I thrive on the dark complexity of the stories the genre is capable of telling. But it’s not the only kind of books, movies, TV shows, and podcast that I consume. I adore comedy in all its forms, am a sucker for a well-produced stage musical, and have devoured hundreds of memoirs and biography books. It’s little wonder, then, that my ambitions as a storyteller go beyond the horror genre.
And, wonder of wonders, what a year for branching out! Here’s a few of my non-horror achievements to date:
- First pure fantasy story (“Battle Fatigue” in the Legends of Camelot anthology) and my first fantasy/comedy (“Dinner/Date” in the Vampire Visions anthology)
- First sci-fi stories with no trace of horror: “Sister Zynn” in the Beyond anthology and “Trouble on the Artemis” in the upcoming Hidden Villains: Duos anthology). [BONUS: The Beyond anthology featured my name on the cover! Woot!!]
- First food-themed crime comedy tale (the wholesome “Easy as Pie” in the charity anthology The Perp Wore Pumpkin II)
- A few other things I’m not allowed to share yet, but am super excited about.
Overall, I’m so pleased with this list! A good story craftsman should be able to tell compelling stories in any genre, or else, is he really that good? This is why I’m always trying to push my own limits, and go beyond what feels comfortable and familiar. Looks like I’m on my way! More excitement to come in 2026 in this regard.
4. Joined a Writers’ Critique Group
This was THE most valuable tool I learned how to flex recently. You see, back in May 2024, I’d submitted a suburban horror story to a publisher who rejected it outright. But the editor kindly took the time to give me some professional advice. He said I clearly had a knack for the craft of writing, but I could benefit from some fellow writers who could give me feedback to help polish my work. I took it to heart, and joined a writers’ group I improbably found over Reddit.
This act alone has upped my game immeasurably. I meet with the other 3 authors every two weeks over Discord, at which time we discuss one another’s stories, which we have uploaded and read the week prior. It’s a micro-community of creatives living their best scenarios, dreaming up worlds and drafting manuscripts, welcoming honest feedback and unafraid to change course based on it. This pack of 4 writers has been my steady supply of tough love, encouragement, celebration of writing achievements, and grieving of pet losses and life’s lower points.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that every writer find a similar group to join. Even if you’ve tried and failed at this critique-group-thing before, I maintain that it’s the tool that has sharpened me the most. Because I can’t see what’s in my blind spots as a writer, and there are 3 other people there to point out inconsistencies in my language or story logic, or to help me lean into my tale’s existing strengths.
Bonus: my poor wife doesn’t have to bear the burden of me begging her to read everything I’ve written, just so I have a fresh-eyed reader’s opinion. Honestly, she hasn’t even read much of what I’ve published; she’s not really a horror girlie, and I get it. But this is exactly why you need like-minded writers with a passion for your genre, and a humble attitude while you take the plunge. Come on in, the water’s fine!
3. First Author Engagement Event
I’m hesitant to book author engagement events. Life gets in the way, as does social anxiety and lack of general ideas of how to present myself in such settings. That’s why I jumped on this low-risk, high-reward opportunity back in September. I got to visit a local third-grade classroom who was studying composition and story-writing, and spoke with the students about crafting powerful narratives. What a delight these kids were! At first I was nervous to face them, not knowing what stuff “kids these days” are into, and whether they’d understand literary concepts like symbolism and character arcs.
But all my worries were for nought. The kids rocked it with smart questions, engaged comments, and paying rapt attention to my story when I read it aloud to them. I did an exclusive reading of a fairy tale I’d written called “Mary and the Tree,” about a little girl’s healing friendship with a magical tree that gets her through a rough patch in life. If all author events are like this, I’d love to book my schedule full!
P.S. I mentioned K-Pop Demon Hunters and the kids went berserk! Turns out we have a lot in common. Gen Alpha is nowhere near lost; they’re actually pretty awesome.
2. First Non-Fiction Publication
I don’t just make up stories anymore! Sometimes I tell exactly what happened, such as in my first non-fiction article, the autobiographical essay “Dark Nights and Soviet Frights: How My Ukrainian Childhood Shaped My Love of Horror.” Published in Trollbreath magazine’s Fall 2025 issue, this is the most vulnerable piece of writing I’ve ever made public. I share the haunted lullaby my mom used to sing to me back in Ukraine, and connect the turmoil in the country with that in my family, discussing how it all contributed to my desire for stability, and my hunger for tales of creeping darkness.
What a cathartic and eye-opening experience! I definitely want more of this, and have been working diligently to make it happen. There’s already a second non-fiction article that I sold to a publisher who will post it as a Guest Author column in early 2026. I’m hard at work to line up even more non-fiction fun in the near future.
1. Learned from Both Successes and Failures
It’s true that my first year of publication has been a blast. It’s also been hard as hell to navigate this new industry while battling impostor syndrome, trying to earn my Master’s Degree, contribute in my full-time day job, maintain a healthy marriage, and be a caretaker for an ailing family member. So, time management is a trick I’m still attempting to master.
Is getting 27 story acceptances an amazing feeling? Hell yes! But also… I’ve had to send out over 100 submissions to various magazines and anthology calls to get there. I’ve received over 70 rejections (and they just keep on coming!). So I’ve learned to temper my expectations, to listen to advice from my editors and fellow authors, and to always be open to change and growth.
I don’t have it all figured out, not by a long shot. I’m not supporting myself through my writing, and probably never will. But! How exciting was it to hold my first hardcover book with my name on the cover? I did that this year! And how great is it to connect with people who find my work online? Amazing! I look forward to expanding my body of work, to potentially publishing longer pieces next year (novellas or maybe even a novel), and of course, to continuing to tell the best damn stories I can.
For you, reader friend. Always for you.
Thanks for being on this journey with me! Have a safe and happy holiday season, and talk soon.