On impulse one evening I googled ‘short story contests Canada’. And guess what? The CBC short story contest is under way! The deadline for submissions is November 1, 2023. I had an idea for a plot line and I had a month. Nothing motivates me like a deadline.  

Other than the story lines I created for Contentment is for Cows, I’ve never actually written a short story. I have lots of ideas but I never commit them to paper. Writing this blog doesn’t count. These posts are not short stories.

If you’ve ever read The War of Art by Steven Pressfield, you know what resistance is. Resistance is that voice in our heads which tells us we cannot do something. Worse, resistance is always cleverly disguised as something else. In this case, for me, resistance was a lack of confidence.

Two things intimidated me about entering the contest. One, I looked at the list of authors who have previously won. Ouf. How could I possibly expect to compete in such an arena? That thought right there? “How could I?” That is impostor syndrome in action, dressed up as resistance. 

Secondly, I felt my story idea was too long, too complex, and had too many important details that it could not possibly be reduced to the strict 2500 word count. It would ruin the story. That thought is just more resistance masquerading as self doubt.  

Resistance is a very democratic saboteur. It’s not just about creativity and writer’s block. It will attack anyone anytime. Resistance will keep you from applying for that new job you want, from going back to school, exercising, asking someone out, you name it. Anything you’ve wanted to do and have told yourself you can’t … because you’re not smart enough, you’re too tall, you’re too short, you don’t have time, whatever. Those thoughts are resistance in action. 

Resistance hates to be recognized. Throw water on it and it will collapse like the wicked witch of the west. Realising my trepidation was nothing more than resistance helped get me started. I am at least confidant enough to believe that my story would not be tossed directly into the ‘no-go’ pile. Those authors who previously won? They all started somewhere. Each of them had to wrestle with resistance too. It is just part of the process. If you are alive, you have resistance working against you over something.

So, I wrote my first short story. It’s a minimalist 2485 words. To quote an old friend of mine, it’s pretty goddamm not too bad.

Right now, resistance is disguised as ‘it needs more work.’ Hell or high water, I will submit it next week.

Keep your joy.

Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger, unless it’s a holiday weekend. Or summertime. Facebook or email.