One of my two stories that have been accepted for publication is now up for your perusal! I want to scream it from the end of the driveway and purchase a billboard so the entire world can see, but alas, I still have a day job. By no means am I embarrassed of the story or of my writing, but some things (such as remaining employed by not offending the parents of the teen masses) just have to come first. Still, this does not tarnish my joy in the least. My story is out there, and in less than two weeks I will have another story out there. This second one will be in print as well as online.
This week I realized I am an addict. I am a music addict; I am a fiction addict; I am a non-fiction addict.
MUSIC ADDICTION: I cannot live without music, and I am not a snob. I will listen to, sing, play, and dance to classical, country, rock (alternative, classic, grunge, hard, metal, etc.), rap, reggae, dance, and techno. I sing, whistle, or hum (all despite the intense frustration of my students) constantly. I will vocalize anything from a Chopin Nocturne, to a 90's grunge song, to the tune from Blues Clues. My knowledge and appreciation spans the centuries of "classical" music from Baroque to the Romantics. My Rock sub-addiction thrives on anything from the scandalous Jazz, Blues, and Ragtime of the 40's through Elvis, The Beatles, Queen, to the Doors, Aerosmith, Nirvana, to My Chemical Romance, Muse, and Arcade Fire. I honestly cannot list all the music I love. When I am forced to be silent because my students want to work, I stand there and dance to the music in my head. It's not like I have an internal off button. I can't help it. If I can't hear music, I make music, and if I can't make music, I internalize music. I see absolutely no problem with this.
FICTION ADDICTION: This can be entirely blamed on my family. My whole fam-damnly. I might have been told "No, you can't have 9 books or even 5 books, but Yes, you can always have a book." I was a sneaky little thing. I would get my 1 book, and it would be the first in a series of 3, or 7, or a million. Then my birthday, Christmas, and any other gift giving opportunity was loaded with the rest of the series from my parents, my most amazing book-o-phile aunts, and any other family I could convince that I just had to finish the series, and the series after that, and then this new series, and so on. I worked in the college library and God-love my supervisor, he did me no favors. He would send me out to shelve, then come find me at the end of my shift with a cart full of unshelved books, sitting in the floor reading. He'd pat my head, and if we had another copy of the book, take it out of circulation and give it to me. I think he is the reason I had to quit working at a bookstore before I got fired for doing the exact same thing. Book stores don't like it when you are on the clock sitting in the floor reading. And they never let you just keep the books! I'm also not a book snob. I'll read anything, and have only read one bad book in my life (I was a kid and I believe it was above my level, I need to go back and find that book and re-read it). I love fantasy and young adult. I devour contemporary literary novels (particularly the Appalachian kind) and mystery/thrillers. I truly enjoy the classics from Dickens to Hemingway to Melville. If you write it, I'll read it, and probably enjoy it too. I see absolutely no problem with this.
NON-FICTION ADDICTION: And this is where I become a snob. I only read non-fiction books that are about writing. However, with that said, I can't get enough of them. How to write fiction, how to write short stories, plot structure, character development, self-editing, anything. I consume these books as quickly as I do the fiction. I enjoy them. I argue with them while I read. I don't see them as a "how to" as much as a "how I did". I take every piece of advice with a tablespoon of salt, then evaluate my own fiction afterwards. Sometimes I make changes, to the fiction or my methods. Sometimes I laugh and shelve the book. Sometimes I stop mid-chapter and promise myself to come back when I fully understand the idea being illuminated. I bought three more of these today, and am going to go back and pick up some of those mid-chapter set asides until they get here. I see absolutely no problem with this.
I'm off to write, and read, and whistle, and dance.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Delightful Dilemmas
This morning I received an email informing me that I have had another story accepted for publication in February. This was such a shock after having an acceptance just a week ago today. The story accepted today is the one I wrote on a lark at Hindman last year. It has received many rejections, and I had decided that as soon as I heard back from this magazine I was going to completely rewrite the piece before submitting again. I was so set on the rewriting, that I'm shocked to have had it accepted in it's original form. However, this does lead me to my first delightful dilemma of the moment. I have only one story out right now. I'm not going to get any more acceptances if I don't have anything out there to be accepted. I guess I need to get back to the writing. So, here's a question... Which story should I work on tightening up?
As mentioned previously, I attended the Roanoke Regional Writer's Conference this weekend. This has left me with what I consider to be a very good opportunity for my novel, if I finish it. I have enough time to finish it to take advantage of this, but since I've not really worked on it since November, I need to go back and re-read everything I wrote. This leads me to my second delightful dilemma. I'm happy to announce after reading just a chapter and a half last night, that I still love my characters and am surprised at some of the things they do. However, I see errors. Little errors, big errors, errors that the editor in me doesn't want to let go. I know that if I start the editing game now, I'll never finish the writing part. I rightfully get to go back and read and am excited to do so. I just fear it will get me off track.
For my third delightful dilemma, this evening I received my (signed no less) copy of Isabella Moon by Laura Benedict. I am dying to just crawl in the bed and read until I fall asleep. I want to devour this book whole, but I tend to use books against myself. I use the reading as a procrastination for not doing my own writing (or grading). Then afterwards I tend to compare my work to what I've read, and that generally doesn't go well. I thought about using the book as a reward. If I accomplish x, y, and z, then I can read until I fall asleep. However, I've never tried to read and write at the same time before (not literally, you grammar police), and I wonder what effect the former would have on the latter. I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on that as well.
- My slipstream short story with stream of conscious narrative and a Marilyn Monroe motif
- The story I wrote about my grandmother which is funny but has a very weak ending
- My story about nothing with great characters and even greater extended metaphors
- My not quite prose, not quite poetry piece I started for a call for parenting submissions from a dark literary magazine I admire
As mentioned previously, I attended the Roanoke Regional Writer's Conference this weekend. This has left me with what I consider to be a very good opportunity for my novel, if I finish it. I have enough time to finish it to take advantage of this, but since I've not really worked on it since November, I need to go back and re-read everything I wrote. This leads me to my second delightful dilemma. I'm happy to announce after reading just a chapter and a half last night, that I still love my characters and am surprised at some of the things they do. However, I see errors. Little errors, big errors, errors that the editor in me doesn't want to let go. I know that if I start the editing game now, I'll never finish the writing part. I rightfully get to go back and read and am excited to do so. I just fear it will get me off track.
For my third delightful dilemma, this evening I received my (signed no less) copy of Isabella Moon by Laura Benedict. I am dying to just crawl in the bed and read until I fall asleep. I want to devour this book whole, but I tend to use books against myself. I use the reading as a procrastination for not doing my own writing (or grading). Then afterwards I tend to compare my work to what I've read, and that generally doesn't go well. I thought about using the book as a reward. If I accomplish x, y, and z, then I can read until I fall asleep. However, I've never tried to read and write at the same time before (not literally, you grammar police), and I wonder what effect the former would have on the latter. I'd appreciate any thoughts you might have on that as well.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Steps in the Write Direction
This weekend I had the pleasure of attending the Roanoke Regional Writer's Conference. I went to some great classes on everything from "Advice from Literary Agents", and "Selling the Sense of Wonder: Writing, Marketing and Surviving Science Fiction/Fantasy and Horror", to "Playing with Words: What Poetry Can Teach the Prose Writer about Metaphors and Word Play" and "Writing and Getting Your Novel Published". I was able to catch up with some old friends and hopefully make some new (I'm still iffy on whether someone accepting you on Facebook after such an event really indicates a friendship/working relationship). I received a great deal of good information, but excitedly for me, I was also in a position to give out some good information as well. I didn't feel completely lost at this conference. I knew the language that was being spoken, and I was able to converse in what felt like a well educated and somewhat experienced manner. Not feeling lost, but rather like I belonged is a new sense of wonder for me. The two invaluable things I garnered from this conference are affirmation and confidence.
I am doing the right things. I may not be doing them as often as I should, or with as much passion and energy as I should, but I'm doing them. I'm on the right track and am chugging right along. If I continue down this path, I will get to where I want to be. Every conference or workshop is just another step along the way.
I also realized, that I really need to not just focus my writing down to the summer. While that is the most obvious and easiest time for me to pursue this dream, there are things I can and should be doing during the school year. Every conference or workshop gets me back on the "write" track. I wrote more fiction than I took notes on Saturday. I hadn't had a new idea for a story in at least three months, but I churned out the first line to three different stories and three and a half pages of another one during my sessions this weekend. I really need to find more of these weekender type conferences to keep me moving during the school year.
So I'm off to finish my novel. My current goal is 4 - 6 weeks to first final draft. I'm also going to get these story ideas down quickly before they dissipate so I'll have something short and fun to come back to when the novel work gets too heavy.
I am doing the right things. I may not be doing them as often as I should, or with as much passion and energy as I should, but I'm doing them. I'm on the right track and am chugging right along. If I continue down this path, I will get to where I want to be. Every conference or workshop is just another step along the way.
I also realized, that I really need to not just focus my writing down to the summer. While that is the most obvious and easiest time for me to pursue this dream, there are things I can and should be doing during the school year. Every conference or workshop gets me back on the "write" track. I wrote more fiction than I took notes on Saturday. I hadn't had a new idea for a story in at least three months, but I churned out the first line to three different stories and three and a half pages of another one during my sessions this weekend. I really need to find more of these weekender type conferences to keep me moving during the school year.
So I'm off to finish my novel. My current goal is 4 - 6 weeks to first final draft. I'm also going to get these story ideas down quickly before they dissipate so I'll have something short and fun to come back to when the novel work gets too heavy.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Endings and Beginnings
OK...so I did it. I finished NaNo. By finished I mean that I reached the goal of 50 thousand words written in a single month. I hear you asking did I reach my goal of finishing the novel? The answer is no. I did not. I didn't even get close. However, I rewarded myself by falling into a complete writing slump for the month of December. It is now nearly the end of January, and I still have not finished that novel. Am I going to? Lord, I can only hope. My current plan is to get back at it hardcore as soon as I get this semester at school under control, which should be about the middle of next week. I feel good about this novel. I think I can do it. And even better than that, I think this novel has potential.
While I didn't get any writing done in December, I did continue to submit the two short stories and two poems I have written and completed since Hindman. The gentle nudging of a "Loving" friend has finally made me realize that if I'm going to turn this dream into a reality, then submitting short stories to lit mags on a frequent basis is a large step I had been previously neglecting. Hands, the piece I wrote at Hindman that received rave reviews from peers and experts alike, is still getting rejected about as fast as I can send it out. Currently, it is hanging out at a mag that has already had it 94 days. Their projected response time is 30 days, and Duotrope has their average response time listed as 46 days. Yes, I have queried. No, I've not heard anything from that either. I'm giving them another week or so, then I'm going to pull it, or send another letter, or sit here pensively and worry. One of the three.
Goddess is a short piece that follows the same dark tone and subject as Hands. It is all me. There has been peer editing by my wonderful writing group "For Shame" as well as by some of my wonderful writing friends from Hindman. However, there has not been the editing and suggestions from a working, published author like I received on Hands. I've pondered over this piece since October. I've fretted, gone through four significant revisions, added a third section after I thought two was enough, and basically worried this piece like a dog would a bone. On Sunday the 15th, I had had enough, and I just started submitting. I sent it to all three of the mags that rejected Hands and gave me personal rejections saying they liked my "voice" or "style". I chose two other places where I thought it might fit, and just sent it.
I got a rejection in just under 24 hours from one of the places that had rejected Hands. You remember that 'personal' rejection I mentioned earlier saying they liked my "style". Well, seems it wasn't so personal after all, as I got the exact same rejection this time for a different story. On Monday, one week and one day after submitting, I received my second response. The mag that gave me a personal rejection for Hands saying they liked my "voice" and strongly urged me submit again will be publishing, both online and in print, my story Goddess.
scissors and spackle is a pretty cool magazine. I enjoy reading it, and would have continued to enjoy reading it even if they hadn't offered to publish my story. I strongly suggest you give it a read, and if you have a few dollars to spare you ought to order a print copy. Also, if you are interested in such things, you ought to take a look at how they run their small press, because it is people like this that will keep all of us alive in this business. If you aren't interested in such things, then support small presses anyway, because I said you should.
So, it has begun. I have gotten a story out there and published the real way, the old fashioned way, the hard-work way, the I-finally-feel-like-my-writing-has-merit way. And for the first time have realized that as long as I keep writing ENDINGS, and keep submitting, I will get there, and the acceptances will keep rolling in. OK, maybe not rolling, but at least trickling.
While I didn't get any writing done in December, I did continue to submit the two short stories and two poems I have written and completed since Hindman. The gentle nudging of a "Loving" friend has finally made me realize that if I'm going to turn this dream into a reality, then submitting short stories to lit mags on a frequent basis is a large step I had been previously neglecting. Hands, the piece I wrote at Hindman that received rave reviews from peers and experts alike, is still getting rejected about as fast as I can send it out. Currently, it is hanging out at a mag that has already had it 94 days. Their projected response time is 30 days, and Duotrope has their average response time listed as 46 days. Yes, I have queried. No, I've not heard anything from that either. I'm giving them another week or so, then I'm going to pull it, or send another letter, or sit here pensively and worry. One of the three.
Goddess is a short piece that follows the same dark tone and subject as Hands. It is all me. There has been peer editing by my wonderful writing group "For Shame" as well as by some of my wonderful writing friends from Hindman. However, there has not been the editing and suggestions from a working, published author like I received on Hands. I've pondered over this piece since October. I've fretted, gone through four significant revisions, added a third section after I thought two was enough, and basically worried this piece like a dog would a bone. On Sunday the 15th, I had had enough, and I just started submitting. I sent it to all three of the mags that rejected Hands and gave me personal rejections saying they liked my "voice" or "style". I chose two other places where I thought it might fit, and just sent it.
I got a rejection in just under 24 hours from one of the places that had rejected Hands. You remember that 'personal' rejection I mentioned earlier saying they liked my "style". Well, seems it wasn't so personal after all, as I got the exact same rejection this time for a different story. On Monday, one week and one day after submitting, I received my second response. The mag that gave me a personal rejection for Hands saying they liked my "voice" and strongly urged me submit again will be publishing, both online and in print, my story Goddess.
scissors and spackle is a pretty cool magazine. I enjoy reading it, and would have continued to enjoy reading it even if they hadn't offered to publish my story. I strongly suggest you give it a read, and if you have a few dollars to spare you ought to order a print copy. Also, if you are interested in such things, you ought to take a look at how they run their small press, because it is people like this that will keep all of us alive in this business. If you aren't interested in such things, then support small presses anyway, because I said you should.
So, it has begun. I have gotten a story out there and published the real way, the old fashioned way, the hard-work way, the I-finally-feel-like-my-writing-has-merit way. And for the first time have realized that as long as I keep writing ENDINGS, and keep submitting, I will get there, and the acceptances will keep rolling in. OK, maybe not rolling, but at least trickling.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Rough, Rougher, and Tough
Last week was rough. I started a couple hundred words ahead, but threw that all away by writing nothing on Monday. I tried not to get discouraged, since I had such a good weekend and was able to completely recover from a day of not writing, On Tuesday I wrote just over 1000 words, which is nothing to frown at, but wasn't nearly enough to get me caught up. Then on Wednesday, I wrote nothing once again. I even started ignoring the NaNoWriMo website.
Then things got even rougher at school. On Thursday, I wrote 879 words. On Friday, I wrote 327. I even posted on my local NaNo Facebook page that I felt like giving up. I woke up on Saturday to do the math and realize I was 7301 words behind schedule. The handy, dandy tools on the NaNo site projected that if I continued at my current rate, I would finish (reach 50K) somewhere near the end of December. It also calculated that for me to finish on time I would need to write nearly 2000 words a day. All of those numbers frustrated me to no end.
On Saturday, I got tough. I was 7301 behind schedule, but I was going to simply make small goals and not worry about the large task in front of me. My first goal was to finish the chapter I was in. I don't like that character, and she is difficult to work with. I reached that goal, and it landed me in a chapter I've been dying to write. So, I kept going, and my next goal was to write that exciting chapter. But that chapter didn't go as expected and came to an abrupt end I wasn't expecting without getting me to the part I'd been excited about. I took a quick break, just to sit down and find out that the character I don't like was insisting on having another chapter. So, I decided to get this completely unplanned for chapter out of the way. This stupid character was ruining my beautiful outline.
Interesting things happened in that chapter. One of the reasons I don't like this character, besides the obvious I know the horrible things she going to do later on, is that she essentially has a schizophrenic personality which is damn hard to write. However, in this random chapter she insisted be written, I started to get the hang of her split-naturedness, and laid a seed for a beautiful piece of prose I know comes later in the story. That chapter ended on a little piece of loveliness, and I kept moving without taking a break.
The next chapter ended up being a continuation of the previous one I'd been looking forward to, and this time I got to the place I'd been hoping to, the scene I wanted to write. It didn't go as expected either, but also ended on something surprisingly pleasant. Either way, I was back on track with my outline. Which allowed me to constantly have some idea of what came next.
Yesterday, I wrote 5505 words. I ended the day 1796 words behind, but instead of feeling like an insurmountable task, it felt like a drop in the bucket compared to what I had accomplished. I went to bed in the middle of a chapter knowing I would end today either completely caught up or ahead of where I needed to be, which is 21,667. Reaching the 20's is pretty cool when your goal is 50K.
Two very interesting things happened yesterday. Firstly, I remembered to surrender to my characters. My plot outline is helping me greatly when I get stuck; however, I have to remember these characters are living, breathing things. I want the reader to be surprised by their execution of free will; therefore, as the writer, I have to let them exercise their free will to act outside of my preconceived outline. This novel is all about the difference between outward perception and inner perception of one's self and one's actions. How can I be true to the story if I control all their actions?
Secondly, I realized the task I had completed. I wrote 5505 words. More than almost getting me to my goal, this is essentially the length of a short story. I, in essence, wrote a short story worth of words yesterday. This was a shock to me. I've written several short stories over the years. Some have been about this length, and a couple have been a couple thousand words longer. The key to all of those is that I wrote them over the course of weeks. Weeks. I would get some idea, pound out a couple thousand words, then spend weeks trying to finish. Yesterday, I realized that I can write the first draft of a short story in a single day. This is a break through that is going to affect the rest of my writing life. I have taken away my own chance at making excuses.
On a different note, I should hear back from three of my seven pending submissions this week. I may even hear back from four, since one of them has already had my story 30 days longer than their estimated response time. I have taken all of this in stride. I have not been overly excited or anxious while waiting for a response. Nor have I been dejected or frustrated by the rejections. I was even very excited about the personal rejection I received last week that contained praise for my work and asked me to submit again. But here's the deal. For some reason, one of my current submissions has taken hold of me. I've been anxiously awaiting their response. Instead of my twice a day checking, I've been looking at my email every chance I get, up to 10 or more times a day.
According to the statistical evidence on Duotrope, I have every reason in the world to be excited. They have rejected stories over the past few days that they have received after they received mine. Duotrope says their average rejection time is 11 days, while their average acceptance time is 13 days. They've had my story for 13 days. This is a very prestigious lit mag. It is so prestigious that I've not listed this submission on my submissions page here on my blog because I'm embarrassed. I would be mortified for some of my actual, published, working author friends to see the submission and think to themselves, Why on earth does she think THAT lit mag would ever accept her work?
At this point, I just want to know. And I really, really hope that this unrestrained anxious positive feeling doesn't turn into an equally unrestrained sense of rejection if that is what happens.
Thanks for sticking with me through this. I'm trying to figure out a way to count all these rambling words here towards my NaNo goal for the day. :)
Then things got even rougher at school. On Thursday, I wrote 879 words. On Friday, I wrote 327. I even posted on my local NaNo Facebook page that I felt like giving up. I woke up on Saturday to do the math and realize I was 7301 words behind schedule. The handy, dandy tools on the NaNo site projected that if I continued at my current rate, I would finish (reach 50K) somewhere near the end of December. It also calculated that for me to finish on time I would need to write nearly 2000 words a day. All of those numbers frustrated me to no end.
On Saturday, I got tough. I was 7301 behind schedule, but I was going to simply make small goals and not worry about the large task in front of me. My first goal was to finish the chapter I was in. I don't like that character, and she is difficult to work with. I reached that goal, and it landed me in a chapter I've been dying to write. So, I kept going, and my next goal was to write that exciting chapter. But that chapter didn't go as expected and came to an abrupt end I wasn't expecting without getting me to the part I'd been excited about. I took a quick break, just to sit down and find out that the character I don't like was insisting on having another chapter. So, I decided to get this completely unplanned for chapter out of the way. This stupid character was ruining my beautiful outline.
Interesting things happened in that chapter. One of the reasons I don't like this character, besides the obvious I know the horrible things she going to do later on, is that she essentially has a schizophrenic personality which is damn hard to write. However, in this random chapter she insisted be written, I started to get the hang of her split-naturedness, and laid a seed for a beautiful piece of prose I know comes later in the story. That chapter ended on a little piece of loveliness, and I kept moving without taking a break.
The next chapter ended up being a continuation of the previous one I'd been looking forward to, and this time I got to the place I'd been hoping to, the scene I wanted to write. It didn't go as expected either, but also ended on something surprisingly pleasant. Either way, I was back on track with my outline. Which allowed me to constantly have some idea of what came next.
Yesterday, I wrote 5505 words. I ended the day 1796 words behind, but instead of feeling like an insurmountable task, it felt like a drop in the bucket compared to what I had accomplished. I went to bed in the middle of a chapter knowing I would end today either completely caught up or ahead of where I needed to be, which is 21,667. Reaching the 20's is pretty cool when your goal is 50K.
Two very interesting things happened yesterday. Firstly, I remembered to surrender to my characters. My plot outline is helping me greatly when I get stuck; however, I have to remember these characters are living, breathing things. I want the reader to be surprised by their execution of free will; therefore, as the writer, I have to let them exercise their free will to act outside of my preconceived outline. This novel is all about the difference between outward perception and inner perception of one's self and one's actions. How can I be true to the story if I control all their actions?
Secondly, I realized the task I had completed. I wrote 5505 words. More than almost getting me to my goal, this is essentially the length of a short story. I, in essence, wrote a short story worth of words yesterday. This was a shock to me. I've written several short stories over the years. Some have been about this length, and a couple have been a couple thousand words longer. The key to all of those is that I wrote them over the course of weeks. Weeks. I would get some idea, pound out a couple thousand words, then spend weeks trying to finish. Yesterday, I realized that I can write the first draft of a short story in a single day. This is a break through that is going to affect the rest of my writing life. I have taken away my own chance at making excuses.
On a different note, I should hear back from three of my seven pending submissions this week. I may even hear back from four, since one of them has already had my story 30 days longer than their estimated response time. I have taken all of this in stride. I have not been overly excited or anxious while waiting for a response. Nor have I been dejected or frustrated by the rejections. I was even very excited about the personal rejection I received last week that contained praise for my work and asked me to submit again. But here's the deal. For some reason, one of my current submissions has taken hold of me. I've been anxiously awaiting their response. Instead of my twice a day checking, I've been looking at my email every chance I get, up to 10 or more times a day.
According to the statistical evidence on Duotrope, I have every reason in the world to be excited. They have rejected stories over the past few days that they have received after they received mine. Duotrope says their average rejection time is 11 days, while their average acceptance time is 13 days. They've had my story for 13 days. This is a very prestigious lit mag. It is so prestigious that I've not listed this submission on my submissions page here on my blog because I'm embarrassed. I would be mortified for some of my actual, published, working author friends to see the submission and think to themselves, Why on earth does she think THAT lit mag would ever accept her work?
At this point, I just want to know. And I really, really hope that this unrestrained anxious positive feeling doesn't turn into an equally unrestrained sense of rejection if that is what happens.
Thanks for sticking with me through this. I'm trying to figure out a way to count all these rambling words here towards my NaNo goal for the day. :)
Sunday, November 6, 2011
So Far, So NaNo... blowing past 10K
So, it is mid-morning of November 6th, and I am 312 words ahead of schedule on NaNo. Days one, two, and three all ended with me being ahead of word count (day two I was nearly 1000 words ahead!). On Friday the 4th, I took 28 seniors on a field trip. I had to be up at 3:30 in the morning and spent most of the day on a school bus, herding children, playing teacher in an uncontrolled environment, and otherwise enjoying a fun variance to the usual job routine. However, when I got home I was plumb exhausted and could barely manage to undress and sit down much less actually write 1667 words.
With that said, life reared its ugly head at about 4:30 Saturday morning screaming, "Mommy! I'm going to throw up!" This was followed by the sound only MY children make before projectile vomiting in a way I spent 29 years of my life thinking I was the only one in the world who did that. Apparently, it is an inherited trait. After four and half years, we finally have the hang of this whole "sick" thing (knock on wood) and things proceeded as expected. I was thankful that we actually had some Pedialyte in the fridge that wasn't expired. The girl child laid on the couch most of the day watching movies, napping, and sipping her Pedialyte. I, on the other hand, was up and down to the bathroom at least 25 times, and still managed to crank out 2,331 words. The boys of the house made it through this one mostly untouched.
This morning everyone is healthy and happy and eating again... except me, and I still feel like I have a belly full of angry snakes. Luckily, it was a 24 hour bug, at least for the girl child. I've written 2471 words so far today, and feel like I'm probably not done. I know where I am at the moment, and I know where I'm going next, and I see no reason to slow down when things are going so well.
See, I'm cheating a little this year at NaNo. I have this short story that I love. My friends and family love this story too. So, after three years of trying to perfect it, and having it rejected by a few places as a short story, I'm turning it into a novel. The first third of the novel is my two main characters as children, the middle is essentially the short story expanded, and the last third will be what happens after the, what I consider to be awesome, cliff hanger ending of the short story. Everything is new writing (even the middle part when I get there), but right now I'm writing all the things I know about my characters that were essential to my knowledge for the short story, but were never included. I have just written myself up to my first flashback in the short story. Only now, it will be in real time.
Oh, wicked past perfect verb tense, I have just kicked you in the face! And damn it feels good!
With that said, life reared its ugly head at about 4:30 Saturday morning screaming, "Mommy! I'm going to throw up!" This was followed by the sound only MY children make before projectile vomiting in a way I spent 29 years of my life thinking I was the only one in the world who did that. Apparently, it is an inherited trait. After four and half years, we finally have the hang of this whole "sick" thing (knock on wood) and things proceeded as expected. I was thankful that we actually had some Pedialyte in the fridge that wasn't expired. The girl child laid on the couch most of the day watching movies, napping, and sipping her Pedialyte. I, on the other hand, was up and down to the bathroom at least 25 times, and still managed to crank out 2,331 words. The boys of the house made it through this one mostly untouched.
This morning everyone is healthy and happy and eating again... except me, and I still feel like I have a belly full of angry snakes. Luckily, it was a 24 hour bug, at least for the girl child. I've written 2471 words so far today, and feel like I'm probably not done. I know where I am at the moment, and I know where I'm going next, and I see no reason to slow down when things are going so well.
See, I'm cheating a little this year at NaNo. I have this short story that I love. My friends and family love this story too. So, after three years of trying to perfect it, and having it rejected by a few places as a short story, I'm turning it into a novel. The first third of the novel is my two main characters as children, the middle is essentially the short story expanded, and the last third will be what happens after the, what I consider to be awesome, cliff hanger ending of the short story. Everything is new writing (even the middle part when I get there), but right now I'm writing all the things I know about my characters that were essential to my knowledge for the short story, but were never included. I have just written myself up to my first flashback in the short story. Only now, it will be in real time.
Oh, wicked past perfect verb tense, I have just kicked you in the face! And damn it feels good!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Submissions and plans
In the past week, I've submitted "Hands" to three more magazines, finished another short fiction piece that now needs to be edited, plotted the first third of my NaNo novel, and contacted three published authors (who also happen to be people I know personally from writing workshops) about looking over my work and helping me get it submitted to the right places. And that's just on the writing front...
I have another story in the works that would make the writer's of Seinfeld proud. It is definitely about nothing and has some really weird phrases in it. It was intended to be ready for a November 1st deadline; we'll see if that happens.
As November creeps closer and closer, I vacillate between feelings of joyful anxiety and paralyzing fear. Do I really need a fourth novel? This is one of my very best short stories, is attempting to grow it going to kill it? What if I finish it and it's decent? What the hell do I do then?
No matter what, I'm plodding along, and feel kinda good about it at the moment. Maybe I'm starting to get the hang of how all this works.
I have another story in the works that would make the writer's of Seinfeld proud. It is definitely about nothing and has some really weird phrases in it. It was intended to be ready for a November 1st deadline; we'll see if that happens.
As November creeps closer and closer, I vacillate between feelings of joyful anxiety and paralyzing fear. Do I really need a fourth novel? This is one of my very best short stories, is attempting to grow it going to kill it? What if I finish it and it's decent? What the hell do I do then?
No matter what, I'm plodding along, and feel kinda good about it at the moment. Maybe I'm starting to get the hang of how all this works.
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