Writerly Goals update

I’m having some issues with time management this week already. It’s only Monday, but really, my work week started yesterday since I came into work on my day off to get an early jump on what I already knew was going to be a rough schedule.

This morning I didn’t even feel like getting out of bed and I went to sleep relatively early last night. Sometimes it feels like I’m not doing so good at treading water.  So I was late getting this post made and even considered *not* doing it. But then, that would have introduced the possibility of letting other goals begin taking on water, too, so to prevent total capsizing of this ship of my life, to be overly dramatic, I will state my goals even though I don’t particularly feel like it.

Just before finishing the paragraph above, I saved it as ‘draft’ and left for lunch. I didn’t take my phone, didn’t feel like reading emails or trying to keep up with any more than what was on my list of things to do at lunch. Like I said, I’m barely treading water today.

Well, when I came back to the lab and decided to finish this post I checked my email first. I’m so glad I did! My buoyancy just got pumped enough to keep me above water for a lot longer.

First of all, I have been invited to contribute to the next Cthulhurotica anthology to be released next year. It doesn’t guarantee acceptance, but it’s still an invitation and Whoo-hooo – that’s an honor I’ve never received before and it makes me smile.

Second, Dr. Solow reviewed my questions I’d sent her and she’s excited to answer them. I think this point was what had me feeling so dreadful. I was worried she’d think my questions were too far off the beaten path, or you know…just plain stupid. I didn’t want to ask her the same questions she’s been asked in however many hundreds of interviews she’s already given. So I’m smiling about that, too.

Basically, my faith in my writerly self has been restored and suddenly I feel as if I can tread water a good bit longer now. Little things, I know, but I’m not ashamed to admit I’m easy to please.

The short story I’d finished and was so pleased about last week, though, is not finished after all. I decided to rewrite it and not use the big flashback I had used. And I’m almost done with it now and very glad I made that decision. The opening lines are much stronger and the story flows much better all the way down the line. So the only thing that’s changed in my week’s goals is the addition of thinking and the rewriting of my contest entry. Okay, so I have to admit the idea of thinking of a weird monster sex story also makes me smile. The link is to Cthulhurotica’s website.

This week’s goals:

• Finish the rewrite and polish my Q1V29 entry for Writers of the Future
• Find and photograph a subject for this week’s Friday Fictioneers
• Edit chapter 24 of Symbiosis
• Begin thinking of a story for the anthology

This year’s goals:

• Finish editing Symbiosis
• Write and submit six short stories to pro markets
• Plan a 100-word anthology based on my photography, consider who might like to write for such a project, estimate how many I’d need.

About these ads