31 December 2011

Few hours left . . . then a new year begins.

Cleaned up the desk, did a little planning for the coming deadlines, even some word/day breakdowns so I won't fall behind -- we have no clue how things are going to go with our little one finally being here (feb/mar), so not risking.  Even pulled the pens and pencils out of the holder and dusted the inside.  Ha ha ha!  'Spring Cleaning' hit twice a year here, New Years and the Autumn Equinox (revamping the desk/office between projects don't count).  But, boy, it hits with enthusiasm.

I'm looking forward to it, though.  Always feels new, when the time changes over.  Such a great time to pull out new, even old, projects.  Gives the muse a bump in confidence.

So, good luck to everyone in the new year and may it be brighter than this one may or may not have been.  It's definitely been a ride.

Happy New Year!!!

24 December 2011

Well, we had our Christmas and Yule yesterday.  Was a wonderful day!  Got our little guy to be his crib (a playard to start with), some sheets and a sheet saver.  Kitty Clause came for the furry one.  She's had a blast with the treats and toy.  And, hubby and I stuck to our original plan of not exchanging gifts with each other this year.  As he put it (and I wholeheartedly agree), "this is a year for preparation."  Our focus has been our growing little one.

And, core of the season, is family.  Not so much the presents -- though, yes, those are nice.  We received a few (4 in all) and love 'em.  But, a nice dinner, our close-knit family of three, and a night to ourselves to enjoy it -- that's all we needed.

I wish everyone of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and warm hearts this weekend!  Hope your holiday is just as wonderful as ours was.

22 December 2011

Having friends who write are godsends . . . and land minds.  I guess we're a temperamental bunch.  Which is little wonder why such friendships are often short lived.

Sometimes I wonder how long one fellow writer and I will last.  We've had spells of silence before, some for almost a year.  Yesterday, I began minding the clock again.

When we ask for feedback, we usually want only to share -- maybe hear opinions -- of the story/piece we're working on.  When asked to review my friend's work, I knew this.  And answered her in kind.  But, this being said, if there are major problems (ie. grammar that jars the reader right out of the story) it should be mentioned.  Doing so is usually seen as helpful rather than an insult.

Usually.

So, now the clock is ticking.  They logged off after a few comments amount the notice of.  And we've not seen one another since.  I hope the holiday eases their distaste.  The mention was not meant maliciously.

Only extended the courtesy I would have wanted to be shown.

We are a temperamental bunch.

21 December 2011

Well, morning half over, this day is lagging badly.  Feels like time has stopped, or forgot which way to go.  Just one of those days, it seems.

Am making headway on the four part challenge.  It is really building itself well -- gaining life every line.  That, right there, is a pick me up for such a slow morning.

Ha ha, I still want that nap I traded for the keys this a.m. but I'll sleep good tonight.  Least I hope so.

Tomorrow is Yule and it will be a busy, busy day.  The entire weekend will be.  Was expecting to work a little in between, maybe I still can tomorrow.  But, still have gifts to get by sundown (if we're doing any.  That still hasn't been decided).  Never have I ever cut this so close . . .

This has been an odd year, to say the least.

So, hope there are enough hours in the day to get it all done.  Even if work has to wait (that's my favorite part of any day.)

Submission Update: Yesterday

Well, some days it sucks to get out of bed and check the e-mail.  LOL, cripes.  That was the fastest turnaround on a piece in my life.  And a form letter to boot.  Those always sting.

So, having a bad day -- mainly because all I want is to go burrow back in the blankets.  I thank the gods for good friends, though.  Too bad they wake you up at the same time they make you laugh.  ROFL!  Eh, I'll take it.  Work is calling anyway.  And, that, I will never disappoint.

Write for the story.  When it's right, it will carry itself.

P.S.
Still have two other pieces out for review.  I am not down, yet!

20 December 2011

Well, made progress on the novel last night.  Typed up a few pages of the written draft -- I tend to do that in sections.  Got so engrossed I lost track of time, too and stayed up way too late.

Upside to dragging a bit today, I found a possible new home for the 01 Dec. rejected piece.  With a little tweaking, I managed to fit it towards another anthology.  Submitted it not too long ago.  It will find a home.  Just have to see how this goes.

Simultaneous submissions are fine.  I tend to work with one publisher at a time, so I never have to backtrack if two accept at once.  That is a messy situation.  I'd rather take the long way and not burn bridges.

Personal preference -- nothing more.

Best of luck to all those out there pushing the pages.

Submission Update: 01 Dec. 2011

Heard back from the publisher.  It was a no.  Wasn't quite what they had in mind -- more 'post-apocalyptic' than corruption of power that they were seeking.

Honestly, I'd not thought of the piece in that light.  But, yes, suppose it could come off that way, especially condensed as it had to be.

At any rate, I'll take it as better to have heard back than to wonder (or query for reply).  Time to go back over the piece (SOP for my returned work), see what it does or does not need then try again to find it a home.  Just another day at work . . .

Did send off a 'thank you' reply to the publisher (also SOP).  The no was not a copy and paste turn down.  For that, I always show respect.  The next time I see them with an open submission call, I'll look in on it.

19 December 2011

Last night, Mitch's coat didn't want to come off -- as expected.  I'd not added much to her story -- maybe a page . . . plus a few paragraphs.  Mainly, I centered myself around finding the right direction in which to take it.  Words are not the only measure of progress, sometimes it is just knowing where to go.

So, to remedy the situation when I headed to bed, I left her MS in the living room, tucked safely away in my bag.  Separation is mandatory sometimes.  And, right now (still juggling a few pregnancy woes), I need to draw the line.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love spending time with Mitch and being in her shoes (eyes the friends hanging out in the peanut gallery, "hush."), I just need to put a buffer between my work and our little one.  Her life -- and mine -- comes with stress; combining them more than doubles the impact.  So, in being a good mom, I have to put Mitch to bed at night (and half the day) and take care of my little one.

Upside, taking a break from her more often allows me to work with her more often as well.  Moderation is for more than just diets!

In the meantime, I still have a few other pieces to piddle with today.  Overdid it this past weekend and need to baby the belly for another day -- or two.  And all I did was put Christmas lights up around the living room.  But, it happens.  Had a friend end up in the ER from false labor after painting the nursery (well ventilated).  It was all the reaching and stretching, the doc said.

Never have I been so glad for a job I can do from the recliner.  The perks of being a writer.

18 December 2011

It's finally beginning to feel like Yule and Christmas.  Lol, all we had to do was hear Karen Newman's "Christmas Eve on Woodward Avenue" and we were back in Detroit, snow, lights, the winter night setting the stage as it all stood out, just like the spirit of the season itself.

From Washington to Woodward, to Greektown, Campus Martius Park where the tree rests on top of the fountain and an ice rink went up from November to March, even a stroll along the River Front -- the lights of Windsor and Detroit mingling in the snow.  That used to be our past time on winter nights: walking through the city we miss so dearly.  It truly is a beautiful town and one we still call home, in not by address then in our hearts.

"Christmas Eve on Woodward Avenue" would be piped out along the streets as the radio played it and the season would last forever.

When I pulled up the link for the station's online feed, I waited the day away just to hear it once.  It was worth it.  So much so, we finally broke down and downloaded the tune.  I played it for hubby while he got ready for work -- and we talked about 'home.'

Yes, it now feels like Christmas.

That Second Skin

My husband was a bit concerned to hear Mitch's name mentioned in the house again.  We've kept that project at arm's distance during the pregnancy.  But, I assured him that I was not getting as emotionally tied up with it as I had in the past.  Our little one has taught me a lot about keeping things a bit more removed.

As writers, most I know anyway, we tend to get a bit attached and drawn into the characters we create.  We live their lives, feel their woes (and highs); we dream and hope and want as they do -- and often to the same extant.  Sometimes more.  Which is the case with Mitch and I.  I feel every ounce, every drop, every grain of her hopes, dreams, shame, and sorrow.  And she has plenty to spare.

Before we began to trying for a family, I rarely paid it any mind.  Wearing the character as my own skin was just part of the experience of being a writer.  I did not care if affected me or not.  Often, however, that closeness gave insight I never could have gotten otherwise.  It lent a volume of emotion to the work that such rose to envelope the reader at will (the reviews state this again and again).  But, it also wears down the writer.  Which I took as just part of the job.

Once we began trying for a family -- it didn't take long for us to start expecting, matter of fact, it only took once -- that second skin caused a lot of problems.  The stress Mitch felt and I lived with her wore me down and (we, docs, too, are convinced) kept us from 'expecting' more than 2 months.  Pregnancies are very touchy in the early stages.

But, this was not an immediate sign.  It took us quite a while to figure out what was going on.  And, the month I put Mitch on the shelf -- no longer on the desk at all -- we conceived our now to be little boy.  So, there is something to be said about wearing that second skin, maybe a little too long.

At one point, Mitch had me drinking a little more than normal.  I stopped writing for her before it got beyond notice (I was not drunk, on the hood of a car twirling my shirt).  To be honest, just the fact it started had me worried.  Hemingway kept coming to mind.  Great author, but at such a high price.

That was a year before we began trying for a family.  I set her aside and waited until I found another POV to write from.  A POV that was little further down her road of healing worked better.  It, also, gave her a measure of objectiveness that she had lacked.  That can make all the difference.

That experience taught me a lot about how so many writers took that downward spiral.  It is not an overnight, gone to the head kind of thing.  It is the skins we wear that change us over time.  Most of the time, we barely notice.  Sometimes it can take many, many skins building up to start the change.  Other times, it only takes one.

So, I'm very thankful for this little guy.  I am not sure I would have learned this -- at least so soon -- without him.  Stepping back from the work helps, from a few minutes to a few days (which ever it takes to clear the head and body).  But, also, consider taking time off from the characters themselves.  Too much time together strengthens that skin.  Makes one wonder if it will ever come off after the work is done.  Then again, it's not always the time, but the emotional flow to and from.

This is a part of the job few talk about.  Yet, it is always the elephant in the room.  Mind it, sometimes they go rogue.

17 December 2011

Christmas -- and Yule -- are fast approaching.  So is our due date, for that matter (something hubby and I have come to realize a little too clearly).  So, our attention has been centered around that.

Finally got the prescriptions settled -- only took a week! -- and am back on track.  Had doctor visit after doctor visit this week, but did, finally, get the tree up.  Must be the latest we've even done so.  Ever.  It'll be decked by this eve.  With only a few days until Yule, we've cut it rather close.  Ha, ha.

All in all, though, hasn't really felt like the season.  Not yet.

Gifts have not been on our minds, nor the Christmas cards, not even the baking (can't this year due to new diet).  Our heads have been in our work and on our little guy on the way.  Truth be told, he's all we want for Yule and Christmas.  Just a happy, growing boy we'll get to meet near spring.

Other than that, we've hardly thought of the season and what it's become (gimme! gimme! gimme!).

We have our family, our health, a stable job for one (fledgling for the other -- but it's a job), and a decent roof.  After that, it's all fluff.

13 December 2011

With news to spread from the ultrasound yesterday, I got very, very little done.  Mainly just net work and some outline sifting (and a submission or two).  But, man, what a busy day!  Our little guy is measuring about 2 weeks earlier than the last look-see.

Guess that is even more of a prod to get moving and get ahead of the deadlines coming after (and one before) his birth.  At least the glucose testing and new diet -- minor tweaking of the old one; no more of his favorite burritos, or potatoes -- seem to be working well.  Gaining more get up and go, too.

Which is good, because I'd be up the creek even further. ;)

Doctor day over for the time being.  Time work took center stage again.

P.S.
Fell in love with a new magazine: The First Line.  It's a collection of works all starting with the same opening line.  The purpose being to show how easy it can be to break that block we all despise and to show the variety that can come from just one line.

Picked it up on their Read and Release program.  And, I am hooked!  Not often a publication like this catches my eye.  It's going to be hard to release this bad boy when I'm done (promised it to a friend).  But, it is also too good to keep to one's self.

Submission Update: 3 Poems

Heard back after the doc visit today.  The three poems were rejected due to style differences.  They like a more narrative style than emotional.  But, that right there is a legitimate turn down.  And I'm completely okay with it.

Actually, I'm taking it rather like a win.  I now have a classification on the poems.  So,  I can take them to the right market.  That's a huge plus.

I wish that publisher the best in all they do.  Maybe one day I'll have something up their alley.

And now I know where to begin!

Point of View

Banging my head against the wall for the past week did little to help figure out where I was going wrong.  That's why I decided to make this post.

POV (point of view) can change everything in a story.  And, I promise to stay away from the cases stated in any method book you can find at any library/bookstore.  I have many, and am sure most of you, do, too.  But, working the first scene again and again and again with a specific vision in mind is not always enough.

That was the lesson I was reminded of this week.  And one I'm grateful for having learned in the past.  I went back to the outline and read it forward and backward.  Yes, the plot was solid, it was down right screaming for writing.  But, the POV was all wrong.

I had focused on the two characters involved in 2/3 of the story.  Without them, there was no story.  However, the story was not about them.  The story was Charlie's.  He uncovered something and the journey was his as he followed it to the end.  It had little to do with the past.  In fact, the only thing it did have in common was that he stumbled across it.

If he hadn't, there would have been no story to be told.

So, from there, my focus on the other two involved was futile.  It wasn't about them -- never had been.

POV changed that.  It changes many things in a piece -- closes focus to a narrow beam when needed or opens vast plains of opportunity.

By shifting that, I found the story I was so close to telling -- and to losing.

11 December 2011

Submitted my 3rd piece of the month last night and, more than the rest, I hope it is accepted.  It's a short story I think rather highly of and could not have asked for a better time or place to send it off -- for a charity anthology.  Something with meaning should go to a cause just as strong.

But, again, details to come, should the publisher accept the work.  If not, I still may post the antho. just to get the word out . . .  We'll see.

A Writer's Memory Lane

Took a little trip down Memory Lane last night.  Was rather refreshing, horrifying and humbling all at once.  All my old writings -- from the incomprehensible to the down right print worthy (if it were finished) -- gave quite a show.  Most, I admit, are forever housed in the slosh pile, but in them; in those basic, plotless, coreless pages are seeds and sparks just itching to be turned.

I go through the pile each time I think my work unworthy of sight, or I'm too uncertain to look at the page, but, also, when the good ol' days of starting out come back for a visit.  Talking with another author friend of mine (Hiya, Trish!), we played back the old tapes of our early days.  Those days most never speak of in public.

It made me go back and look at pieces half that age.  In doing so, I found aspects of a current work -- the novel nearly complete -- that had been lost during so many rehashing of plot and substance.  Aspects I wish could have been saved, except if I did, the book would be 600 pages long.

Still, it was a good reminder of where the characters need to go.  Some must return full circle -- and they will.  Others, they will grow -- hopefully for the better.  But, I would have missed it, if not for the rehashing of old times and bad writings.  I would have gone on wondering where a memory or backstory was, what it was that the piece and the character was missing at the core.

For that, I'm thankful every day I keep the old pages, the pea-brained, heartless,anything but full of substance works that every writer has, at some point, written, regretted, and hidden away (via trashcan or safe-deposit box).  I could fill a room with all I've kept, but, in there, somewhere among those pages are ideas, sparks of future answers, and hopes of past stories that need tending.  And sometimes, a new page to play on.

10 December 2011

Had a wonderful weekend.  Despite the complications now setting it (3 more doctor appointments this week), I'm back to work.  We've also had reason to celebrate.  One of my submissions has changed status to "In-Progress."

May not sound like much, but it's not a "no."  So, I take it as a victory.  One of my other submissions has passed the average response times.  So, as it takes longer to get a "yes" rather than a "no," I'm very happy.  And we've celebrated both this weekend.

If any come back rejected, I'm not going to take it personally.  Rejections happen.  This is a business.  And markets tend to be fickle things.

Not saying it wouldn't hurt.  It would down right suck, yes.  But, it's not the end of the world.  If one publisher does not want the piece, another will.

That's not really rejection.  That's door to door salesmanship.

Rejection, I've learned, is having family read the work and saying, "yeah, it's good, I'll read the rest when you have a publisher."  So, I'm not good enough until a stranger says so???  (I remember standing there, slack-jawed, "but that is the rest of it.")  That's rejection.

Publishers are much more civil.

So, I will take the small victories.  Every day without bad news in the box is a good day.  And I will keep my head up, stories coming, and submissions rolling.  Publishers do not make it personal.  It's just business.

06 Dec. 2011

Still not feeling myself.  Funny, I felt just about great the day after.

Anyway, not well enough to work on new pieces, but did find some older poems to submit.  Work is work.  And, frankly, limits are . . . so limiting.

Also, over the past few days, have sifted through publisher after publisher, after press.  I've found several more projects for the coming year (I know I said the calender was full, but it's a relative full), plus a few possible homes for my current novel.  Still sitting with 140/50 pages left to finish, it is postponed until our little guy arrives.  Figured, by May/June, it should be drafted then revised for submission a week or two after.

All in all, even with the health concerns this week (more tests pending), it's good to be back to work.  Wouldn't have it any other way.

Tonight's Goal: learn more about marketing.

I flubbed that on my last submission, pure and simple I failed by miles.  Though I tried, I didn't do it well.  That is something I desperately need to fix.  And tonight's the night to do it.

Sad, Sad Day . . .

Yes, never missed a project or backed out of one, but . . . feeling worse and this little one needs me more than I need my pen and paper.  Am just sick and worn out beyond belief.

After a talk with the husband (Gods love him; I adore him), I'm stepping away from the next two deadlines (10th and the 31st).  I need to rest for our baby.

There are still a lot of aspects of the job besides writing.  My focus will be there.

04 December 2011

Husband wants me to take the night off and though I told him I would, I am beginning to reconsider.  Deadline is in 6 days (5 sooner than originally posted).  And I really love this project.

But, still not up to par from Friday.  And, if I don't take time off, husband will request I back off the project altogether.  Honestly, this morning, I nearly did.

The outline is done.  The synopsis is halfway there.  Am so close to getting it off the ground . . . but still trying to recover and take care of the little one on the way.  Family first.  Always.

I just miss work already.

Next month, I'm not taking on new projects -- none that are due, anyway.  Will use January to get ready for baby (due end of February/early March) and to set up new projects for April onwards.  One a month may be my limit with a newborn.

I'll piddle with the project tonight.  When all is said and done, writing is what I do, it's what I dream about; it's what calms me when I need it most.

We'll see how I feel.  It's not just me I'm taking care of now . . . (and wouldn't have it any other way).

03 December 2011

Wow, worse weekend in a long, long time.  Almost ended up in the hospital, so took the day off to recoup.  Just about back to normal now -- aside from the thumping cars and neighbors (can't hardly think from all the noise).

With one project done, it's time to start the next.  Despite the set backs, I've got the outline for a four part story (publisher waiting in February) and smoothing out another due in 7 days.  This time, however, I'm going to do the synopsis first and use it as a second outline.  A focused story compass, more like it.

Plans for the night (seeing how the neighbors see fit I not sleep) are to get those two ready for work.  Would rather be productive than pacing the apartment swearing.  So, I'll make it work.

01 December 2011

Submitted the project on time!  About four minutes ago, to be honest.  Should find out in a few days to a few weeks.