2009 Results/Accomplishments

December: not a lot of writing, but important projects were completed.
* Fading Light -- reedited and resubmitted;
* Hunter's Honor -- reedited and submitted;
* Think Sideways -- final 3 lessons completed.

2009 was a very busy year.  I learned that I can write when I often think I can't; I can work multiple projects (Balance!) though not quite simultaneously yet.  I learned that people have more faith in my writing than I had realized, which is amazing.

What did I do?  I survived the first year of my 2nd child's life.  That alone is victory.  Writing on top of that, aside from being insane, is wonderful.

While I didn't achieve all my goals, I came pretty damn close.


* Think Sideways 25/25

* Stalker novel planned/outlined
* Short Story Edits -- 5
* Short Story Submissions -- 7
* New Submissions -- 2
* Short Story Writing -- 1
* Crits -- 7
* Reading -- 4
* FM Workshops -- 1
* Rejections -- 6
* Publications -- 1

Hunter submitted

Revisions completed over lunch; story submitted.  This one item cleaned up 2 goal items I didn't think I'd make this year.  I am much pleased with myself.  :)

Hunter revisions

Continued.  Slow moving, but forward moving so I am glad.  I realize two things now: I really need to learn more about commas (what seems right one day, seems wrong the next and vice versa), and that I need to do something with the immaculate white cat I mentioned on page three.  Hmph.

Hunter revisions, again

Hunter revisions are in progress.  Removed myself from the cold basement, and am working in the living room after the kids have gone to bed.  The "climate" change is good, and I just have to adjust to having distractions (tv, hubby, food), but there are good things too, like when I'm stuck on a word and I can ask the nice guy sitting a few feet away. 

Possibly one more night on this project.

too harsh

I expect too much of myself at times... I'm close to making my goals for the year.  I won't complete all of it, there simply isn't enough time.  But with the whole potty training the toddler, getting us through the second baby's first year, and various other things (including a writing class!), I did pretty well.  If I get through Hunter this week and submit, that'll only leave one goal unaccomplished: writing the short stories.  I shouldn't be beating myself up about this!  So I'm going to stop.  I'm looking at what I accomplished, and I'm pretty pleased.  I never expected to get as close as I did to my goal, and that's why I was so hard on myself.

So, Hunter tonight.

goals and lack of progress

This is another one of my danger points: when I have a long list of goals for the month and they turn out to be impossible.  Oftentimes, I ignore what bothers me, and the ignoring of the writing begins, and six months pass before I choose to face it.  I'm not going to do that. 

I'm trimming my goals to show exactly the thing I want to get get done.  If anything else happens to get done, then fine.  But my time constraints aren't exactly promising right now.

progress

Okay so it's slow progress, but it's in the right direction.  I'm researching for Tiger Princess, making notes for 'Bite, and redlining Hunter for edit.  And I might even get some writing time over lunch tomorrow.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

switching tracks

Time is limited for me at the moment, so I'm switching tracks to a project nearest completion: the final edit of Hunter, with plans to submit it by the end of this week.  I want to work on the new projects, but as long as my holiday responsibilities are cropping up, I can't put as much time as I want into the writing.

Noted for my 2010 goals: no new projects for December, just cleanup and prep for the new year. :)

tiger princess

About a month ago, a new member to http://www.fmwriters.com/ inspired me with her user name, "Tiger Princess".  I knew I had to use it in a story.  I wrote tiger princess on a note and it's been staring at my all this time.  And today I found a new listing on Ralan for the Triangulation anthology "end of the rainbow" and the story HIT ME.  Punched me in the gut.

I have some research to do, but I know where I want to go with this.

AND at the same time, I figured out what (else) was wrong with Nighthunter's Bite. 

I need some writing time this weekend.  I need to work these out.

a stretch of life

Busy with work, busy with holiday prep, busy catching up on sleep.  Should be back at this writing thing in the next day or two, if everything else goes well.

nighthunter's bite

I know, it's a short story, and Maura has been in my head for years.  I haven't found the right way to tell her story yet, and some of the scenes are still giving me trouble, but I happened upon the 'title scene', about why the bite is important and what it means to her and her curse.

my eyes are bigger than my muse

Six days into the month and I'm already overwhelmed.  I need to scale back the "new projects" and get back to my original intentions for December, which is project clean-up and completion of my 2009 goals.  The edits and short story drafts will remina; the HTTS transcription will remain; but the novel revision will wait until January.  Forgotten Star has been slated for my 2010 novel project for a while now.  The HTRYN class Holly Lisle offered (and I signed up for yeah!!!) got me way overexcited and I jumped on it, thinking I have time to fit everything in.

Right.  What was I thinking?

So the worst case scenario is that I 'start' the class 4 weeks late.  Chances are there will be a lesson or two that won't take all week to complete, so I'll catch up at some point.  And if I don't, what consequence is there? I won't be the first person to complete the class? Hmmm.  No, that won't kill me, or the novel.  It can wait 3 more weeks.

I've grown up in the age of instant gratification.  I seize opportunities.  Sometimes they do need to be seized, but held onto for just a little while before indulging. :)

only human

I wanted to kick ass tonight and both, write Nighthunter's Bite and edit Black Violas.  Who am I kidding?  After a day with the kids (whom I love dearly, but tend to wear me out more on weekends), I barely have the energy to even watch tv.  I'm only human, which means I need a break.  I recognize that tonight, and am taking the chance to take a hot bath and read, and maybe tomorrow I'll come back recharged and do that much more.

On a positive note, I managed some writing while the kids were napping this afternoon and wrote a page for Nighthunter's Bite.  I'm getting some better imagery on where the story is going, and this one has a dog in it for sure now... :)

how is it thursday already?

Finally resolved the formatting issues with the Forgotten Star manuscript.  Something has broken it, but I fixed it to the point that I can at least read it coherently in a printout.  The revision will be done by typing up the "keepers" in a new Word file.

Fading Light is on its way to the post office.  My desk is clean.  I still have 'Bite and Violas to work on this week, but I'm taking tonight to relax and saving these stories for Friday and Saturday.

writing buffet

Another pass on Fading Light tonight, and I think it's done.  I'm not sure the final paragraph is right, so I'll sleep on it and see what I think of it tomorrow.  I worked on Nighthutner's Bite today, as well as the novel revision lesson (one).  I think my two fantasy novels may be one long story, so I'm adding them both to the agenda to read and analyze.

Tweak Tweak

Three tweaks were required for this latest 'quick' revision of Fading Light.  I managed two tonight, one of which is a revamp of the ending.  I think it's good.  I'll decide tomorrow after I've gotten some sleep.  And I still need to figure out that last tweak.  One little detail is all I need...