Editing Sungard

I'm working on the next draft of Sunguard. The story has come a long way from when I struggled to write it, and it still isn't easy. The effort has been worth it though, I really think I salvaged a decent story from first draft garbage. Another day or two and the issues should be ironed out.

Celebrating 10 Years of Me

The 28th of this month marks the ten year anniversary of my adulthood. I'm not talking about legal adulthood, I'm referring to the day I left home. I left my family, left the city I'd grown up in, and moved to a strange new place where I had to fend for myself. Sure, I had people to fall back on, and I did rely on them, but this is when I truly became an adult. Let me tell you of the things I learned.

• Proper finance handling
• Car buying (and lemon trading)
• Moving cross country
• Job hunting and keeping
• Marriage, and what it really means to have another half
• Motherhood (one beautiful daughter, and a little boy on the way)
• the meaning of Time
• the importance of being me and enjoying my own activities

That last one hit me as soon as I moved out. I went from living in a house with three other siblings, two parents, a grandparent, a dog and two cats to occupying a one bedroom apartment by myself, in a town where I knew no one. I couldn't afford cable tv, and really, this is when I learned not only that I loved writing, but that I was good at it, and the dream came alive for me. Ten years ago, I decided I wanted to be a writer. Seriously.

In that time, I've researched and taken classes, and read everything I could get my hands on. The results? Take a look below.

Novels

• 3 Completed (1 of which has been edited a few times)
• 2 in progress
• 7 in various stages of worldbuilding and outlining
• 35 viable ideas (with at least 1 paragraph of notes) in 5 genres

Short Stories

• 1 published
• 1 in submissions
• 31 complete (2 are intended for novel conversion)
• 6 shelved (they were learning experiences and need to die)
• 25 awaiting edit (Yes, that's 25 worth spending time to fix!)
• 10 started but not completed (a project for 2009)
• 3 in progress

Articles

• 2 published
• 10 ideas (being researched or in outline form)

So you see, I've had a busy ten years. I've learned much, and am continually learning. I've surrounded myself with positive people, and learned how and when to laugh at myself. That lesson I learned from my husband.

Tell me - either here or in your own blog - what have you accomplished? Celebrate yourself.

Moving Forward

I reread my edits to Sunguard, and between my own observations and a first reader, I made some notes for the next edit pass. I moved on to Eve, which has a good foundation in conflict and emotion, but I need to add some description which is sorely lacking. I think it's one of the reasons I tend to write more fantasy than science fiction, I have more to play with regarding description and environment. But who am I to back down from a challenge! I'll keep you posted.

Edit: Sunguard

The Sunguard edit has met with some success. The story nearly doubled in size, and maybe 100 words remains of the original story. The changes are definitely for the better. The ending took an odd turn, but I think it works. I've got it out to some readers now, so hopefully soon I'll know if I've gone off the deep end or not. Happy reading, my friends. :)

New Submission

For the first time in three years, I have submitted a story to a magazine: Treischan Strength. For my non-fiction, it hasn't been that long, but I need to get that moving too. The point is: my story is out there, and being out there is the only way to achieve publication. It's exciting and scary all at once, and hopefully this "first" submission will not be my last. I have a few other stories to get into shape so I can get those out there, too.

Edit: Treischan Strength

Ending revised, story complete. Edited. Ready. Submission quality. I lack the proper words.

I'll do a quick check tomorrow, make sure I didn't make any silly typos, then print and head over to the post office. This will be my first short story submission in three years. It's about damn time!

Artifacts & Relics

I started some research today using Google's image search to try and locate some artifacts and relics for my short story, and wow am I amazed at the process an archeological dig has to go through and the issues they have to deal with once the project is moving forward. So, I found myself in Ancient Egypt again, I keep finding myself there whenever I do this kind of research. I need to find something new. Maybe I'll go look up the Incahs and the Mayans tonight. Just so I stay out of Egypt. :)

The Best Laid Plans

Derailed. Derailed by both exhaustion (did too much this weekend) and by inspiration (new stories want to be written!) Yes, I am battling the need to edit with the inspiration of two new shorts. Once A Thief finally shaped up and I need to get the first draft typed out quickly, and the untitled urban fantasy I mentioned has a working title of Stone Forest. Both are demanding my attention. I have until Friday to edit Treischan Strength, so I'll follow a friend's advice and go with the new stories for tonight.

Progress

Considering the level of exhaustion we experienced from our ultrapacked three day weekend, I'm surprised I accomplished anything at all. I was not in an editing mood and couldn't get there no matter what I did (exahustion, I'm sure) so I started the new short story (urban fantasy, untitled) and started getting my submission package together for Treischan Strength. The final edit will start over my lunch tomorrow, and hopefully I'll clean it up enough to mail on Tuesday.

How Swiftly Time Abandons Me

Time is not my friend. I need to harness it, maybe bottle it, and portion it out as I see fit. Actually, I do prioritize my tasks based on the time I have available, but it just doesn't always fit into my imagined schedule.

I've been continuing the Sunguard edit. I tried to work on Once A Thief, but the character changed the rules on me as I got to know her, and the story is an entirely different idea than when I started. I'm keeping the old idea for future writing, and going with the new one this upcoming week. I completed a critique this week, and will try to do one more this next week.

Goals for this week are aggressive, but I'm giving it a shot. I have my priority items including a final edit and submission (Treischan!!!). We've had way too much fun with the holiday, so it'll be nice to get back into a normal routine where writing fits into my preplanned schedule. :D Hope your week goes well!