More contests

Six more out. Writing stories like mad so I don't have to multiple submit. Is this the last minute creative spurt before school starts in the fall and my brain goes dead for a few months? Maybe.

I need to start working on my sf/fan portfolio of stories so I can apply for the Clarion workshops. High probability I won't get accepted first time out, but if I don't apply, they can't say Yes. And if they do say no? They can't take away my birthday. Maybe they could in an alternate universe, though. Interesting.... ;-)

Journal stories

I've been keeping a journal with story ideas. Not something I have to write in every day, but a handy little book when my brain tickles me with a cool plot, character, or setting.

I typed in a couple today and am quite pleased with the results. I'll need to let them sit a couple days so I can get perspective and revise them, but I think they'll be good ones to market to contests.

I also pulled out an old issue of my college literary magazine. My writing was riddled with adjective bullets and adverbial hyperbole, but the concepts were still good. I'm also revising these pieces to send out. No reason to let good meat rot in the basement.

More rejection, YAY!

Several more thumbs-down received. In celebration, I submitted 4 more pieces to other places.

I think I'll take the rejection letters, print them on fabric, and make a quilt. That way I can sit on them and write more.

Funny thing is, all this rejection isn't bothering me a bit. So far my thick skin is holding up. As with running, you take your losses, figure out what you did wrong, and keep trying.

New contest entries!

Just received another rejection...more decoration for my wall of shame when I'm a famous published author. ;-)

So, in celebration, I just sent of two new pieces to Glimmer Train's Very Very Short Fiction contest (one is about 200 words, the other about 300). I also sent a 62 word piece to the Journal of Compressed Creative Arts. How Exciting!

Now for more waiting....

Killing my darlings

What if you have too many darlings to kill? Seriously, I'm trying to carve 50 pp out of my manuscript and I'm finding very little I can pull out without major plot revisions. I'm about 2/3 through and only have about 15 pages out. Sigh. Maybe next read through....