Yes, It Is All My Fault!

You know I have the brain-worms when I’m in the middle of updating my works-in-progress section of “My Writing” here on the ‘Net, and I hear the following conversation in my head:

“Really, it’s not *that* much to get done.”

“Have you been snorting kittens again? What?”

“Oh come on, look! It’s one novel with most half a good amount of work done on, two or three short stories, and one story of indeterminate size.”

“I am looking, and I see you forgot to mention the ongoing project and the ‘various sundry bits’ barely worth listing–but still taking up neural space and ‘time’.”

“Well, the short stories are only a couple of weeks time-use each.”

“And you’re lying out your ass on that “story of indeterminate size” thing, you know it’s at least a novella.”

“Maybe, but…”

“Plus that academic paper and accompanying presentation due in September you sort of forgot to mention.”

“But there’s already at least some work done on all of those! The short stories, the paper, the novel, and the other story thingy all at least have notes if not also written text.”

“So? You know who we are. Don’t forget that in order to cope with the “lists” and “deadlines”, there’ll need to be at least one or two short projects done concurrently with the official work that aren’t even *on* the list.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Well?”

“Um…it could be worse?”

“Shh, don’t give anyone any bright ideas. Just get back to work, if you want to keep that kitten supply flowing and fresh.”

Thanks to everyone who helped on this latest short story. It was a lot of fun and turned out to be a lovely and creepy little piece. (Although I do hit a point in every story so far where I ask the skies, “why can’t I just write straightforward adventure stories?” But I’m sure that even if I tried, layering and ambiguity would sneak back in.) Anyway, thanks this time go to Kit O’Connell, Steven Brust, Jennifer Evans, abigail d, Kiki Christie, and Megan Elizabeth Morris from my writing group (The Society of Voluptuaries), and special thanks go to Mary Dell–first-time beta reader for me and I very highly recommend her work and hope to use her skills again.

It’s a much better story than it was thanks to all of you, and I even sent it in on the day I had wanted to submit by, with 30 minutes to spare. I’m excited about it, and ready to move on to other projects. I keep distracting myself with these anthology projects from getting back into the heavy novel work, so I think for the month of August, (barring sudden rays of inspiration) I will not plan to work on any writing work other than my novel or the collaborative project. If I need short story time, I have several related to the novel that need more work.

I saw an opening for a slush reader at an online magazine I like, and thought hard about whether or not to apply. I’ve heard several accounts from writers who felt that time spent slush reading really helped hone their skills as writers. On the other hand, I already have a full plate of commitments and projects and then some, so committing to read several stories a week on top of that seems like added stress that I just don’t need. So I think I’ve decided not to pursue the gig, but I wonder if I’m doing my writing (and editing) a disservice by not stretching in areas like these. What do you think, gentle reader?

I’ve received some excellent critiques of my latest story, and I think I’ll get back to work on another revision pass, hopefully this evening–definitely this weekend. Anyone want to get in on reading the next draft?  That one will be close to done (one hopes), except for minor tweaking. Props and shout-outs will go out to my fine team of helpers when I’ve sent this puppy off into the wide world of hopefully-not-many-rejections, mere days from now.

Finished the first revision pass, changing some things significantly and others not, and now it’s off at my writer’s group where I hope to get at least a few more opinions and comments before I have to tackle final revisions and sending it off. I like this one and had a lot of fun writing it, it’s been a challenge and an educational one. I’ve been working on the idea and the story since I first read about the anthology at the beginning of May, and seeing as how I did no writing at all in May, I don’t think I did too badly. Thanks to my first readers, Kit, Steve, and Jennifer, and any fellow Voluptuaries that want to help out!

Finished the first draft of the short story I wanted to finish this month. It’s not quite right but it’s closer than most of what I’ve been turning out lately. I haven’t actually read it yet, but alpha reader feedback is 3 for 3: “creeeeepy.” Which is certainly part of what it’s supposed to do, so I’m pleased. In the morning Kit will read it again and give more detailed feedback, I’ll read it and give it the first revision, then post it to my writer’s group for a whirlwind critique session before final edits and sending it off. Yay for writing to deadline, especially given unexpected writing-delaying events such as out-of-country travels.

To hear more about that, start with “Off to Mexico” and read up from there to find out about most of my last week’s adventures.