This Year in the Life...

Hello, Hello all.  This is probably going to mark the beginning of a short hiatus from the web for me.  I’m getting married soon and will be off on wonderful adventures for a while.

So, quick end-o-the-year writing re-cap:

*Thirty two short story outlines were created.

*Sixteen Stories made it to the writing stage (no less than 2,000 words in the document at this time).

*Ten stories made it from beginning to end.  Six completed to my satisfaction.

*Six stories currently making submissions rounds-- 2 novelettes and 4 shorts.

*Seventeen submissions made, equaling no acceptances, 12 thus-far rejections, and one WotF Finalist. 

*And then tens of thousands of words spent on three stuttering novels...

Which all adds up to...

Me needing to get myself in check!  Those numbers are pathetic, man.  I’m doing this full time, do those look like full time accomplishments?

I know I’m incredibly slow when it comes to the editing stage-- fixing consistency errors, believability issues, etc.  I don’t re-write things, but I do a good deal of chopping and adding. I’m sure as time passes I’ll get quicker, and also not need to do as much fixing.  That all comes with writing maturity that I probably don’t have yet.

Though my daily writing goal (set only a few months ago) was 2,000 words, on average I made 1,000.  Not so bad, but I definitely need to force myself to meet the goal.  What’s the point of having a goal if I don’t have the gumption to make myself reach it?  So, that has to change.

Now, I also have a tendency to write 1,000 words one day, and get rid of them the next.  Sure, it’s practice, but it’s not product.

Also getting in the way was life, as I discussed a little previously.  I’m supposed to be writing every weekday, but some times I didn’t have the time to do more than a couple of sentences, which sucks (and I don’t count those as days I wrote).  But, that means I have to find the time no matter what, even when my day is full.  No excuses.

And, I have focus issues!  I am easily distracted.  Not cool.  I’ve been working on an entry for the Illustrators of the Future contest, and that’s eaten a little into my writing time.  It takes me way longer to get a finished illustration than it does a finished story, believe it or not.  I can do one in a month if that’s all I do.  So, if I miraculously win, quality won’t be sacrificed. 

So, come the new year I need to get it together.  That’s it. 

Have a great holiday season, guys!  See you next year!

~Marina