Writing, work and editing

It is incredibly busy at work, so busy that last week, we almost had no time to breath.  Why do I mention this, you ask?  Because, for the last month, I have been attempting to whittle out time to edit White Guardian.  I feel in my bones that this could be a good story if I could just find the time to work on it and improve it.  I can see many of my flaws as a beginning writer and I have a plan but have been unable to execute it.  I have found little bits of time to write a tiny bit each day but the longer, more involved work still remains tabled.  When it is busy, there is a lack of time to focus, a lack of time to think, which since editing is all about analytical thought instead of pure creative energy equals no editing.  Solution= I am going to have to take the time at home to work on this.  I have vacation at the end of September.  Come hell or high water, this is my editing time.  I can plan 3 whole days to work and at least make some progress.  Here I come!

Contest News

So disappointed.  My short story did not win and from the sound of the feedback I received, didn't even come close.  I was told that they were looking for something more original and that it was too easy for the characters.  And the worst part, is thinking about it objectively, they are right.  It is cute and the character is interesting but the story could be developed more and the situation could have been more work for the characters.  Ah, well, live and learn and if I want to continue to hone my craft, I need to take the good with the bad and learn from the feedback I am given.  Not to say I have to like it but learn from it, yes, or I will never make it as a writer.  At least they did give me feedback and were quite kind in how it was phrased.  I also was given a couple links to e-zines to submit to and I did at least take the risk.  Can't win if you don't ever try...

Water is a wondrous creation of the universe.  It being the summer, I finally managed to get down to the pool and go swimming.  And luck of all luck, I had to myself for a good 45 minutes before anyone else even came down.  Considering all the kiddies are out of school, this was a miraculous thing.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself and plan to go back tomorrow since we have a free weekend, which this year is yet another amazing fact.  As for my writing, having completed and submitted my short story, I gone back to the paranormal romance that I have been playing with.  I've gotten to the fun part, past the introductions, and into the smut. (insert evil grin here)   Since this is really the first story I've had where the romance was the main part of the story, I am struggling a bit with that aspect.  I am realizing that it is not as easy as it sounds to write either romance or the sexual aspects of the story.  My respect goes up vastly for romance writers.  For those of you who think it is easy, let me tell it is not.  It is hard...and yes, that is a pun. :P  But I will do research and continue to tweak it until it is the way I want it.  I like the characters so far and am discovering new things, like how bossy my bottom is....It's amazing how much in charge he wants to be!  I will leave this post on that note and everyone, have a great weekend!

So horribly nervous, I have sent off my short story to Coppercon.  I think I'm more nervous because I have yet to receive a response back from their volunteer email line.  I am hoping they receive my email since the story is due for 7/15.  It's like sending a note into an abyss and hoping you get a response from the dark.

O_O

In other notes, it has been crazy today at work and people are strange.  Not only that but strange accounts I don't normally talk to have been calling all day!  Will be so glad to go home.


Edit
Little less nervous about the emailing.  I received a confirmation that they received my submission and I will be hearing back.  The guidelines say about two weeks before the convention which would likely be middle to late August.  Whew!  Now to fiddle my fingers while I wait.

So I have mostly completed my dragon story for Copper Con's short story contest.  I am going over it one more time tomorrow but I do think it's as ready as it can be.  I also volunteered to help with the convention, emailing the volunteer line again.  I hope to be of help and also enjoy the convention, one way or another.  In other news, still writing and busy weekends ahead as well as busy days at work.  We had back to back calls today so not much time but I did get my editing completed and also did a small amount of writing.  Enjoy the day!

A year

It has been a great year and the best part....I've written every day.  A year ago today, I began a promise to write at least a 100 words every day for a hundred days.  I got to a hundred and continued.  Got to 200 and continued.  Now I have been at it for an entire year.  I've finished 4 rough drafts of novels.  I've finished several short stories.  And I think this next year, the focus must be editing.  I've loved writing every day and will continue but now I must finish the task, by polished and shining what I've written until it is the best that it can be and work on getting it submitted and published.  But for now a celebration, a whoo-hoo! for what I have accomplished.  Thanks to my friends who didn't mind me ignoring them and supported me.  Thanks to my husband for encouraging me, even if it was in his own snarky teasing fashion.  Thanks to my family for having faith.  Now the journey continues.

Editing?

The writing continues.  I finished my short story, I think.  I might need to review it one more  time but at 1300 words, I think it actually stands up fairly well.  And, No, I can't post it.  Since it has to be unpublished at the time of submission, I don't want to take the chance on a blog counting.  But I will post it once the contest is over.  Now onto editing and revising White Guardian.  Today was not the day, just a little too much to do at work but hopefully tomorrow, I'll be able to make a start.  I think some of the pause was me trying to decide what to hack and slash and what to keep.  I am definitely cutting the first chapter entirely, although some pieces of it might make their way back into to other parts of the story.  I will begin with the second chapter and just preface with a couple snippets from the first chapter.  I'll see if that works the way I want it to.  Good luck with your endeavors, my friends and farewell to another night.