Category: Reading & Writing

Weekly writing check-in: hello, writing tear

I went on a writing tear this week, getting in nearly 8,500 words.

So now I’m closing in on 20,000 words.

In all that, I did manage to squeeze in some classes and Photoshop work as well. Not a lot, but some. It looks like a long list, but it was really a little bit here and a little bit there.

And that’s it. I think I used up all my words in my manuscript this week.

Writing work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, research)
  • Graphic Design/Photoshop tutorials
  • Writing, ~8,400 words
  • Folklore classes
  • Truby class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Moving Day

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: hello, new sale

A rejection this week, but we’re just going to ignore that because not only did I write +5,000 words, I sold a story!

I sold Steadfast to Flash Fiction Online. Details forthcoming. Steadfast is a modern (and non-magical) retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s The Steadfast Tin Soldier with a gender flip and an unapologetic happy ending.

That’s about it. I’m almost to 10,000 words in the novel, which means it’s starting to feel more like a real thing and less like vaporware. I’m adjusting the structure as I go along. It’s a lot like going on a trip after you’ve done some extensive planning. Sure, you read the guides books, planned the route, maybe even checked Google’s street view. But there’s something about driving–and writing–that changes everything.

Writing work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, research)
  • Graphic Design/Photoshop tutorials
  • Writing, ~5,200 words

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Three by Three

Acceptances:

  • Steadfast

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: hello, new project

At long last I started the new series. Despite the planning and structuring and researching, when I open up a fresh, blank, document, it still feels a lot like that.

Even so, I managed to write +3,500 words. It’s a start.

I will also continue to research and adjust as I go along, because that’s just the way it works.

A couple of rejections, but I did turn one around and send it back out. Add in some tutorials and a class on witches, and that rounded out the week.

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, research)
  • Graphic Design/Photoshop tutorials
  • Writing, ~3,500 words

Submissions:

  • Three by Three

Rejections:

  • Three by Three
  • Cheating Death

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: Welcome, October!

I love October. October makes me think of Halloween, which makes me think of ghosts, which makes me think of Coffee and Ghosts.

It also makes me think of witches, and that’s up next–both in writing and an entire class on witches that begins in a few days. I’m very excited.

No actual draft writing this week, but most definitely this coming week. I really have nowhere else to go. Structuring and outlining and world building? I have more to do, but I’m at the point where I need some words on the page. So. Time to stop messing around.

I also completed another Photoshop tutorial as well.

That’s it for this week. Tune in next Sunday to see if I actually manage some words.

Writing Work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, drafting)
  • Graphic Design/Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • With Hair of Teeth and Claw

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: Here, have a reading cat

Kitty is calling dibs on the Game of Thrones book here.

In other news, I think I have a structure for the first novel in the series, something that resembles a scene list, and with a little luck, I might even start writing this week or next.

That being said, I still don’t have a title for the book or the series. Again, with a little luck, maybe one will magically appear once I start writing.

I did a Photoshop tutorial this week (but no snazzy project with this one) and did some interesting research on wicked plants and abandoned malls.

The episode on abandoned malls was fascinating. I might even watch the entire series. Even the skateboarding aspect was interesting, which surprised me since I don’t spend a lot of time contemplating skateboarding.

And that’s it for the week.

Writing Work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, drafting)
  • Graphic Design/Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: Photoshopping and fairy tales

So, more back to school this week. I’m working my way through some Photoshop tutorials. I like the ones where there’s a project that I can relate to writing or publishing, however tenuously. With that in mind, I give you this week’s project.

The tutorial called for a mood board, but I went with an inspiration board for the new novel series I’m working on. I bought a bunch of credits at Depositphotos a while back (they were running a special), so I grabbed some images and went to town.

In other news, I got a couple of rejections this week and sent one story back out again. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with An Army of Toads. It has actually received several nice personal rejections. Its main problem? (I’m speculating here.) It’s too long. It’s a novelette, clocking in at 9,300 words. I’m thinking about possibly publishing it, and several other fairy tale retellings, in a compilation and calling it done.

Writing Work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, drafting)
  • Graphic Design/Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • The Potato Bug War

Rejections:

  • The Potato Bug War
  • An Army of Toads

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: back-to-school edition

I sent the final story (of the ones I wrote during July/August) off this week. Now, we sit and wait. Well, I’ll sit and wait. The rest of you can do something else.

It was the first week of school, and to celebrate, I wrapped up the summer projects (folklore class, flash fiction, and so on) and started in earnest on the new series. So, with a little luck, I’ll get the structure in place and then I’ll start the writing. I would, fingers cross, like to start publishing it early next year.

More on that when things start to come together.

Writing Work:

  • Series work (structure, brainstorming, drafting)
  • Graphic Design

Submissions:

  • Cheating Death

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: long weekend, short post

Well, I did not finish up the research. No real surprise there. I am mostly done with the folklore class (will finish up today/tomorrow), and I did submit a story. One more of those to go.

I’m waiting for the market to open back up, but the story is done and quite literally sitting in my email draft folder, ready to go.

And that’s it for this week.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Folklore class
  • Story revision

Submissions:

  • Dereliction

Rejections:

  • Lucky

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: eclipse edition

Up here in Minnesota we didn’t get too much of an eclipse. The picture to the left is the result of me pointing my phone randomly at the sky and hoping for the best.

I sent out three new stories this week. Not bad considering the wisdom teeth extraction (not mine) or the pom squad performance (also not mine). Still.

I hope to wrap up a lot of things this next week or so: the research (uh, maybe), the folklore class, and I want to dig into the actual structure and draft for the new series.

Here’s hoping.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Folklore class
  • Story revision

Submissions:

  • The Potato Bug War
  • Moving Day
  • Steadfast

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: sending stories and bullet journals

Look at that! New short stories are now in the submission mill. I have a few more to revise and send out this week, and I’m kind of excited about that.

A while back, I mentioned that I was using a bullet journal as a way to create a story development journal. With so many craft books, online and software programs that will help you write a novel, why on earth would I do this? I’m only partway through this project, and I’ll admit it. At times, it’s a little tedious.

But then there are articles like this. I also like writing by hand, even though my penmanship is awful. And no, I’m not doing fancy spreads with artwork like some bullet journal enthusiasts do.

But as plain and messy as it is, I like it. I like having all the story development exercises I use in one place. It’s easy to take with me, and I still have plenty of room to add new information and exercises.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Story development journal
  • Folklore class
  • Story revision

Submissions:

  • Three by Three
  • Respite
  • With Hair of Teeth and Claw

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None