The New W1S1 High Tea Bar and Lounge (with extra-comfy sofas)

[AnnieColleen]

Story submitted! Sort of. It's a flash fiction contest for a local-ish convention. And now of course I'm fussing over whether I should've sent it somewhere else instead.

Better option, finish another story. Which I need to do anyway because, well, Sisyphus deadline. But I finished a story! And sent it in!

 

[soapdish]

I also got my butt kicked by life, and took a long break, that I may or may not still be on.

Ditto, my friend (especially the part about not knowing if you’re still on it or not). And I keep reading variations of this same sentiment all over the AW boards lately. So many old (membership time, not actual age ) familiar faces have returned after long absences.

I was around during the early years of W1S1 and honestly I had the most publishing success during that time. Izz et al were tremendously helpful in terms of accountability and encouragement. Which is why I am back.

Hoping to start kicking back instead of getting kicked. Or something…

Because penning new words has proven extremely challenging for me lately, I’m probably going to start with Edit1Sub1 from a long pile of oldies. Then transition over to W1.

This month I’m finishing up a submission to an anthology call. Should be sending it off this week.

Good luck, everyone

 

[Izz]

Soapy! Great to see you!

 

[ap123]

Hi, Soap, welcome back!

Edit1Sub1 sounds like an excellent plan, and I'm sending all the good vibes for your antho submission.

I'm still on this sort-of break. Once in a while I write a bit, or send something off, but for the moment that's all I can bring myself to do. And that's ok, the advantage of being an oldie, perspective.

 

[Tamlyn]

Welcome back, soapdish! We're a little bit quieter nowadays, but I think a few of us are around, just not posting heaps.

My year has also been more Edit1Sub1 than Write. Ended March / started April with some rejections, including a rejection I am now presuming was for all stories subbed, but I wasn't sure and so I queried and still haven't heard back (it's the same email for queries as subs though so I imagine the query is just lost in a crowd. Or they think I'm an absolute idiot who is trying to get them to change their mind about rejection because I couldn't actually be confused and so I'm blacklisted forever, me, paranoid, I don't know what you're talking about). But based on comments on twitter, etc, I'm just going with a rejection for all and marking it that way.

I did edit down a story for sub! To then realise I had misread and the market wasn't open. But that's okay because I've also realised there are more edits that could improve the story and now I have time.

 

[soapdish]

Welcome back, soapdish! We're a little bit quieter nowadays, but I think a few of us are around, just not posting heaps.

My year has also been more Edit1Sub1 than Write. Ended March / started April with some rejections, including a rejection I am now presuming was for all stories subbed, but I wasn't sure and so I queried and still haven't heard back (it's the same email for queries as subs though so I imagine the query is just lost in a crowd. Or they think I'm an absolute idiot who is trying to get them to change their mind about rejection because I couldn't actually be confused and so I'm blacklisted forever, me, paranoid, I don't know what you're talking about). But based on comments on twitter, etc, I'm just going with a rejection for all and marking it that way.

I did edit down a story for sub! To then realise I had misread and the market wasn't open. But that's okay because I've also realised there are more edits that could improve the story and now I have time.

Oh, Tamlyn. Do I ever identify with all of this!

Soapy! Great to see you!

You too!

Hi, Soap, welcome back!

Edit1Sub1 sounds like an excellent plan, and I'm sending all the good vibes for your antho submission.

Thank you! It’s a real long shot, but at least if I get an R there, it’ll be ready to send somewhere else right away.

 

[soapdish]

Subbed my story last week, a few days before the deadline even. Figured I better send it off early, lest I keep fiddling with it and really break it. Or worse, get so busy I forget to hit send and miss the deadline entirely!

Now, to start thinking about which one I'm going to revise and sub next month. Gonna see what calls are open right now. Maybe that'll offer some direction.

How is everyone else doing with their April W1S1?
I offer this: for anyone who may need it!
Or this: Depending on what motivates you most.

 

[AnnieColleen]

The Sisyphus story I finished right at deadline is busily revising away in my head. Sometimes even in the document. The infernal editor is nibbling around the edges a bit, but nothing too persistent; for once this is the fun part!

 

[Tamlyn]

yay, soapdish, for getting that out the door!

And, yay, Annie, for editing!

I feel like I'm being really productive this month. Though when I look at what I've actually completed... But I am definitely more focused when I do write.

I sent my Sisyphus story out into the world. I hoped I'd have at least two days before rejection, but no, it was so not right for them they jumped ahead in the queue to reject it. Now I will sit on it because I will be undecided whether it's actually ready for submission.

 

[Tamlyn]

oops, this double posted

 

[Izz]

Good stuff, peeps!

I'm still on the novel editing train. It's still slow going but that's mainly to do with me. About two-thirds of the way through. I'm hoping to create time to write some fresh stuff soon but we'll see how we go

 

[Tamlyn]

Hello the May.

I am tired. I have gotten lots of rejections. I am just not feeling it right now. But I'm trying to rouse myself enough to start some editing, in the hope that once I start, I'll get into it. Maybe try and get a few of those rejected stories back out (often I will look at one, try to find a market, fail, and not bother with the others).

I hope everyone's month is going better.

 

[soapdish]

Hello the May.

I am tired. I have gotten lots of rejections. I am just not feeling it right now. But I'm trying to rouse myself enough to start some editing, in the hope that once I start, I'll get into it. Maybe try and get a few of those rejected stories back out (often I will look at one, try to find a market, fail, and not bother with the others).

I hope everyone's month is going better.

I identify with ALL of this.

In fact, I was holding off checking in here because of it. I guess thinking that maybe if I didn’t have anything positive to say, I should just not say anything.

But thank you for being honest about the suckier parts of writing! It’s a good reminder to me, and to us all, that we all experience energy hurdles like this. And that it’s okay to talk about it.

I hope anyone who is experiencing an energy hurdle (Or any hurdle, really) find there way over it soon.

 

[AnnieColleen]

Story submitted! I ended up trimming a couple hundred words so I can send it to flash-only markets. Also sitting on another flash piece that won a contest through a local con, waiting to see if the sponsoring magazine is interested before I send it elsewhere. I'm guessing not, since they typically go for funny & this isn't that, but I haven't managed to bug them about it yet.

I've been using/evolving a revision checklist with these last few and it really seems to make a difference in keeping the focus tight and spotting those last few things to polish. TBD if it gets any results with submissions.

 

[soapdish]

Annie! You are ahead of it this month.

I am…not ahead of it. Struggling with the voice in the one I’m working on this month. It’s flash. And it might be funny? I’m not trying to make it funny, but it might trigger a laugh.

It’s hard to do a semi-humorous reveal without it veering into ba-dum-tssh territory, you know?

 

[Izz]

Nothing much to report here. Editing, editing, editing, but pretty slowly. That being said, the enthusiasm is returning, which means the ideas are beginning to hit again, which probably means I'll soon be forced to carve out some extra time from somewhere so I can let them out