The W1S1 Check-in and Chill Lounge and Bar

Kweei said:

That's awesome. He's such a classy guy. I had tried the first time, but was rejected, and he was really professional and helpful. I'd definitely try again.

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I've just finished revising "Beside the Sea" (my Solstice Swap story), and it grew in revision from 5900 to 6300 words. I'll be sending it off to Mr Finlay next month. It's been a very long time since I last submitted to F & SF, though I was in it twice in the 90s when Kris Rusch was editing.

I've just started revising an older story (written 2008) which had never gone out because I wasn't satisfied with it. Let's see.

After weeks of inertia, three chapters down in three days. As it turns out, a chapter a day keeps the guilt bunnies away.

80,000 down, 20,000 to go. Looking forward to getting this monkey off my back and being able to write some new shorts without feeling constantly distracted. I really can't work on multiple things at once.

Dani79 said:

80,000 down, 20,000 to go.

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Amazing work, Dani!

Thanks! I want to keep up the momentum and get this draft finished this week. Not written any new shorts since April.

Finished the best story I've written yet this weekend. It was the most emotionally impactful thing I've ever put down 'on paper,' so I've let it rest for a few days. Editing/revising tonight, hopefully subbing very soon.

Peace
Ty

Ty, I'm guessing no new news on Fireside for you, either?

I was digging into some of my old evernote notes because I did write some things there. A lot of it self-indulgent crap, but sometimes that's nice to write, and it's nice to see that, sometimes.

I do have a finished draft of something if anyone wants to take a look-see. I am very unsure about it.

I got my Fireside rejection. I'm trying not to read too much into it being one of the earlier rejections as I still love the story

I've discovered I'm a serial lurker on forums, but not very good at posting or conversing. Maybe that ties into my writing problems? I still feel like I'm plugging away doing at least a little bit of writing or editing each day and yet have no work coming out the end of it. I mean, there has to be something because I've definitely done stuff.

Maybe there is a little green monster eating the work after I put it down. And eating my brain so I can't figure out something is up.

Well is that not getting anything posted meaning that your work is not being looked at by other people before submitting? Are you not editing anybody else's stuff? Because that might be a problem. If it's just being sociable on forums, then I wouldn't think that matters much.

Tamlyn said:

I got my Fireside rejection. I'm trying not to read too much into it being one of the earlier rejections as I still love the story

I've discovered I'm a serial lurker on forums, but not very good at posting or conversing. Maybe that ties into my writing problems? I still feel like I'm plugging away doing at least a little bit of writing or editing each day and yet have no work coming out the end of it. I mean, there has to be something because I've definitely done stuff.

Maybe there is a little green monster eating the work after I put it down. And eating my brain so I can't figure out something is up.

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If you're not a very fast writer then you may find you don't post a lot on forums & it probably isn't such a great idea to try - you'll just end up wasting a crapload of time and creativity like the rest of us.

Srsly though, why don't you just keep track of your output and other tasks you get done, in a small diary devoted to your writing work. I use one such for deadlines, writing jobs etc & it's always a great feeling to tick things off.

This week I found a story I'd written in June and then forgotten about, so brain function can possibly also be blamed to some degree.

I was more being silly tying my state of lurkerdom to my state of writing with the idea that I don't write much in one medium so...

I have actually been tracking my new word counts for this year, and there are definitely words. I also have monthly writing goals. That's why I think they must be getting eaten. Or sucked into my novel so I'm just not seeing the finished products.

So really I guess I was just complaining. Ah well. Ignore me

Hapax Legomenon said:

Ty, I'm guessing no new news on Fireside for you, either?

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Nope, not yet. Currently sitting at 32 days, which seems to be right at the mark everyone's getting their Rs, so expecting mine any minute now.

I got slightly off W1S1 track last week. It was a combination of putting a ton of effort into a story I'm really, really proud of (three days in Clarkeslush so far) and a minor rejectolanche that put me in a bit of a funk.

I'm trying to decide between taking a week to revise a few I thought were promising but have already collected a couple of Rs, and pushing forward with a new story.

Peace
Ty

My word count was high last week, which is the first time this summer. I celebrated at a ren fair--always an inspiring place. Hopefully this week will be another good writing week.

Keep on writing!

I have to post a 0 word count this week. Not even just a zero story week, but 0 words. And I did not resubmit any old stories. I will drown myself now in my undeserved mocha and force myself to do better next week.

Melinda Moore said:

I have to post a 0 word count this week. Not even just a zero story week, but 0 words. And I did not resubmit any old stories. I will drown myself now in my undeserved mocha and force myself to do better next week.

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ALL mochas are deserved.

Never forget that.

NEVER!


lol, yeah it comes n goes. Me, this week, fab - 4k of a 5.5k story and cruising. last week? nada.

Melinda Moore said:

My word count was high last week, which is the first time this summer. I celebrated at a ren fair--always an inspiring place. Hopefully this week will be another good writing week.

Keep on writing!

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Ah.

See, there's your problem, right there.

Hanson said:

Ah.

See, there's your problem, right there.

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Must be

Sent in a submission to Our World of Horror, thus putting me back at 5 active submissions.

No new stories this week, for like the second week in three. Argh.

Was working on a story about driverless cars being hacked and used for evil when an FBI report warning about that possibility made the news earlier this week. I realized too much of the plot's impact came from the surprise factor of that possibility, now it needs severe re-working.

Took Friday off to hit up DetConOne, my first-ever con, and rubbed elbows with a ton of cool folks. Even got my "rejected by Clarkesworld" status certified by Neil himself (Not @neilhimself):



I am going to be going to cons more, I think. Lots of great ideas, really energizing to meet the cool people driving the industry forward.

At 37 days, my Fireside sub is 5-6 days older than the Rs coming off the board at The Grinder. Hoping this means a bump (pretty please?!) Also got a sub at Shimmer rounding into Day 4, hopeful for this one after my last sub there got a nice personal. Now, I gotta quit making excuses and write before NFL teams start tossin' the ol' pigskin around.

Peace
Ty

Ty Schalter said:

At 37 days, my Fireside sub is 5-6 days older than the Rs coming off the board at The Grinder. Hoping this means a bump (pretty please?!)

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This post summoned the R. It greeted me this morning.

Peace
Ty

Tamlyn - I like your contributions, although I'm not sure the little green monsters who eat words like being written about... fornit some fornus, or however that goes.

Ty - I feel for you on getting your hopes up on the Fireside one. Onward.

Melinda - I agree with Hanson on the mochas. I may try your word-count tracking.

I took a break from the short fiction adventure as the neglected business of writing for money demanded attention. I'm copywriting six days a week.

Weeks of going after better gigs finally resulted in a go-ahead on an article right on target with where I want my NF work to go.

On my day off I spend as much time as I can on my novel. I'm fried, so it's not as much time as I'd like, yet I finished the second draft of the second section so I'm on track for finishing this draft by the end of the month. Fixing timeline and continuity issues and expanding and bridging scenes as needed - it's going well.

Yesterday I stole 30 minutes before work to edit a short story - I have a couple more submissions I planned that I want to complete. Who needs sleep, right?

Still haven't been getting as much writing done as I've wanted, but creatively I've been doing well. Lots of ideas and the beginnings of what could be a novel. I just have to actually write the stories now.

I've also been consistently updating my serial, which has been a positive experience. Getting chapters posted in a timely manner should help me get better at making deadlines, and the serial led me to joining Twitter\the 21st century. Plus, it'll feel good to have seen the whole thing through when it concludes next month.

Now I've just got to get some submissions back out there.

Edited and formatted a story last night, so now it just needs some polish. Really hoping to write at least 3 stories this month.

Pushed through a second work session on my day off. Did the edit on half of the third and final section of my Gothic horror novel. Plan to finish this draft on my next day off.

Did the research and started the draft of the full-length article. Gave myself the morning off from copywriting for clients in favor of this far more appealing project. Had two acceptances for potentially higher-paying NF work this week so there's hope I may be able to free up more time for fiction. Discovered I do need sleep.

My word count was decent, though I didn't quite reach my goal. I even started a new short story, but most of the writing was for a novel.

The forums have been quieter than usual--I hope that means everyone is busy writing.

Hey, Ty - thanks for posting the piccie of the Clarkesworld card. I wondered what they looked like!

Batspan - yes, you do need sleep! Hope it's all going well. Good to get some of the financial work done, too.

Melinda - I wish I was busy writing! But I'm busy learning about all the stuff I need for the renovation, so I spend well & don't pour my money down the drain. It's pretty intense. But I'm getting new story ideas in the background and jotting them down…just don't have the focus I need to work on them. It will happen though.