Splatter Mode

I’ve not posted on schedule for a while. It seems I’m still in “splatter mode,” where I squirt bits of effort here, there, and everywhere, but don’t see much progress in any one area, including this blog. So, here’s an update.

I have six submissions out right now, meaning I’m on track with that. For a long while, I could only keep five going at once. I’ve had six since last week, and have a few more stories nearing completion. By the end of the month, I may actually exceed my “submissions at any given moment” goal! (However, I’ll not be the one to complain if this is foiled by an acceptance or three 😉 )  Also, last week was a “Submit” week, so that submission is working double-duty for me.

I’ve also been running full-tilt with critiquing others’ works lately. A crit group met last week, so there were four stories to critique. I wanted to post another story at OWW, so that meant I needed to have 4 points to do that (1 pt = 1 story crit), and I’m taking an online class, which had a story by another classmate up for crit last week! Whew! No wonder my fresh word count was down.

I’m very, very thrilled to have snagged a seat in Mary Robinette Kowal’s “Weekend of Short Story Instruction” intensive class (now sold out, sorry)! It’s to be held online in mid-July. Here’s the pitch:

Think you never have time to write? Think again. Mary Robinette Kowal wrote her first Hugo-nominated short story “Evil Robot Monkey” in ninety minutes. If you have ninety minutes, you can have a story — all it takes is understanding how to make every word work double-time. In this workshop, learn the same techniques she uses to create new fiction. Through exercises focusing on viewpoint, dialogue, and plot, you’ll learn how to let nothing go to waste. By the end of this three day workshop, participants will be given a writing prompt and complete their own short story.

And finally, I’m waiting with bated breath for a month from now, when I’ll know if I’ve been accepted or not into Viable Paradise (not, as hubby thought I was saying, Bible Paradise!). After lately discovering that they are more than able to cope with my dietary restrictions (no glutens! no gluten contamination!), I sent in my application piece, fee, and short bio. Now I hope, and lurk their boards . . .

This is a “Write” week. I hope to finish a story I started earlier, and also to edit another story in light of critiques received. Yes, there I go again, confusing “writing” and “editing.” But when I burn out on one, I can often hop to the other and not feel so wrung out. Which brings me right back to splatter. Ugh. But no! Really, this week, it’s all about the writing, first and foremost. The editing comes after. I am focused. I really, really am!