Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Workload.... wk 2

So... this whole goal thing? Totally working out, sort of. I have been working steady for the last week and though I've made progress I'm also standing in the same place I was. How does that happen you ask? (Believe me, I'm still scratching my head at it) However, for a little refresher... here we go.

Last week my goals were to start revising my short stories. Which I did, three of them, but they still aren't done yet. So though I worked, I'm in the same place-ish.

I've already gotten a rejection for one short which wasn't on last week. That's getting thrown up for this week as well... added goalage. :D (I wish there was a way to make devil horns cause adding goalage seems so very ominous to me :P)

Short stories: edits/revisions

Going out of Business - DONE @ 2456 words 4/15/10
Season's End - 2770- second round down, staring third round later today.
The Gardner - ?
Idle Parts - 2615 first draft down.
Candy - ?
Poisoned Soul - round three.

*Now, for my poems I actually exceeded my goals. *throws confetti up in the air* I finished four, subbed out three and wrote roughly three new poems. However, I'd like to do at least three more this coming up week, along with fixing said poems below.

Poems: edits

Confusable Mess
The Shelf
Borrowed Flesh

Also last week, I said that I would like to start posting goals for my WIP/Novel CINDER. Which I fully intend to do, though I'm not going to start writing it until next Wednesday. (That is a promise to myself. Revising and Edits are something I have to learn how to do, but I really miss writing as well.)

Starting Next Wednesday April 21st: I will write at least 4000 words for my WIP (for the week, not in one day.)

SO now to my revelations; I was freaking out because I have all of these amazing writers around me getting things published all over the place and I wondered what was wrong with me. HOWEVER! Now I realize I have to chill out. I haven't even been writing for two years yet. Comparing myself to others is not the most healthy thing and if I work hard, I know that I will get what I want. It's just not my time yet. I don't have to be an anomaly, I can just be me. I don't have to keep up with everyone. I have to put in the time, realize how to make my stories good and then it will come.

Let me tell you, when I had this little epiphany it just about blew my mind. I feel relaxed, I've slowed down and I'm really taking revising and editing seriously. This is my chosen path, the thing that makes me feel whole, and I don't need to race against anyone. *sigh of relief*

As for my output last week:

6000 words written between three short stories
3 poems edited
3 poems written
1 story crit'ed for a friend

I'm okay with this. I'm doing what I need to do and I'm also learning in the process.

**Don't forget to pop over to Lady Shadow's and Mr. Ken Wood's site's and cheer them on for posting their goals as well!! ***


... and Ken? I don't know... what doya wanna wager?

16 comments:

Cody Taylor said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
RJ Duperre said...

That's good progress, Hinny! Keep on cranking them out, and you'll get there eventually. The waiting is ALWAYS the hardest part.

Cody Taylor said...

I'm still learning the art of revision, it takes too much patience. Once I'm done with a story I want to move on but editing and revision are two of the most important things a writer can do. I think your work in progress posts are cool. Keep up the good work.

Shadow said...

Goodness girl! You have left me in the dust so far this week. Well perhaps if I had not worked in my mom's garden for 4 hours on Sunday it might have been okay.

I shall catch you my Pretty! *cackles maniacally*

Great job!

K. Allen Wood said...

Yeah, don't rush things. Work at your own pace. Some writers find success early, some late. Some never. Which group you'll be in is up to you. You'll be in that latter group, though, if you jump too soon.

That's my biggest worry—jumping too soon—when it comes to my work. Some people (pretty much every woman I know) tells me I'm worrying too much, though. That can also be bad. I may not submit enough, not push my work enough, and I also run the risk of editing and revising the life out of a good story.

The key is finding that middle ground, that place where you, as an author, know when a story isn't ready...for the right reasons, not because you're paranoid and worrisome. But it's also about you, as a reader, knowing when a story is ready to be let go. I say "reader" because the author in us will never be able to honestly say a story is ready; it can always be better. If you let the author lead in this part of the process, that's when you run the risk of ruining a story.

So good luck! And I'm game for a challenge of sorts. I am out of ideas, though. Haha.

Anonymous said...

Busy, busy girl! Rock ON, my sweet!

-Mercedes

Kara McElhinny said...

Thanks everyone for your great comments!

Robert, thanks for helping me with the link at ST, I plan on getting their eventually too and I can't help BUT crank em out. (The frackin' voices would strangle me if I chose to stop now :P)

Cody, thanks keep up the good work for you too. Revising is the "new" part I'm learning, keeping my patience and all that jazz.

Shadow, come and get me!!

Ken, you're not alone in the worrying too much. Trust me. We can worry and think up a challenge too bc I'm all out of idears as well.

Thanks Mercedes, hugs to you girl!

Lee Thompson/Thomas Morgan/James Logan/Julian Vaughn said...

You're kicking butt, Hinny! Keep up the great work! And you're wise beyond your years. You don't need to compare yourself to other writers, or try to compete with them. Keep it up! So proud of you!

Kara McElhinny said...

Thanks lee, that's real sweet! Keep up the great work yourself and congrats again on your latest publication!

Denise Baer said...

I give you a lot of credit for setting goals. I'm a procrastinator with way too many things, even outside of writing, that I want to accomplish.

And I know how you feel about watching everyone getting published. I started becoming anxious and questioning my abilities.

But you're smarter than I am and have put things in line. You're right, it isn't a race with anyone. It's a growing process with every word you write, and soon you'll be letting us know you're published.

I wish you luck with your goals, Hinny. Kudos for even doing that. Would you like to add my WIP's revisions to your list? ;)

Benjamin Solah said...

You know you're way ahead of me in terms of productivity. Your goals and output are certainly nothing to sneeze at.

Kara McElhinny said...

Thanks Bea and sure send your WIP over... I'll get to it as soon as I finish up my two novels lying in wait to be finished :P Hope you don't have a deadline for yourself :D

Hey Ben, I'm lucky cause I get to spend most days at home with my kids, leaves a lot of time to do stuff. Thanks for reading!

Anthony Rapino said...

A few years ago, I wrote a letter to one of my favorite authors, Chuck Palahniuk. In it, I told him how I have been writing, but only collecting large numbers of rejection slips for all my hard work.

He wrote an entire letter back, but he also sent a signed book. In the book he wrote a single line that has stuck with me:

"It's not a race to get published."

mmcelhinny said...

Thank goodness! How long have I been waiting on getting a hold of the next few chapters of Cinder?

You're definitely flying.

Kara McElhinny said...

That is an awesome story Onipar!! And something to remember forever. Thanks for sharing :D

Thanks for reading Matt. :P

Anthony Rapino said...

Glad you liked it.

I've been writing "seriously" since around 2002. Some people have success right away. I'm not one of them. :-P

I still struggle for the few acceptances. But we write because we love to write. That's what I took from Chuck's advice.

If we focus *too* much on getting published, we forget we write because we love to.