May: It Happened

Oh my gosh! It's been a ride, let me tell you.
And I still really have one more day, but I have survived day job, family (including a quick trip downstate to fetch Y-Chromo's dorm things and the formal conclusions of X-Chromo's religious education), and life.

• Enter a writing contest I've entered several. It's a business strategy.
• Operating Manual Article for RWA chapter Yes. Short & sweet, but done
• RWA chapter meeting Yes, and as always, a real pleasure
• RWA chapter Book-In-A-Week Challenge Goal met!
• Blog Twice (this is twice)
• Critique 2ce with my amazing critique group Still amazing. Oh so productive
• Read 1 Rita-nominated book in my chosen genre I read a lot more than 1. I have several still on hold from the public library.
• SARK Creative Dream project, Month 5 and the corresponding resource reading (ouch) Yup. Well, not all the reading. I did make it through HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON. You gotta love a resource reading list that includes this classic.
• X-Chromo's religious ed project Yes. It wasn't nearly the amount of work I was prepared to do.
• Parent Prayer for X-Chromo's religious ed service Yes. And surprisingly, many parents and other congregants commented on what a great prayer it was. I was inspired, true, by my charming X-Chromo. That must have been it. But one woman, not a parent, chased me down in the parking lot to tell me how much she loved it.
• The June program for my RWA chapter (I'm speaking on DOMINATING SUBMISSIONS) This is SO close to being done. Today is the last day of May. So, MAY-BE?
• Finish WIP Synopsis Yes. A lovely 5-pager, which makes it perfect for most contests.
• rewrite one chapter of WIP Yes!
• do one D. Maas BREAKOUT NOVEL exercise believe it or not, YES.

Other 'bonus' activities include pulling together a list of agents to research with an eye to submitting to them. I'm a firm believer in learning from experience, even good ones.

May: Possibilities

So many possibilities. That's how I always feel in Spring, and spring doesn't really happen in my part of the world until May. It's going to be an insanely busy month for me. All I can do is the best I can.

Taking it one bite at a time.

• Enter a writing contest
• Operating Manual Article for RWA chapter
• RWA chapter meeting
• RWA chapter Book-In-A-Week Challenge
• Blog Twice (this is once)
• Critique 2ce with my amazing critique group
• Read 1 Rita-nominated book in my chosen genre
• SARK Creative Dream project, Month 5 and the corresponding resource reading (ouch)
• X-Chromo's religious ed project
• Parent Prayer for X-Chromo's religious ed service
• The June program for my RWA chapter (I'm speaking on DOMINATING SUBMISSIONS)
• Finish WIP Synopsis
• rewrite one chapter of WIP
• do one D. Maas BREAKOUT NOVEL exercise

What's really scary is that I have life, too. A spouse, two teenagers, a day job, a house . . .

April Recap

Things got crueler.

Things got busy. Incredibly busy. When I think about the coming weeks, I almost panic, but then I remember the wisdom of the Julie Garwood character who informed a priest that she could eat a giant bear all by herself: one bite at a time.

• My RWA chapter meeting yes


• Critique on 4/16 & 4/30 yes


• Blog twice (this is yes)


• Operating Manual article for local RWA chapter yes


• Distribute updated Operating Manual to chapter members yes


• Month 4 of my SARK project Yes


• Read 1 Romantic Suspense Rita Finalist book Yes


• Work on the June program: DOMINATING SUBMISSIONS not nearly enough


• Finish the first draft of my WIP hahahahaha NO-- but I think I know why I can't finish it. I made a wrong turn in the plot.


• Rewrite the first three chapters of the WIP using the SAVE THE CAT (by Blake Snyder) method yes


• Book-In-A-Week yes


• Let us not forget my FEET pedicure, but not nearly enough moisturizing


• Or water consumption not nearly enough

The past couple of weeks have been interesting. Ten months after sending a query to a publisher, I received an e-mail requesting a completed manuscript, which I submitted. Turn-around window: eight weeks. It was less than two. ::sniff:: Black rose, as we say in my local RWA chapter.

And the final week of April was filled with requests for my time. I've been asked to help with the writing for a project in X-Chromo's religious ed class. And former co-workers asked me to be on "Family Reunion" planning committee. I agreed to both.

And I'm thinking of entering a writing contest. If I can get a synopsis done in the next couple of weeks, I'm going for it.