Thursday 27 March 2014

Hello so and on Monday

Hello so...

This past month I've been

- sending short stories out to writing competitions remarkably early, sometimes 6 weeks before the deadline (which makes me think the results should be out already, even though some, like BATH are still open). I've got stories at the BBC, Bath and Mslexia.

- sending short stories to publications, well - one. PANK is a magazine I've had my eye for a while, so I thought I'd try my luck and send them a story. This got a 'Not this story, thanks, but send us another, we like your style' kind of rejection. So I did - and that one got a 'Not this story, thanks, and please don't send anything else for at least a month'. Haha. Ok.

- stepping further into my role as 'Maid of Honour' for my best friend's wedding, which isn't until August but things have to be worked out in advance, like what I'm wearing (a lovely blue dress), what she's wearing (an amazing white dress), what we're doing for the hen weekend (FUN) and what I'm reading at the service (a poem, not set in stone yet).

- keeping my notebook with me so I can keep my novel going wherever I am - usually this is just a few scribbles here and there, a note of something to look out for, a thought to follow up, questions about plot points etc. But it helps to, well - keep it going, though I haven't got much content written for a few weeks. So I'd like to get some momentum with the word count in the next few weeks.

-and you know, working, walking, eating, drinking wine.



On Monday...

Karen Jones will be here with a brilliant addition to the 'Letters to my younger self' guest blogs I have from time to time. Karen's short story collection 'The Upside-Down Jesus and other stories' has just come out - and lucky lucky lucky for us - she is kindly going to give one copy away to one of you lucky lucky lucky* readers! Come back on Monday to read Karen's letter and be in with a chance of winning.



* too much Kylie lately, I think.

2 comments:

L said...

I'm impressed with your organisational skills. I have good days, when I think I could continue to be super productive, followed by bad and often use deadlines as motivation.

Teresa Stenson said...

Hi L - I do sound organised, don't I. Hm. I think what I've learned is to make the best of any time to write that I can - but I constantly feel like I don't achieve this. Like I could do more. You're right though, it does go up and down. I think that's part of it too, that ebb and flow. Good luck with your stuff anyhow - and thanks for stopping by.