So Many Projects!

Alright, does anyone have a secret time management strategy? If so, I could certainly use the tips. There just seems to always be too much going on. Between running an insurance office, taking care of our home, writing projects, photo projects, and so much more....I just feel like I need 3 of me. But for now, more about the writing projects.

Yahoo! Contributor Network

Definitely still working on this and having moderate amounts of success that I am quite happy with. For now, however, I'm taking a short break. There will be the occasional article here and there, but for the most part this is not my focus. Good timing too, or so it seems, since some of the technical workings of YCN have been rather glitchy lately. You don't see it on the reader's end, but on the writer's? It's driving some people a bit bonkers. Not giving up here though. I still log in frequently, trolling about for any assignments that seem interesting. I'm still brainstorming ideas for future articles too. I'll be back to this in a few months perhaps. Maybe less time. We shall see.

Contests

THIS is my primary focus right now. Just like I usually enjoy having a steady stream of articles in queue for YCN, I want to begin a steady stream of entries to contests to the point that hopefully, after a few months, I'll have built up a string of entries to where I'm getting results on something every 1 to 2 months.

Have any of you entered writing contests in the past? What were your experiences with them?

I'm excited to be putting more focus on this. The way I see it is that the worst case scenario is I've either properly edited old content or created new content...which is always a good thing even when it ends up being useless. A writer should always be creating new content, even if it is discarded later. Best case scenario? I place and win prizes or publication. It's really a win/win situation for me then. I can't lose here.

October 21st is the official day the 80th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition results are due by. I've got 4 entries in there this time around, both in rhyming and non-rhyming poetry. There's an earlier article on this blog discussing this competition. The top 100 people in each category are recognized. Last year I took 98th in Rhyming Poetry. My goal this year? To place again. I don't care what number I get; I just want to place. We shall see.

I missed out on the Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest last year, but I have an entry ready and waiting for this year's contest when it opens to submissions on August 15th. The only downside? Results on that won't be released until August 15th, 2012. A full year away. I feel extremely confident in my entry however, so perhaps good things come to those who wait!

There's a whole mass of other contests I'm working on right now as well. I have a poem to edit for the Rattle Poetry Prize. I have a story to edit for the Main Street Rag Short Fiction Anthology Contest. I also have a poem still in rough stages to complete and edit for the International Little Red Tree Poetry Prize. There are two other short story contests I'm contemplating entering and I'll be on the hunt for more contests after I get a few of these current submissions in. All of this is definitely keeping me busy. Hopefully, in time, they will produce some good results.

NaNoWriMo

So as much as I love Camp NaNoWriMo, it just isn't working out for me this summer. I quickly learned I do not write non-fiction in the same crunch time I can turn out fiction. I also learned how much I thrive on write-ins and group support from my local Nano-ers. And I simply wasn't ready to work on a novel this summer. Not when I have such detailed and high expectations for this November.

The story to which all time will be devoted later this year is a novel that has been floating around in my head for the past 10 years. Not even kidding with that. It's haunted me for a decade.

Last year's NaNoWriMo taught me a valuable lesson. I can write 50,000 words in a month. In fact, I know I can write well above that if I put my mind to it. I needed last year to prove myself to, well, myself. That means this year my goals are a bit more serious.

Last year's novel quickly turned into a trilogy and I am still very overwhelmed by it. It will be finished one day, that much is certain. I don't think I could handle not finishing it. But I need to prove to myself now that I can finish a large project (though one smaller than a multi-book, high fantasy series). I need to show myself that I can see something bigger than a 5,000 word short story through to completion. I need to learn the set of habits that accompanies longer, more detailed work. Then I can return to the partially written story that I so adore.

So what's this year's goal? 50,000 words of course, but something a bit more. I've been given the goal by a dear friend and local NaNo coordinator to not only reach my word count, but to finish the rough draft of this novel, no matter how many words over 50,000 it takes.

Can I really push myself to the point that I'm ready to start drafting agent queries by the end of 2012?

Yours Truly,
Mrs. C

I'M BACK!

Well sort of, but I realize I simply can't leave all of you for more than a month. So consider this an update at the least. I don't know how regularly I will start posting again for now, but I just know I need to at least give you all occasional insight into what's going on.

Today is July 1st, that means Camp Nano started today. Camp Nano is still in Beta testing for this month, but I'm excited nonetheless. It's essentially Nanowrimo all over again, but in July and August and not just November. November is still the biggest month full of pep talks, regional get-togethers, and such, but Camp is offering the same 50k word challenge for those wanting to be accountable more than once a year.

Ironically I was bursting at the seams to write yesterday, but knew I had to wait until today. Now my brain is currently on vacation it seems. I'll shake something out of it today if it's the last thing I do! (And it might very well be since I have a habit of writing just before bed.)

I am not, however, writing a novel this month. I'm going to save my noveling for November and I have very, very big plans for this year. I'll write some of those details a bit later.

For July I am keeping the 50,000 word goal, but I am applying it to my freelance work for Yahoo's Contributor Network. I'm starting to find some moderate success there and I really want to work hard before I get caught up in novelling later. It of course depends on the article, but I am guessing this works out to me writing 50-60 articles in July. That's a lot. In fact when I look at that figure, I wonder what I've mentally signed myself up for. (If you're a frequent reader, you should know by now I often wonder that.)

For August I have other plans for using the word count. I'll fill you in on those in a couple of weeks.

If you are interested in Camp Nano, check them out here.

Rather than posting loads of articles, I'm just going to post my profile if you would like to follow my work. Remember, pageviews help me! =) You'll find my profile here.

Please also check out my friend Rebekah's profile. She's been working on a series for tips with fiction writing that I think many of you would find interesting. You can find her profile here.

I do plan on checking in at least a couple of times in July. If there are articles you would like me to write or blog post topics you'd like to see me cover, please comment and tell me! This is how I find out what YOU want to hear.

As always...
Yours Truly,
Mrs. C