Category: about writing

Really pleased to hear that one of my stories, accepted by a small magazine some months back is nigh on published! Still not certain exactly when the story will come out, but really pleased! It’s hard for the publishers of small magazines and anthologies. They do this work really for love and ego-boo not financial gain, so kudos to them. I truly appreciate each and every one of them.

Plus, for the individual writer, in this career, small pieces of good news can be very important. Writers don’t always get all the accolades all the time.

Creative Input this week:

While I’m doing my exceptionally busy day job gig, I’m going to think of ideas for the chapters-in-progress. Today I read some of the work and planned a couple of things I need to get in before I typing “The End” of draft one.

Also, I have a substack account now, too. It’s a new thing for me, to experiment with mailing lists and probably more for my mini-publisher enterprise than my own work, but we’ll see. Click the link below to see it and subscribe.

https://catgirczyc.substack.com/publish

I’m thankful for so much in my life, although I’ve had my ups and downs. Being widowed with a toddler is nothing I recommend, for example. However, I have a wonderful kid who is now a great dancer and a UBC student, managing a busy schedule herself.

This weekend even though my favorite SF con, V-CON is not happening, and that makes me sad, I decided to keep the two extra days off and just power through my creative work. This was a great idea because I’ve crossed the rubicon!

I’m at 100,197 Words! Absolutely fabulous progress! It’s a bit of a milestone to hit one hundred thousand words on a project.

I’ve had to accept the fact that when you write a novel as a ‘pantser’ without an outline, it is going to be wildly complex to finish. I’m not near enough to The End to proclaim the first draft is done. I expect my finished product will probably balloon out to 120,000 words, then get trimmed, fixed and fashioned into a decent 100,000. It’s a lighter urban fantasy novel, too so I don’t think it requires “doorstop” size.

Plus, I got in a lovely walk today on Jericho before it rained. The trees are gorgeous now.

Progress is slower than I hoped. Having a full-time job and teaching on the side often makes for slow creative writing progress. Yet, I have made some progress. I’m at 95,300 words and, more importantly, I’ve figured out what I want to do with those last 7 chapters. I can write quickly, once I know where I’m going with a narrative.

My friend Craig has finished his first draft! Congratulations! It is a wonderful thing to progress to the next level with this. I’m wishing him a good rewrite and copyedit, so he can get it to an agent or publisher soon.

Meanwhile, hoping that my day job slows to a dull roar, which will allow me to take much needed vacation days to write on the novel.

During that time I’ll be in ‘novel prison’ as Craig calls it!

Jessica’s been to two Grad affairs and has a third later this month. The “Prom” was kids-only but I was invited to the Grads and Parents Dinner Dance. It was really lovely and we invited her Aunt Sheila and her partner. It was great!

I enjoy celebrating on these nights. It does remind me that everything changes!

We have to deal with change in our writing careers. It’s not always everything or nothing. Sometimes we have little wins that propel us forward unbelievably.

So be happy with the wins you create!