Julia’s Writing

I just submitted the story I mentioned in my previous post (Getting Gas) to Tales of World War Z.

I’ve also submitted a story I wrote called “Suicide Note” to Horror Garage.

So, we’ll see how all that goes. I recently lost my first reader. :(  So, we’ll see if I find another good one soon.

I’ve added an extra page to this blog called “The Author”.  It’s kind of a short story, based on a quote from Edgar Allen Poe that goes: “Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night.”

I just finished a short zombie story called “Getting Gas”.  The first draft is 1,208 words.  I know writing a zombie story is probably cliche at this point, but you have to understand that zombies terrify me, so writing this story was no small task.  Anyway, next I have to do some edits and give it to my first reader.  We’ll see what he thinks.

A note on Desperation.  It went out to Writers of the Future yesterday.  Cross your fingers!

Okay, I finally got some writing done.  I got feedback on Desperation from my first reader (who shall remain nameless…)  and I finished the edits.   It is now an 1,820  word short story.  I am going to submit it to Writers of the Future.  Cross your fingers and wish me luck.  I get so nervous submitting…

This is off topic from my writing progress, I know, but I wanted to make a quick digression.  I recently was asked to review a book on my book review blog. I snapped up the opportunity to help a fellow writer, but when reading the story I discovered I didn’t really enjoy it. It was then a light bulb went off. I read for enjoyment, for escapism. I write the same way. Yes, there’s some pretty depressing stuff in my stories. Yes, some of my stories are violent and horrific - they are in the horror genre after all - BUT I still write for escapism and enjoyment. I can’t have anything too serious, too close to home. I hate reading stuff that is too real, but I love characters that are real in unreal situations - which makes sense. I love sci fi, fantasy and horror, but not so much real life.

That’s me. What about you? What are your thoughts on reading, writing and escapism?

So the word count for Desperation went up to 1,961.  I’ve finished all copy edits and story edits and I’m giving it to my first reader.   The plan with this story is to send it along to Writers of the Future.  I might change the title though, because the ending changed… but maybe not.  We’ll see.

So, today I wrote a 1,703 word short story.   It’s a Sci Fi story with the working title of Desparation.  I really shouldn’t say I wrote it today.  I actually started it about five days ago, but I’ve been working on it, editing and refining ideas since then.  Today I finally typed it up.

I’m going to start using this blog to track my word count and progress with my writing.  I have several projects I’m working on.  They are:

- Editing my fantasy novel

- Editing several short stories and then submitting them

- Completing a short story

- Outlining a new novel

- Starting a semi-collaborative work

So, I obviously have a lot going on and a lot planned for the future.  I am working in the afternoons and evenings now, so my goal is to post my progress here each week and see how much I’ve written and what I’ve gotten done.
So, there ya go.  That’s what I’m doing now.

An excellent website: the Inner Circle Writer’s Group has decided to post one of my sci fi shorts - The Day the Sun Went Out.  This is the strange story of a overlong solar eclipse, a tech support glitch and aliens. Check it out and let me know what you think! 

It’s Nanowrimo and I have done exactly zero work on my novel.  Ugh!  I did get a notice from one of my submissions yesterday - a story called Child’s Play.  They rejected it due to content.  It was cool, because it was my first personalized rejection and they asked for more work - just on a different topic - so I’ll be sending more stuff in.  As far as I’ve heard, a personalized rejection letter is as exciting as a rejection letter gets.

So, why haven’t I been posting more?  Why haven’t I been writing?  What’s going on????

Well, I’ve discovered the importance of having money in one’s life - and the importance of having a steady day job that you can perhaps make a career out of.  (I know I ended with a preposition.  I could have said “out of which you can make a career”, but I’m lazy.)  Anyway, I’ve found another day job and life is settling back into place.

To top that, I have a funky eye problem that makes typing on the computer after a day of typing on the computer pretty much suck.  And the medication for it causes lethargy.  So, between sleeping, healing, working and job hunting, I haven’t gotten much writing done.

This weekend holds a beacon of hope, however.  I’m going to a write-in for nanowrimo, so I should get some novel writing done.  Yay!  Enforced writing discipline.  I love it.

That’s all for now folks.

I had my writing week, which was kind of a bust since I was uber busy with horror month on my other blog. BUT I did get some stuff done - a couple shorts have been submitted to magazines and I’m still plugging away on the novel. So, all is not lost.

Oh, also, Happy NaNoWriMo everyone!  This month is going to be a big writing month for everyone!  Yay!