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We’re at the crossroads of the
year, standing on the verge of summer. What have you written? I REALLY want to
know (HINT: For the daft, dumb and those slow on the uptake, this is a genuine
invitation to share your experience).
As for me, I’ve had quite the year
so far. Procrastination and constant work aside, I’ve managed to get a few
things done in the writing arena. As of the time that I am posting this, I have
one novel published and four stories (so far) that will be included in
anthologies this year:
- Dead Assets – an expanded 2nd edition of my zombie horror novel, originally released in 2012
- “Everyday Heroes” – co-authored with Pamela Murray, for Writers’ Anarchy III: Heroes & Villains
- “Fingerprints” – dark fiction/horror, for Darkly Never After
- “Sugar Weasels in Pants, Damn You” – comedic poem, written as Prolific Knucklehead, for Panthology
- “Blood Tribe” – horror, for Sins of the Past
Not bad at all, but I still have
more work to accomplish. Those were just warm-ups for what else the year holds.
Some time ago, I contacted horror
author Brandon Massey and got some great advice from him. Paraphrasing, he said
that a key to success was constant output—following one project up with
another. It’s the kind of ubiquity Stephen King has achieved in the literary
world and Prince has shown musically.
It helps to have a team of
qualified cheerleaders giving guidance and encouragement. Mine provide
much-needed kicks to the butt, which keep me going.
Though the year is not young, it is
far from over. This means that, if you’ve spent the last few months draggin’
ass and making excuses, now is the time to turn it around. Don’t think too long
on it; start with a simple plan of an hour a day dedicated to writing.
I already have my next seven
projects set to roll. How about you?
Well, I'm off to a good start this year. I have;
ReplyDeleteHarvest - dark fiction story for unthemed anthology, Anything Goes
A Girl's Best Friends - Writers Anarchy III Heroes and Villains
School of Hard Knocks and The Art of Detection - for Panthology
In the Stillness and the Silence - horror short based in WWI trenches, for Sins of the Past
Wolf Tears - dark fiction story for Darkly Never After
And I'm waiting to hear if I've made it into a fairy tale therapy anthology with two stories based on The Princess and the Pea.
A publisher has asked for the first three chapters of my debut novel, Paper Dragons and Shadow Demons. I'm really excited and boosted that my pitch worked and the concept piqued someone's interest. I still plan on self publishing in December and need to finish my rewrite so I can send it to my editor.
Phew! And I'm spent!
T. D., all work and no play makes Ms. Harvey a dull girl! I LOVE your grind, woman!
DeleteI just woke up after only a few hours in the sack. I look at sleep as a prison, since it's time I'm not completing the stories I thought up during the other 19 hours of the day. Anyway, that'll be an entirely different blog of its own.
My vow is to address each financial concern with a literary project. More than that, writing is something of an exorcism, which I submit to quite enthusiastically. Crazy, right? Most of us scribblers are. LOL!
It feels so good to be in the company of other creative minds! Thank you for being one of those stars in an otherwise boring sky!