11 days left

I know that for a lot of us, time off from the day job makes us happy because we can spend all of our time writing. I know this because I have had holidays like that myself. But this time I gave myself permission not to write and it feels great. Much as I love it I have also enjoyed not doing it. Does that make sense? It's not that I haven;t written at all, I have tinkered with a few things, submitted a story and queried another but there has been nothing major. I have also been thinking and thats part of the doing.
I am just relaxing and I can't believe that I have only had 3 days off so far. I am so chilled.

Weird feeling and empty banks

This is a bit weird.

It's 7.10am on a Monday morning and I'm still sitting in my dressing gown and the dog hasn't been walked. It can only mean one thing.

NO WORK TODAY - HOORAH!

Actually no work for two weeks unless you count tomorrow afternoon when I have to go in to complete the stocktake that I completely forgpt about when I booked these two weeks.

It just feels so odd. I haven't had two days off together since May so the prospect of 15 of the little blighters is mind blowing.

Anyway, sadly I have to report another rejection from Norah since the last time I posted. She had three of my stories and now that the second and third have both been returned all hope lies with story number one which if my memory serves me correctly she has had around two months. But at least you know where you are with a rejection. I much prefer it to the "if you haven't heard from us in so many monaths" approach because even after the deadline has expired I'm still wondering if they might be running a bot behind schedule so maybe there is still hope.

These two weeks won't involve a lot of writing as there are lots of little chores around the house that need to be attended to plus we'll be having a few days away next week but I'm hoping to fit some in. The story banks are running a bit low and need to be refilled.

Once again.

Well I managed to underwhelm Norah at TaB once again. I just can't work out what it is that she is looking for. Maybe one day (deep sigh.)

Interesting time ahead.

I was flicking through a very old newspaper yesterday when a very small article caught my eye and I immediately thought that it would make a fantastic base for a story. I think that it would be too long for a short story if that makes sense - so I'm thinking a book. The trouble is that it will involve a LOT of research and that is something that I haven't really done before.
It should be interesting if nothing else.
By the way, if anyone has any advice in this department I really would appreciate it. I will need to research life in a certain period so that I can develope the characters and the research a certain event.

This and that

Okay, so what has happened since the last time that I was here? Well I got another rejection but that came as no surprise because if you remember the last time I got a rejection I said that I knew what the problem was and feared that the other story that they were holding had the same one. Clearly it did.

I've also been "getting on" with a few of the things that I mentioned the other day. I have submitted 2 stories and have another just waiting to be dropped into the post box. I've also done some research on a couple of articles and even looked at a possible agent for BTL. I'm just not sure if I'm ready to let that baby fly yet.

Thursday is usually a good writing day for me but I fear that won't be the case today. I have to go out at one o'clock and will be out for the rest of the afternoon. Before that I have to walk the dog and as I've been up since 5am I might try and fit in a nap. I hate waking uo early because I spend most of the time tired enough as it is but when I've been up early I'll be no good to anyone after about 6pm. I might get an hour or so's writing in tonight if I can stay awake that long.

Right so I'm going to print off the cover sheet that I forgot to do when I printed the rest of the story out yesterday and post my latest mini masterpiece off as I walk the dog. Did you see that? Two birds with one stone. Now if I could only sleep walk the dog I'd be laughing.

All quiet in the pink pen front

The pink pen has been very quiet for the last week or two. I've been working hard on the day job and have been too tired at the end of the day to do much writing. Sadly that is what pays the bills so has to come first.
I have done a bit of work on NMBK but that must have been about a week ago so that hardly counts and I did come up with a story for my writing group but apart from that, not much else that I can recall.
I had an idea yesterday for a piece of non fiction so I am going to try and start the research on that this week but of I'm honest I'm not sure of the market. It's a light hearted piece that is written not quite in bullet point form but with a short piece written about several things about the same subject. I've written similar pieces before but I'm not sure if the market is still there. I also had another non-fiction idea so maybe I'll give that some thought too. The fiction success seems to have dried up a bit at the moment. What am I saying? Success has - full stop. Never mind - there's always that day job that I mentioned.
I am also planning on submitting a couple of things this week. They are stories that have been either sitting in a folder for a while or have been reworked after rejection but I think they are worth an outing.
I've just checked and I currently have 10 pieces out there but three of them are with TLFF and are coming up to the 3 month deadline so I can probably kiss an acceptance from them good-bye and another one has been with Allas since March. I queries that one a couple of months ago but still haven't heard anything. Maybe I should assume that they haven't received either email and give up on that one.
Oh and of course I shouldn't forget BTL which is currently sitting in a drawer (metaphorically speaking) waiting to sent out to agents. I really should look at somewhere to send that.
So all in all I have a few things to be getting on with and hopefully when I come visiting blogland in a few days I will be able to report that I have been more productive.

mantra de jour

After following my mantra de jour i.e. be hyper critical on your writing before sending it out there I submitted a short story today so that was good. The day hasn't been a total waste then. The truth is that I have done very little else. It's a day off from the day job today and that's exactly what I did - I had a day off. Apart from going to the supermarket this morning and making some lunch for Himself and I, I have done nothing else and do you know what I feel so much better for it. I've been on a downer in general recently and today is just what I needed to recharge the batteries. Who knows - I might even potter into the kitchen to knock up some tea in a bit.
I feel like I want to start a new "big" project but I'm just not getting the inspiration? Any ideas of how to get inspired? Usually it comes to me when I least expect it so I maybe need to just hang around a but longer and wait for it to come to me. Either that or get the love back for the two "big" projects that were started and then mothballed.
I'll give it some thought.

The week so far

Well, let me see. I had another rejection - ya boo hiss and all that. On reflection though it probably shouldn't have gone out there yet. The ending was/is a bit weak. (Note to self. Be hyper critical about your babies.) No surprise really. I have another with the same editor which I have a similar feeling about and if their usual time scale is anything to go by I'll be hearing about that one in the next week or two. It's all good though - I can take it.
On a brighter note I did get paid for a writing job that I was asked to do. It wasn't a lot but it all counts.
I've just consulted my writing diary (not half so grand as it sounds) and this week I seem to have given myself a lot of submission deadlines. However bearing in mind my new mantra to be hypercritical on myself that might get whittled down while I review endings etc.
I submitted a couple of things this week but I seem to have hit a bit of a - well a rather big actually - wall as far as acceptances go. I haven't had one for ages. Just as well I didn't take that dream I had a few weeks ago seriously and hand my notice in after telling the boss I was giving it all up to be a writer.
Anyway best get on, things to do, people to see etc not to mention find time to read more of the new Jeff Lindsay (might not have spelled that right - sorry Jeff) which himslef bought for me as soon as it was released. I love Dexter Morgan.