I keep wanting to say that’s low, but the fact that I wrote during a two-week trip to take care of family (and had several 2k+ days during that trip) makes it a win, I think.
Stories completed: 4.5
- “Umberto Scolari and the Arno Diversion,” complete, 4400 words
- “The Scent of Amber and Vanilla,” complete, 5000 words
- “Ignite the Night,” complete, 6000 words
- “Photographic Evidence,” complete, 4600 words
- “Music, When Soft Voices Die,” in progress, 2724 words so far
Other
- 3 short stories submitted (not including the 4 listed above)
- 1 copyediting job completed
- 3 Lucky Bat clients corresponded with
- half of online Ebook Design workshop completed
- 4 covers designed (as part of the above-mentioned workshop)
- 2 Styx concerts (had to sell my tix to 2 others to pay for a cavity and cat füd)
I’m a little disappointed about not getting “Music, When Soft Voices Die” done in time for the anthology deadline, but I’m okay about it. Although I did put it off until the last minute, it ended up wanting to be more complex and longer than I expected, and I simply ran out of time. Last night I realized I could’ve hammered out a couple thousand more words and submitted it, but it wouldn’t have been the story I wanted to write, the story it had the potential to be. So I’ll finish it in February and submit it elsewhere.
I also realized that it’s more tiring writing short stories than the same number of words on a novel. With a novel, you’re working with many of the same characters each day, some of the same settings, etc. You already have some idea of the overall feel of the novel—conflicts, etc.
With short stories, you’re starting fresh each time (except in the case of my ongoing Renaissance mystery series with the same character, Umberto Scolari—but the settings change, as do the secondary characters and conflict). New characters, new setting (even if it’s a setting you’ve used before, you’re showing it through a new character’s POV and opinion), new plot, new conflict. New question of “What is this story about?”
There’s a level of fun about that, don’t get me wrong. A sense of adventure as you dive into the new. But there’s a small part of me that’s starting to get tired, that’s thinking “Oh no, another one?”
So I think once I finish the story that’s due Sunday (I have notes, but haven’t started it—it’s another Umberto mystery), the one that’s due next Sunday (which starts with the main character watching the otters at the SB Zoo, and she’s either lost her job or her partner or both, and after that I have no idea what’s going to happen*), and “Music, When Soft Voices Die,” I’m going to dive into one of the novellas I want to write. Two are started: The Master of Wildwood (a prequel to my popular gothic erotic short story “Return to Wildwood”) and On Her Lips (the second of three linked erotic romance novellas, following In Her Hands.).
So, with that in mind, February goals:
- 3 novellas (2 already in progress)
- 8 short stories (some already in progress)
- 1 copyediting job
- 1 weeklong workshop in Oregon, which includes 2 days driving each way
- 1 short visit to my sister and family in Pebble Beach to see my niece starring in a play (yay!)
There will also be Lucky Bat work and publishing stuff (once I finish the workshop, I’m-a gonna be busy!), but I don’t know how to quantify it right now.
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*Or, crap, maybe it’s in Scotland with shapeshifting otter faeries. Dammit!
