Sunday, February 2, 2014

Sunday Update - Week 5

Well, it hasn't been the best of weeks here, but I'll try to make this as positive as I can make it - even if I have to spin it up a little.

I finally got a response from the publisher I've been waiting on for 16 months.  The answer was that I can now proceed with querying again.  And so I have.  Back out into the world.  Maybe this time will be the charm.  Also good news is that my book was in the top 6% of all submissions (maybe even lower a percentage since the last update they gave on submissions left to decide on was a month ago and I was one of the last they contacted).

As I said, I'm querying again.  The first four went out.  I'm using the Premium Membership functions at QueryTracker to both research the agents for a good fit, and to keep track of my submissions.  It's only $25 a year or if you don't want to do a year, it's $8 for three months.  Works for me, man.

I had some weird shit happen a couple days ago which totally took my mind off just about everything else, which is always good.

In writing news, I rolled over 60K yesterday.  Not the biggest week I've had, but like I said, stuff happened which by necessity, made the word count slip.  Still, 10K for the week is nothing to sneeze at.  And hey, I wrote 60K words from 1/3 to 2/1, so I'm calling it a win.  I'm still hoping to have this rewrite completed by Valentine's Day.  And out of those29  days, I wrote every day but three.  So...

I managed to keep up with my resolutions through January.  1) Take my writing more seriously.  Check.  2) Reduce irritation from my life. Check.  3) Take myself for who I am. Okay, so this isn't a full check.  But at least I'm not berating myself for every freakin' pound.  Like Popeye, I am what I am.

As for reading, I read 12 books in January!  Most of them were ebooks - which read quicker for me - but I did manage some hardcopy books, too.

And that's all the positivity I have this morning.  How did your week go?  Remember, with these posts, you can talk about anything you want, but try to find something positive or try to find a positive in your negatives - even if it's only "I fell down, but being flat on the ground made it possible for me to see a tiny flower up close."  ;o)


14 comments:

  1. I like that "...I can now proceed with querying again." Now that's a positive spin, B.E.! Sorry life stuff happened to you this week, but you're staying positive and that's fabulous. And great job on keeping up with the writing through it all.

    OK, not a lot happened this week. I did break out an old manuscript (not finished) and yesterday, I started working on it. Wow - feels good to be writing again.

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    1. I get so tired of the negative Nellies, Janet, and then when I turn into one, I feel like such such a hypocrite - so I decided to make it stop. There are silver linings out there if we try hard enough to find them.

      YAY for you! That might not be a lot to happening, but that's a pretty big one thing! :hugs:

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  2. As I said in my email, I'm sorry about the publisher, but I agree with you and Janet. Now you can query again! I don't know if I would have waited that long to query--it seems a bit ridiculous to me. *shrugs*

    I've never used the premium Query Tracker before. What differences are there from the regular old "poor people" version? lol!

    Wow, you are just flying by on your story! Keep going!!!!!!!! You can do it!

    Girl, you are a very active person. You're always out and about working in your garden or puttering around the house. You should never worry about your weight. Worry about your health--that's the important aspect in all of this =)

    Wow, 12 books?! I thought I was good with 6, LOL! You just proved me wrong!

    As for my week... I had a mini-flu, so that wasn't the greatest, but I did get some reading done. I also watched some episodes of NCIS (which I love).

    I roughly finished three chapters; they just need to be edited, then I can send them off to my Alpha. I also won the Celtic Hearts Sprint Challenge! I don't like sprint writing in general, but I used the time to plot my way through some tricky parts in my story, and I wrote out a bunch of notes. So not real story writing, but it helped me--and I won! Muah hahahah. Now I get to buy more books on Amazon =)

    My hubby had a few half days of work this week because of weather, so it was nice having him around.

    Yesterday I was bitten by the decorating bug. I wish we had a house I could paint and personalize, but alas... So instead I've taken it upon myself to decorate like crazy (I blame Pinterest for this). We are heading to a local craft store later this morning to pick up a bunch of things (they have a mega sale going on). I'm very excited, LOL.

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    1. The Premium version gives you access to some other information and lets you have more than a couple folders, so I can leave all the organization stuff to QT and ditch my old method (which involved a lot of accordion folders and printing of stuff). $25 a year is worth it to me just for that. I was probably spending that much on ink and paper.

      LOL, that's what I was trying to say. I'm not worrying about my weight so much, but it's an old habit, so it was only a semi-check. And I'm not nearly as active as I seem. The great majority of my time is spent sitting.

      6 books is good, Nat. Especially since you're a lot busier than I am. Read, write, watch TV. Lather rinse repeat.

      Bummer about the flu, but Yay for the chapters and winning the sprint. Yay also for having the husband around - even if it was due to nasty weather. You'll get your own house eventually. For now, look at this as good practice for all the decorating when you do. =o)

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  3. Good for you for putting a positive spin on things AND for querying again.

    My big win for the week is that I registered for the Writer's Police Academy in September. I am SOOO psyched!

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    1. Thanks, JB! I didn't do doodle yesterday, but I'll be back at it today.

      Yay for you! I'd be psyched, too!

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  4. Wow, you accomplished a lot this week for having the week involving weird shit. Weird shit takes a lot out of a person. Moving forward takes strength of character. It's inspiring to hear stories of others putting a positive spin on things that can knock the stuffing out of you.

    I've been a bit grumpy over the weather this week but there have been lots of little wins too. Teenage daughter getting glasses and actually wearing them. Yay! Meeting with writing group. Always inspiring! Husband's 50th birthday this Monday and shopping for that. Fun! Trip to the library. Book goodness! Birthday supper last night. No one poisoned! The beginnings of a new project filling my brain. Exciting! Read a great book. Worked for ignoring the weather!

    Have a wonderful week this week, B.E.!

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    1. I don't know about inspiring, Karyn, but thanks! I try. Sometimes moving forward is the only thing you can do.

      Wow, lots of good things for you last week! Good luck with the new book idea, happy birthday to your husband, and yay for everything else!

      I hope your week is wonderful, too. =o)

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  5. Wow - 60k words and 12 books read in a month??!! It looks like you're seeing a lot of positives in whatever comes your way, keep it up!
    erica

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    1. Thanks, Erica! Like I said, I read, I write, and I watch TV. It makes hitting big numbers in reading and writing easier than if I had a day job or hobbies or a different kind of life. =o)

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  6. Man, you blow my numbers out of the water (reading and writing)! But the best thing to happen to me this week happened on Friday night. I finally realized how my current WIP will end. I was seriously wondering if it would ever come to me. Hope to have that puppy FINISHED this week (crossing fingers).

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    1. That's what living the hermit life can do, Stacy. LOL

      Yay for knowing the end! You can do it!

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  7. Good news - I'm dreaming.

    Bad news - I'm dreaming in Excel sheet format. Don't ask. LOLOL

    I want to write this week. One way or another. And I've read....18 books so far? Including my yearly reread of NAKED IN DEATH. Now I want to read the rest of the series. *rolls eyes*

    And we have snow. We desperately need the moisture and it's not that slick at the moment. We'll see what tomorrow brings because we have two more snow storms coming this week. Why, hello Winter! :D Yeah...as long as I don't have to get out, it's a thumbs up for me.

    Have a great week, everyone!

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    1. You kill me, Silver, and now I do want to ask. But I won't.

      Do I need to hover over you with the big stick so you write this week?? Put down the 'In Death' series. You can read one every time you write a chapter. =op

      Yeah, we went like 2 weeks without a drop of wet and yesterday nature dumped a truckload of the white stuff. More snow on the way... or maybe rain. Exactly - no going out makes it a lot easier to deal with. =o)

      Have a great week yourself, too!

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