Sunday, July 02, 2006
June's GDR Review
I arrived back from Blackpool this evening, burnt, exhausted, a hint of a headache, but extremely happy. Last Thursday seems so very, very long ago. Needless to say, the last three days epitomised all that me and my mate Craig are looking for when we go to Blackpool once every year; familiarity, laughs, drink and frivolity.
Our weekends away are truly magnificent and this year was no different. Packed full of belly-aching stupidity and barrels of beer, we trawled all our usual haunts as if we were visiting old friends. I can hardly wait for the next one!
Although I didn't get back until nearer half past nine at night, it was after midnight before I was able to get to bed. There was still work going on in the master bedroom, which meant I was sidelined in a frustrating fashion until it was all over.
When I finally made it in between the sheets, rest assured my head had not even hit the pillow, and I was already in dreamland.
June GDR Review
Fiction
* Complete final draft of Hunting Jack Done. (38 chapters - new total of 93,000 words)
* Complete new chapter of Hunting Jack - Done (2700 words)
* Write a new short story - not done
* Keep on top of submissions list - done
* Begin query process for Hunting Jack - Done. Wrote query letter and redrafted synopsis * Contact Yello management and publishers for Stella - Done and ongoing. Wrote to Warner/Chappell and Yello Management in Zurich. Yello Mgmt asked for full ms - this was sent out. Listed possible publishers. Prepared query letters and two synopsis versions. Sent off first batch of queries to 8 publishers.
* Begin writing A Friend To Die For where left off - not started
* Give A Friend To Die For a better title - nothing yet
Poetry
* Complete poem for reading at my sister's wedding in July - Complete (Love Is)
* Write any poems that come to mind - nothing
Non-Fiction
* Complete work on Scotland's Treasure for July column - Complete
* Write story/article for Being Dad Anthology - not done
Marketing and Promotion
* Step up marketing and promotion of Fringe Fantastic for this years Fringe - done
* New round of press releases for Fringe Fantastic with this years Fringe in mind - not done (2 planned: 1 lead-up, 1 during festival)
* Keep website up to date - done
* Follow up on PR received - not done
Reading and Research
* Release Tall Tales and Short Stories Vol.2 into the wild - not done
* Complete crit of friend's novel - done.
* Re-read A Friend to Die For - not done (might print off for hols?)
* Read The Outsider by Albert Camus - Complete
* Read True Tales of American Life by Paul Auster - WIP (good to read stories intermittently)
* Select books to read on holiday - 1. Oracle Night by Paul Auster 2. Don Quixote by Cervantes 3. Death Is Not The End by Ian Rankin
Other Projects
* Stay on top of editorial work for TSDR - done. 2 stories outstanding
* Gather submissions and work on ARS Anthology - done. Need to contact writers who said yes, but no sub made
Things That Turned Up
* Started reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
* Submitted 2 poems to Forward Press (River Monkeys & Gnu Atchoo!)
* Contemplating a sequel to Hunting Jack to be written during NaNoWriMo month (Nov 06)
Successes
* Completed Yello and Hunting Jack: 2 main bodies of fiction
* June had highest word count of year (circa 28.5k)
* Yello management indicated keen interest to read the Stella manuscript
Failures
* Piper's Ash rejected Stella (30/6)
Statistics
Fiction - 6,000
Non-Fiction - 22,300
Poetry - 110
Outstanding Submissions
Fiction:
Insidious Reflections 1
Writing Magazine 1
3am Magazine 1
Barcelona Review 1
The Portable Muse 2
This Is It 1
One Story 2
Adirondack Review 1
Poetry:
Forward Press 2
Summary
A combination of a high word count coupled with strides into the world of submission for long fiction, has made this month an awesome one. When you consider I had a late start to the month, missing out the first 7 to 10 days with any real significant work being done, it has been a belter.
The main points are to consider are that I am now sending out both Stella and Hunting Jack to find a publisher and an agent respectively. I have wrapped up these projects and am now turning my head to other things; the next generation of work I want to do.
And that's the key; it's work that I want to do. It's work that compels me and that I feel I have to get complete in order to balance myself. My output has never been higher and my motivation, thanks to understanding friends around me, means that I am enjoying my work immensely.
Our weekends away are truly magnificent and this year was no different. Packed full of belly-aching stupidity and barrels of beer, we trawled all our usual haunts as if we were visiting old friends. I can hardly wait for the next one!
Although I didn't get back until nearer half past nine at night, it was after midnight before I was able to get to bed. There was still work going on in the master bedroom, which meant I was sidelined in a frustrating fashion until it was all over.
When I finally made it in between the sheets, rest assured my head had not even hit the pillow, and I was already in dreamland.
June GDR Review
Fiction
* Complete final draft of Hunting Jack Done. (38 chapters - new total of 93,000 words)
* Complete new chapter of Hunting Jack - Done (2700 words)
* Write a new short story - not done
* Keep on top of submissions list - done
* Begin query process for Hunting Jack - Done. Wrote query letter and redrafted synopsis * Contact Yello management and publishers for Stella - Done and ongoing. Wrote to Warner/Chappell and Yello Management in Zurich. Yello Mgmt asked for full ms - this was sent out. Listed possible publishers. Prepared query letters and two synopsis versions. Sent off first batch of queries to 8 publishers.
* Begin writing A Friend To Die For where left off - not started
* Give A Friend To Die For a better title - nothing yet
Poetry
* Complete poem for reading at my sister's wedding in July - Complete (Love Is)
* Write any poems that come to mind - nothing
Non-Fiction
* Complete work on Scotland's Treasure for July column - Complete
* Write story/article for Being Dad Anthology - not done
Marketing and Promotion
* Step up marketing and promotion of Fringe Fantastic for this years Fringe - done
* New round of press releases for Fringe Fantastic with this years Fringe in mind - not done (2 planned: 1 lead-up, 1 during festival)
* Keep website up to date - done
* Follow up on PR received - not done
Reading and Research
* Release Tall Tales and Short Stories Vol.2 into the wild - not done
* Complete crit of friend's novel - done.
* Re-read A Friend to Die For - not done (might print off for hols?)
* Read The Outsider by Albert Camus - Complete
* Read True Tales of American Life by Paul Auster - WIP (good to read stories intermittently)
* Select books to read on holiday - 1. Oracle Night by Paul Auster 2. Don Quixote by Cervantes 3. Death Is Not The End by Ian Rankin
Other Projects
* Stay on top of editorial work for TSDR - done. 2 stories outstanding
* Gather submissions and work on ARS Anthology - done. Need to contact writers who said yes, but no sub made
Things That Turned Up
* Started reading Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
* Submitted 2 poems to Forward Press (River Monkeys & Gnu Atchoo!)
* Contemplating a sequel to Hunting Jack to be written during NaNoWriMo month (Nov 06)
Successes
* Completed Yello and Hunting Jack: 2 main bodies of fiction
* June had highest word count of year (circa 28.5k)
* Yello management indicated keen interest to read the Stella manuscript
Failures
* Piper's Ash rejected Stella (30/6)
Statistics
Fiction - 6,000
Non-Fiction - 22,300
Poetry - 110
Outstanding Submissions
Fiction:
Insidious Reflections 1
Writing Magazine 1
3am Magazine 1
Barcelona Review 1
The Portable Muse 2
This Is It 1
One Story 2
Adirondack Review 1
Poetry:
Forward Press 2
Summary
A combination of a high word count coupled with strides into the world of submission for long fiction, has made this month an awesome one. When you consider I had a late start to the month, missing out the first 7 to 10 days with any real significant work being done, it has been a belter.
The main points are to consider are that I am now sending out both Stella and Hunting Jack to find a publisher and an agent respectively. I have wrapped up these projects and am now turning my head to other things; the next generation of work I want to do.
And that's the key; it's work that I want to do. It's work that compels me and that I feel I have to get complete in order to balance myself. My output has never been higher and my motivation, thanks to understanding friends around me, means that I am enjoying my work immensely.
Colin 12:13 pm