So NaNoWriMo begins!
I fell asleep and stayed that way on the couch all night and missed a first-chance write in. Also woke up too late/lethargic to pump out a few quick words before work. Currently getting things squared away to participate in the first write-in. I severely tore my right thumbnail and left pinky nail at the beginning of this week, so my typing shall be a bit halted.
Last night, I signed my dad up for nanowrimo.org. He is working on a baseball book, an account of either one particular team or one decade, I can't remember which. Since his work is all on a desktop and he gets nervous about social situations (honestly, the more I talk to him, the more I'm convinced he's at least a little bit autistic) I didn't overwhelm him with the social aspect of NaNo. I think the internet accountability will be enough for him.
Well, my danish is gone, so my prep time is up.
haha....prep time! I failed at PrepMo. Hardly done a thing. Looks like I'm pantsing it this year. I'll blame the adjusting to a new job/schedule while making sure (often failing) to keep up with my Vitamin D.
2018-11-01
2018-09-19
Reading/Writing Journal
Misplaced that sports book that was going to take the place of Ashes of Roses. But it's okay, because my dad bought me a copy of The Green Mile from HPB clearance for my birthday. I like books with chapter breaks. My copy of Anna Karenina continues to fall apart and Mill on the Floss has been stashed in my car for a week. Still four books behind on my goodreads challenge.\
Had an experience on Saturday that is getting included in my NaNo. Went to a friend's wedding reception, where I danced with an attractive man to I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles). And he twirled me! It was fabulous, and I keep listening to the song so I can keep the memory fresh enough to fictionalize come November. Will probably write a poem about it this week to also assist. Possibly to also submit for money.
The rest of this post is a list of places that pay for submissions so that I can check them out later this week to see if I have or can have anything that would be a good fit for them. Source: writersincharge.com/literature-mags-that-pay-writers
1. Boulevard Magazine, $300 for prose and $250 for poetry upon publication
3. Plough Shares, $250 upon publication, subject to certain timelines
4. The Southern Review, $200 upon publication, prefer manuscripts via mail
5. Sub Tropics, $1000 for prose and $100 for poems upon publication
6. The Sun Magazine, $300 for prose (possibly use MoBoard story prompt)
7. West Branch Magazine, $100 upon publication, through Bucknell University
8. AGNI, $300 for essays, $150 for poetry with a submission window
9. Carve Magazine, $100 fiction and $25 poetry (good for exposure)
10. Colorado Review, $200 unpublished only
11. Crazy Horse, $200
12. The Fugue, $1000 for competition, associated with University of Idaho (submission fee)
13. Grain Magazine, $250 sent by post
14. Gulf Coast Magazine, $1500 compeition
15. Iowa Review, $100
16. Iron Horse Review, $100 with submission windows
17. Nashville Review, $100 with submission windows
18. Ninth Letter, $1000 competition
19. The Threepenny Review, $400 for stories, $200 for poetry, online submission
20. Confrontation Magazine, $250 with submission windows
21. One Story, $500, literary fiction only
22. Virginia Quarterly Review, $1000 for stories, $200 for poems
23. Willow Springs, $100 with submission windows
24. Narrative Magazine, $1000 for copies 7500+ words
25. Slice Magazine, $250
Had an experience on Saturday that is getting included in my NaNo. Went to a friend's wedding reception, where I danced with an attractive man to I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles). And he twirled me! It was fabulous, and I keep listening to the song so I can keep the memory fresh enough to fictionalize come November. Will probably write a poem about it this week to also assist. Possibly to also submit for money.
The rest of this post is a list of places that pay for submissions so that I can check them out later this week to see if I have or can have anything that would be a good fit for them. Source: writersincharge.com/literature-mags-that-pay-writers
1. Boulevard Magazine, $300 for prose and $250 for poetry upon publication
3. Plough Shares, $250 upon publication, subject to certain timelines
4. The Southern Review, $200 upon publication, prefer manuscripts via mail
5. Sub Tropics, $1000 for prose and $100 for poems upon publication
6. The Sun Magazine, $300 for prose (possibly use MoBoard story prompt)
7. West Branch Magazine, $100 upon publication, through Bucknell University
8. AGNI, $300 for essays, $150 for poetry with a submission window
9. Carve Magazine, $100 fiction and $25 poetry (good for exposure)
10. Colorado Review, $200 unpublished only
11. Crazy Horse, $200
12. The Fugue, $1000 for competition, associated with University of Idaho (submission fee)
13. Grain Magazine, $250 sent by post
14. Gulf Coast Magazine, $1500 compeition
15. Iowa Review, $100
16. Iron Horse Review, $100 with submission windows
17. Nashville Review, $100 with submission windows
18. Ninth Letter, $1000 competition
19. The Threepenny Review, $400 for stories, $200 for poetry, online submission
20. Confrontation Magazine, $250 with submission windows
21. One Story, $500, literary fiction only
22. Virginia Quarterly Review, $1000 for stories, $200 for poems
23. Willow Springs, $100 with submission windows
24. Narrative Magazine, $1000 for copies 7500+ words
25. Slice Magazine, $250
2018-08-29
Reading/Writing Journal
Finished a couple of YA books recently. Little Tree (mentioned last post) and "Ashes of Roses," which I picked up after last post. The MC is a 15 year old who comes through Ellis Island from Ireland to NYC. She and a younger sister find themselves working at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory just before the 1911 fire that happened there. Highly recommend if you're looking for an easy read.
I think I have a sports book to fill that one's place.
But the biggest news is I have my NaNo project decided!
Last Thursday, a friend came over to tackle the jungle in our backyard. I helped (very little) and afterwards, we talked a little bit. I mentioned the struggles I was having with my writing, and he gave a few encouraging platitudes. Brought up PrepMo, and I implied I was just hoping to have an idea worth prepping and the ability to figure out either plot or characters, as asking for both was too much to be feasible.
HMN was watching some Stephen's Universe the other day and the episode (maybe a song) mentioned "fifty pages about wedding cake." She scoffed, but I immediately thought of a scene from the Unabridged Princess Bride. I pointed out to her that if you talk about taste testing different wedding cakes, and then describe the baking and the enjoyment of the final product, including a few mishaps along the way, you could probably come up with fifty pages.
After a few moments, the pieces clicked, and I thanked her for my NaNo project.
The very next day, facebook reminded me of a friendivesary. The picture it featured was one I took of him and his wife at their wedding reception featuring them pinky-swearing not to smash cake in each other's faces.
BAM!
That story is definitely getting included somehow. So I have at least two characters, one scene, and an overarching theme. Don't know if either one of them is going to be the MC or if it's going to include more than one cake. But I've long held a theory that the way a couple cuts their cake says something about their personality as a couple. In a few weeks, I may do a social media survey and ask people to tell me what they remember about their wedding cake/that part of the reception. See if I don't get some more inspiration.
Well, off I go to sign up for a few more goodreads giveaways.
I think I have a sports book to fill that one's place.
But the biggest news is I have my NaNo project decided!
Last Thursday, a friend came over to tackle the jungle in our backyard. I helped (very little) and afterwards, we talked a little bit. I mentioned the struggles I was having with my writing, and he gave a few encouraging platitudes. Brought up PrepMo, and I implied I was just hoping to have an idea worth prepping and the ability to figure out either plot or characters, as asking for both was too much to be feasible.
HMN was watching some Stephen's Universe the other day and the episode (maybe a song) mentioned "fifty pages about wedding cake." She scoffed, but I immediately thought of a scene from the Unabridged Princess Bride. I pointed out to her that if you talk about taste testing different wedding cakes, and then describe the baking and the enjoyment of the final product, including a few mishaps along the way, you could probably come up with fifty pages.
After a few moments, the pieces clicked, and I thanked her for my NaNo project.
The very next day, facebook reminded me of a friendivesary. The picture it featured was one I took of him and his wife at their wedding reception featuring them pinky-swearing not to smash cake in each other's faces.
BAM!
That story is definitely getting included somehow. So I have at least two characters, one scene, and an overarching theme. Don't know if either one of them is going to be the MC or if it's going to include more than one cake. But I've long held a theory that the way a couple cuts their cake says something about their personality as a couple. In a few weeks, I may do a social media survey and ask people to tell me what they remember about their wedding cake/that part of the reception. See if I don't get some more inspiration.
Well, off I go to sign up for a few more goodreads giveaways.
2018-08-24
Reading/Writing Journal
I've finished reading two books since I last posted. According to Goodreads, I'm still four books behind schedule. "The Handmaid's Tale" was the first. Although the online discussion group didn't pan out, it did relight the fire in me to read. That, and cooler weather that allows me to take reading walks. I went with HMN to Half Price so she could sell back some of her books. While wandering the store, I found a book called "The Education of Little Tree." It was a nice, simple read which made it easy to read while gaming or in the presence of housemates. I'm currently reading "The Mill on the Floss," which is not. The writing style of "Anna Karenina" is such that I could do that, but the physical size of the book is not conducive to such practices.
I probably ought to stop by Half Price when I'm done here (it's literally on the way home) and see if there's anything for a buck with a style that can replace Little Tree's.
I had an epiphany last week sometime. (The days all run together and I'm not as good as I used to be about writing things down.) Instead of trying to force myself to commit to prose, I should reconnect with the poet inside of me. I'll probably focus on poetry for the rest of August, September (although there will be up to three times I leave town on a trip), and maybe a little bit into October. I'll definitely do PrepMo in October. Hopefully I have an idea I can outline by then.
Even found some magazines that supposedly pay for poetry/submissions that I can vet to see if any of them are in line with the kinds of things I write.
Wish me luck!
I probably ought to stop by Half Price when I'm done here (it's literally on the way home) and see if there's anything for a buck with a style that can replace Little Tree's.
I had an epiphany last week sometime. (The days all run together and I'm not as good as I used to be about writing things down.) Instead of trying to force myself to commit to prose, I should reconnect with the poet inside of me. I'll probably focus on poetry for the rest of August, September (although there will be up to three times I leave town on a trip), and maybe a little bit into October. I'll definitely do PrepMo in October. Hopefully I have an idea I can outline by then.
Even found some magazines that supposedly pay for poetry/submissions that I can vet to see if any of them are in line with the kinds of things I write.
Wish me luck!
2018-07-31
Reading/Writing Journal
I signed up for Camp NaNo. And immediately stopped writing. Why is Camp the kiss of death for me? I'm hoping to have a novel idea in place by November. Which will require having linear enough thoughts to develop a plot.
One of my friends posted to facebook that she wanted to start reading The Handmaid's Tale and was starting a group where people could talk about it as they read. I expressed interest, she added me, I went out and bought the book (because I was too lazy to sort through my boxes, too scared to ask a friend I know has it, and didn't feel like renewing my license so I could get a library card to borrow it from a library). And they are much more ambitious readers than I am!
Speaking of, it's nice-ish out. I should go home, do some more slack chores (I play a four person game with three computer players and do things like load the dishwasher while the game takes its turns), and take a reading walk tonight. There's a park a few blocks away that has a trail that I think leads to the local high school.
One of my friends posted to facebook that she wanted to start reading The Handmaid's Tale and was starting a group where people could talk about it as they read. I expressed interest, she added me, I went out and bought the book (because I was too lazy to sort through my boxes, too scared to ask a friend I know has it, and didn't feel like renewing my license so I could get a library card to borrow it from a library). And they are much more ambitious readers than I am!
Speaking of, it's nice-ish out. I should go home, do some more slack chores (I play a four person game with three computer players and do things like load the dishwasher while the game takes its turns), and take a reading walk tonight. There's a park a few blocks away that has a trail that I think leads to the local high school.
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