See, I'm so worn out I can't even come up with a more special title for this post! Actually, I'm not that worn out. I'm just keeping busy. I've been critiquing for my friend Jenna again and I'm so excited about this book. I also met a new friend through my Austin RWA chapter. Jess Dawson. Check her site out! She writes military suspense stories, so I offered to critique her book too.
As you can guess, I haven't been spending much time on my own masterpiece. Although I'm making use of those free minutes (in between lunch and recess, just before our school morning meeting begins, while we're all outside for pick-up, on commercials when I'm watching TV) and I've worked out some great scenes this way. Yay! I'm learning a new trick! Hopefully I'll become a master at writing in spare moments. I'll let you know.
I'm hoping to get at least an hour in tonight on Danger, but Jenna's story comes first. She's shaping it up to send in after a full request! I have given myself a new goal, though. I want to start entering contests again with Danger ASAP, so my goal is to have the 1st chapter off to Jenna no later than February 1. That way I can get it back from her, revise it, send it to her for a second read and then revise yet again before I send it out for its first contest. Oh! Then I also have that critique from Jordan Dane that I won back in November at my Austin RWA meeting. Hopefully she'll have the time in February to give me some awesome feedback.
The day job is stressing me out, but I'm really not letting it overtake my life. Teaching is only one part of who I am. I REALLY have to remember that. I'm doing the best I can and that's all anyone can ask. I have to go to work over the weekend (rather than stay until 6 or 7 tomorrow night), but I'm also scheduling some quality time with my hero and heroine. They deserve to be heard and I'm pretty sure someone will be interested in their story.
4 comments:
Get to work on that first chapter, Lexi. The Daphne du Maurier Contest has a deadline of March 15th. Looks like a great lineup of judges.
Sorry work's making you crazy. Nothing like a stressful day job to distract you from writing, but you've got a great attitude!
And remember, I owe you big time if you want some critique help.
Oh, thanks, Cat! I might take you up on that offer. As for working on my book, I'll get there. And the Daphne is definitely on my list of contests for Danger! I've got nothing to lose.
I know teaching can FEEL very consuming. And it can become very consuming. After all, what's more immediate: the critique of a friend on a story you want to submit in a few weeks OR the critique of thirty little faces every minute for six hours a day?
As you said, keep it in perspective. Eye on the Prize and all that. Some days we're better at balancing than others. Just keep at it and give yourself a break. If you can't give yourself a break, just blog it and we'll tell you how wonderful you are and how we believe in you and know you can do it. If the sugary stuff doesn't work, we'll kick your ass. Just let us know. I'm always ready to oblige with a good ass kicking! (Of course, none of my other friends can kickbox. Hmmm. Maybe I should rethink the ass kicking offer......)
Aw, Monika, you always know JUST what to say! :P
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