So Much To Do, So Little Time To Do It

I have been trying to figure what do you do when you have so little time to do it. Right now, my creativity is at a peak it hasn't been in a long time. I have several stories that are new to me, coming to mind. I seems to spend a lot of time writing down the basics so I don't forget it. I have had a couple of actual scenes that came to me, had to get them down - not completely sure where they fit, but pretty sure I know the story they belong in.

I have about 20 article ideas that I have been working on - at least a basis to send a query out - this is something new for me, not the query, but writing to offer article ideas.

I have three new story ideas and 3 new shorts I am working out the small stuff on. It's exciting but overwhelming as well - I am trying to prioritize and know that I need to sit down to finish one, but I am afraid of losing the other, so I have been focusing on outlining the new ideas so as not to lose them.

I have not been as disciplined in my writing as I was hoping to be at this point. I was trying to figure it out when I do my best and most writing - it always comes down to situations when I am supposed to be doing something else and can't do what normally pulls me away from writing (damn you television and Internet, for being so much fun). Now I am sure for most of you, this would be a 'duh' moment. For me, it was an 'aha' moment. I know what I need to do, so I have put a little extra effort into getting that writing space ready. Next it's going to be important for me to schedule the times - I read an article recently (I think on a writer's blog and wish I could remember who it was because I would like to give him props.)

The basis of what he said was that for him, it became more important to write something every day, not focus on getting 10 pages done a day, but to write something whether it was 3 paragraphs or 3 pages. Hmmmmm...I love this thought - he went on to say that by the end of the month, he had something like a 30,000 (or was it 60,000) book written. Time to start writing, I say it again.

Scheduling, Research and Queries

I have been working at scheduling my writing. This weekend I spent a lot of time researching different companies to submit my Wishman story too - I think I have officially changed the name to Wishes and Pockets, which I think might make it more appealing as opposed to the longer title of They Called Him the Wishman. Then I was researching query letters - I have written a couple, and the initial companies I sent the story too, would not take simultaneous submissions, so I then had to play the wait game. I did not like doing this - then there was no helpful hints. I know they receive a lot and don't have the time - the one company I submitted it to had a 12 week wait period and if I didn't hear from them in that time, I can safely assume they have decided to pass on it. Again, not liking this, but I thought I had a really good chance with this company as I had checked out other children's books they have, but I move on. The agent I submitted to responded fairly quickly - to the negative. Still it would have been nice to know if it is a good query or not.

The thing is I would like to sell the book on it's merits alone. I have even played with doing the art myself and selling it on iuniverse.com or something - who knows, that might still be coming. I actually have some ideas for art, even though my drawing is not good enough, I have been playing with some of my photographs and think that there are programs out there which would allow me to work them into the story. But first I am gonig to try what I wanted to do from the beginning which is to first send it to all the companies which will take simultaneous submissions (ss), then if no one bites, I can work with sending it to the companies that do not accept ss. It's like Josh Stolberg said when I saw him at the Omaha Film Festival - he sent out 75 copies of his script at one time, and only one responded with an offer - but that's all it takes, right?

Right now I am trying to figure out more of a writing routine - I want to at least completed some writing every day, this weekend I had a lot of writing time planned and it really seemed like the research of it all became my focus - in addition to getting my house back in order for company both tonight and tomorrow. I think that whatever writing time I have scheduled, is good, but if I have to do some research, I will have to set a specific time to allow me to get back to the writing.

I am excited to have gotten a bit farther on 2 of my stories though - one is a psychological thriller that I have hit a few roadblocks, mostly when it comes to presenting it to my writers group. I have become so aware of some of the critiques that they catch, that I find myself trying to fix those before reading at the meeting - which I honestly believe is the right thing to do, instead of reading it and thinking, 'I knew they were going to say that.' The other story is one that I really believe I am writing for a screenplay, but not having written one before, am thinking I should write it in story form first. This one is a little exciting to me, when I was thinking of the story, the main character was always a male. However, when I was thinking of it as a script, I know it only works and is more marketable if the lead is a female. Well, I realized that if I know this, I need to make the main character a female and go from there - so much has come together with this story since doing this. Now, I need to have some time to write, lol. This is becoming less of a problem as writing becomes more of a priority for me.