The Obsessed Writers Group

I am thrilled that my book, Church Mouse Poor, has finally been published. It was rejected 18 times before a publisher chose it for publication. Right now I am busy trying to get a date and location together for my book launch. This is exciting. I contacted my local library and they are excited to have a children's author in their midst. The local elementary school has also contacted me about doing a reading and some creative writing workshops. I feel like I am on the escalator of life and do not know where it is leading or where I get off so I guess I will just ride this wave for awhile. Now that my first pic book is published, I am anxious to start the next one. Maybe I have a new career starting...

Imagine...me...children's book author...how cool but seems surreal at the same time.

I had entered a themed writing contest for the local library system. The theme was about how the library helped you and/or your memories of the public library (something to that effect anyway). I thought my entry was pretty good and away it went. Two months later, I received an email notice that my entry had been submitted to the regional contest - it didn't win for the provincial. About a month ago, I received a letter from the local public system inviting me to an awards ceremony for the contest although the winner would not be revealed until that night.

Last night, the hubby and I attend the awards ceremony for the contest. I really didn't anticipate how excited I would be when I saw all the entries laminated and posted on the walls for all to read. Dang, my entry was a good read! The MC got up and started the festivities. He told the crowd of anxious writers that each contestant would be called up alphabetically and receive a certificate for participating - nice touch!  One by one, the nervous writers went up and receive their certificate and smiled for the photographer. The MC started at A and proceeded through the alphabet but did not call my name - I was very pumped thinking my entry must have earned a place.

Next, the MC called 3rd prize and an older gentleman went up to receive his prize. It was at that moment that I realized - my name had been missed! The 3rd place winner had been up earlier to receive his 'participation' certificate. Still I was hopeful that perhaps I had won 1st place. Nervously I listened as the MC read the entries for 3rd and 2nd place. The MC started his intro for the 1st place winner and I knew that his intro did not fit my entry. I'm sure that the disappointment on my face flashed like a bright neon sign.

It wasn't because I thought I was going to win, it was because my name wasn't called with the other entries. I sat patiently until the ceremony was over, and then made made my way to speak to the event co-ordinator. My husband had beat me to it and walk out of the room in disgust that they had called writers who hadn't even made the attempt to attend the event yet there I was in full attendance and I had been missed.

They apologized and presented me with my certificate and took my picture but it wasn't the same. I wanted to be recognized like everyone else and hear the applause. Somewhere down the line, someone screwed up. When I entered the room, I was presented with a pre-printed name tag so I was on the list. Truthfully, I think its possible that the MC skipped over my name by accident because the person's name closest to mine was very close in spelling - maybe he thought it was a double entry. Who knows?

Anyway, so it was a very disappointing evening indeed, one I hope to forget and move on.

It is a new year and I am pumped to start writing! A publication that I write for regularly contacted me with some work that will come onboard in a couple of weeks. I love when the work comes to me and I don't have to go searching for it.

I have determined my writing goals for 2007 and am eager to see things happen. I am still waiting on word on a query I sent for a children's manuscript. I have to admit I am getting discouraged. Their guidelines stated that they respond in 6 weeks - it has been around 10 weeks now. I have already sent an email inquiring as to the status of my manuscript but still haven't received a reply - that was sent 2 weeks ago. I keep telling myself that 'no news is good news' but deep down I am pretty sure that I am on the 'ignore' list. Why can't editors take a few moments to respond - a simple yes or no will do! I would welcome a form letter rejection at this point.

Remember to make some writing goals for yourself this year and get busy!

Happy New Year everyone!

For some strange reason, I have sold quite a few small articles this month. Some of these articles were nesting on an article database for a few months so it was a pleasant surprise when a buyer scooped them up.

I have asked all my subscribers to vote for my newsletter/site for the Writer's Digest 101 Best Sites. It is a long shot but what the heck. I realize I don't get around to adding as much new content as I would like and my blog is infrequent. I like to think that I am busy writing tons of articles but I would only be kidding myself. However, my newsletter is well received and I have not missed an issue since its conception.

With the new year approaching, I am going to try and stay organized. My biggest problem is keeping track of markets I would like to submit to. My intentions are always genuine but I lose track of the market and the idea I was mulling over. It doesn't take long for that thought to evaporate and not return until weeks later and I will say to myself, "Hmmm, what happened with that market? Didn't I have an idea for that?"

I am better at instructing writers on how to stay organized that I am at being organized.

What is your writing resolutions for 2007?

The cold weather is rearing its ugly head in my direction and I am looking forward to it. Don't misunderstand me, I despise winter but it does have a positive side. The long, cold winter months give me a chance to get down to some serious writing and submitting.

I have to admit my submission track record has been a little on the pathetic side as of late. My intentions are good but life keeps getting in the way. Between fighting off every cold and flu virus that my kids bring home, I haven't  had much time to write. Yes, I know it is no excuse but it seems, one week is running into the next without even realizing it.

So, with that said, this is my November goal - I will try and write at least one article per week for the entire month. Hopefully, November will be a slow month for me and I can accomplish this goal.

I still have a grant writing course sitting on my desk, and I am anxious to dig into it but again, I haven't been able to carve out any time for it. Ironically, I just finished advising my sister, who is anxious to write, that one must make time to write in order to become a freelance writer.

I should take my own advice.

I have been keeping busy proofreading a client's website content. This client contacted me through an online business networking group that we both belong to. I joined the business networking group for the sole purpose of connecting with small business owners who might have a need for a freelance writer. It is the only client I have connected with since I joined so hopefully the word with spread about my writing services. 

In the meantime, I will continue to work on the proofreading project. I have some guidelines for an upcoming anthology that I think I may enter. I sold one story to an anthology publisher and am eager to get into this market. My problem is that I have trouble writing lengthy pieces - I am used to writing non-fiction pieces under 700 words so this may a stretch for me.

Happy writing!

The summer is coming to close - it has been a good one writing wise. I had a slew of articles due in August which coincided with my mother's major surgery. In order to complete them to deadline, I really had to stay focused and organized. Everything got completed on time and I am finally able to relax for awhile.

Mother is recovering from her surgery at my place. I thought that I would spend my days taking care of her needs and creating some new queries to send out. I was sadly mistaken. My days are filled with preparing meals, laundry, organizing nursing care, personal care workers and the Physiotherapist. My house could use a revolving door at this point. Another couple of weeks and she should be ready to go back to her house along with her medical entourage.

Through this whole experience I realize that I made the right career decision - I am not made to be a nurse!

Hopefully things will start to get back to normal in September when the kids are back in school and my mother is off doing whatever it is she fills her day with.

Happy Writing

I can't believe that my last entry was May 4 - I am not too good at blogging on a regular basis. I guess I view blogging as something I do when I have nothing else to write about. Sometimes, I feel guilty blogging because I think I should be busy writing queries and articles.

Although the spring season has been relatively quiet, I have managed to sell a few small articles. As I mentioned in the newsletter, I signed up on one of those sites where you can bid on writing jobs. I bid on one but wasn't the winning bid.  They have some interesting projects that I would have liked to work on but some of the bids are just too low for me to compete. That's not to say I can't put in a ridiculously low bid - I just can't justify working for peanuts no matter how slow my workload is. Hopefully something will arise that is suitable for me.

I will be working again with Bradymagazine.com. The site will be taking on a new direction with some added features. Other than that everything is quiet. On the homefront, we doing some renovations so the main floor of the house is a bit topsy-turvy but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I am excited to set up my new office in the 'old' dinning room. We moved the dining room into the living room because it is bigger and no one ever went in their anyway. Change is good....

Today I have an overabundance of article ideas floating in my head but unfortunately I have no time to act upon any of them. It seems everywhere I look or read, I come up with another article idea. I wish all days could be like this. I arrived home from my 'pay-the-bills' job and quickly entered my new ideas in my idea book - I don't want to forget a single one. I may need them during a dry spell.

I registered with one of those writing/bidding sites. The premise is that a job or project is posted and then bids are taken. I haven't bid on anything yet. The bids seem so low, I don't know if I want to work for such a measly rate. One project numerous articles that needed special formatting and was requesting bids at $3.00/article. The articles had to be 500 words and after acceptance, it had to be formated to reflect some sort of learning/multiple choice writing skills lesson. There were quite a few bids for the project at the $3.00 mark. I yearn to write fulltime but I can't work for $3.00 an hour - that's insane. That's not even minimum wage for crying out loud! If anyone thinks they can write a 500 word article in less than an hour, then they must be pretty dang good! I could probably do a rough draft in 1/2 hour but it would have to be on a topic I know very well. But still $3.00 an article? I think there's a word for that - extortion!

I am not that desperate. I will keep my day job.