Did you set goals at the start of the year? If so, how are you getting on now that we are in the 3rd month of the year? Imagine, March already!
I started the year with great gusto and enthusiasm and for ten days I knocked out flash fiction, short stories, agent/publisher queries, and even took note of all these submissions. The agent /publisher queries are in relation to my new collection of short stories that I plan to see published this year. It is all ready to go, just waiting for the word. Organised became my new name.
Then the lull appeared, days went by and my pen was allowed to idle in the holder by my bed. My head was full of ‘I must check this closing date etc.’ and ‘maybe that story might fit such and such with a tweaking‘.
Still, I may not have been writing, but, I was reading and thinking of writing-related issues, so I allowed myself the dip in my productivity.
When I saw the fruits of my labour I submitted on the magazines’ shelves in the shops, I smiled so much and felt good. The urge to get more work out there, be it for publication or entering competitions, pushed me to get the laptop open and start tapping for the months ahead. So, I did.
I hope you reached some of your goals with your work, if you are in a lull, don’t panic. Google a story prompt, find a headline that piques your interest, then give yourself a few days to think about what you can write. Go for the walk, read or research if needs be, then pick up the pen and get to work.
I’m happy to report, my stories (all different, no duplicates) were accepted and I was asked to submit more by the magazines involved. This means new stories, new ideas to investigate, and a lot of editing. The story competitions I shall not hear from them for a while, as closing dates and judging take longer. Hopefully, I will have news in my next blog post review.
I am still querying as I go forward and I’ve one or two major decisions to consider regarding my writing. I am not going to rush in with these but seek advice from my writing friends. The past few weeks have been icy cold, which I don’t like as I find it hampers my desire to sit and write. My arthritic fingers become painful and my crocheting also grounds to a halt. So roll on the summer.
Anyway, hang in there with whatever it is you are working on and I shall be back here next month with another post on how life is rambling along.
Mary x
Mary T Bradford 