WRITE NOW!!!!!!

So, I’ve been kicking myself in the head the past few months over my lack of productivity in the writing arena, read as, lack of actually getting paid for my glorious prose... lack of definitive motion in my seemingly stalled career... and lack of time, not that I’m in charge of the world clock or anything but I figure I should be able to finagle extra hours into a day, ala (insert favorite mystical magical creature here).

On the valid excuse end of things – those excuses, they do tend to look valid when you say them often enough – summer was rough on me time wise as the kids were home, all three of them, which not only meant constant work for me, it also meant baseball, softball, swim lessons daily, going to the pool, park, zoo, and playdates.... see, I’m good at this excuse thing. Did I write at all this summer? Yes, actually. In my journal while waiting for their swim lessons to end, in the car while they were running amok at baseball, softball, etc... and in the wee hours of the morning or night when I could fit it in.... but not steady, not real hours, not eight hour stints that I so god awful long for.... urghhh....

Christina Katz gave a reading at Columbia College here in Chicago over the weekend and, lack of childcare and too many things to accomplish before school on Monday made me forego the event. Could I have gotten a sitter if I tried hard enough? Yes, actually I probably could have gotten either my mom or my mom in law. Why didn’t I? I wasn’t bloody ready. That’s what I’ve come up with. I wanted to be there, around other writers, especially Ms. Katz as I love her book and want to take one of her upcoming classes...

It’s not procrastination exactly, because I’ve been writing. Really, I have. What I haven’t been doing is taking the step that brings that hard earned work out into the market place, and really what good is it to write what no one else will ever read? So, I’ve thought about this really hard over the past day or so and decided that I have to set concrete goals and push forward. Whether it’s fear, or procrastination, or lack of time, the time for excuses is over. It’s time. Write Now.

I’ve set a schedule for myself that allows time to research markets, time to work on a current short, essay, or article, and time to barrel through the damn revisions (hold me to this – badger me in blog land, when you see me leaving a comment, ask me if I’ve put in an hour on my wip today, ask me if I’m ready for query, tell me to sit my ass down and write!!!!)

Just as a sort of pat on the back, I took my own motivational rant to heart – I re-read and edited the story I wrote a few weeks ago (thank you, Ello and Shelly, for being my very valued beta readers) and submitted it today, to Glimmer Train, no less... I know, the odds there are astronomical, but it’s out on submission, the worst they can say is no... Tomorrow I’m spending a half an hour researching other markets for that piece to stick in the file with it, then it’s on to the next thing... I’ve picked the next short to re-write, and I’m working my way through Mama Writer each night, too... Most important, though, at least one hour – more when I can get them – on my novel...

To hell with whatever’s been holding me back. Writing’s not enough if it never leaves my own little desk... I’ve promised myself one hour on the novel a day, minimum, and one short or article submission a week (or four a month, however it works out that gives me enough time to let it breathe and edit... but a minimum of four a month) I’ve also promised myself that each submission will entail a list of possible publications so that I can send the next submission the minute a rejection comes in... How about you guys? Are you writing? Are you submitting? Do you need a kick in the pants or a few kind words? And what’s your stumbling block, is it in the writing, or editing, or submission process? Thanks for reading my little rant... good luck with your writing, and your submissions.... Get it out there, people.