Time for MAYO!

Okay, it's been awhile since NANO or JANO or even FEBO. Most of us are either starting a new project, stuck in an old one or floundering as summer approaches. While there's plenty of freedom in summer, there are also new situations that stretch your writing time thin. Kids out of school, pool parties, vacations, and plain old let's enjoy the sun while it shines. So what's a writer to do?

MAYO!

The rules are simple. Let's take May as a last 'blitz' before the busy summer months are upon us. Instead of 50K as in NaNo, let's all aim for only 20K. That's less than 5K a week! It's either a whole book - if you are writing short books for children. (Hand raised here.) Or half a book or pesky editing/revising project.

So is anyone up for the challenge? I challenge you to post a commitment here and then write 20K sometime during May. It can be a new project, an outline for a project, a short story, revise and edit a 20K project or do something - even 20K worth of query letters to push your writing career out of its spring standstill.

Someone recently told me that PUSH stands for -Pray Until Something Happens. While that's a wonderful idea, I'd like to revise it for writers.

PUSH your pen until something happens!!! Keyboards accepted too.

So, who's going to join me??? I know it's short notice but we've got a whole month.

The Desk Part 2

Well, as you can see by the picture the desk is now somewhat in place. It's still untidy because I'm slowly going through files, junk, etc. trying to find the best place. You can see the new wallpaper but the picture doesn't really do it justice. It's actually prettier than I expected. The room is also in a state of flux as I still have to:

1. Finish the wallpaper.

2. Paint some of the woodwork and the ceiling.

3. Refinish the floor (summer job.)

4. Bring in the bookcase and put the books on it.

5. Find a decent desk chair. I'm sitting on an old sewing chair which has to be the most uncomfortable one ever made.

6. Get some pictures framed and up on the walls and desk.

Eventually, I'll get everything done but for right now I'm taking my time. The computer is on the desk, all the cords and plugs are woven through the holes in back of the desk and everything but the speakers work. I'm finding I really enjoy having a handy little drawer for pencils, tape, glue and small desk type odds and ends.

Not much happening to write about lately. Easter and Easter break came and went. I managed to get some things done during the break:

1. Cleaned out a lot of email folders and files.

2. Caught up - almost - on crits.

3. Made a list of writing projects I have to do.

4. Wrote a couple of unit studies for the new Gryphon House books. Not as many as I could have but I tried.

5. Read a couple of books.

6. Started some research for the Stepmother book.

7. Worked at getting all of Cattle Rustler into a file. This is turning into quite a project but I'm determined not to give up and quit. I will finish this book.

8. As always my project list outgrew my time span but I did get a few things marked off my list.

We have about eight more weeks or school - or maybe nine - so I need to get a lot of things done before the boys are out for the summer. Am not sure what my writing schedule will look like for the summer ----

Time will tell.

Just in time for another blast of wintry weather, the doll's have their coats! Finished the doll coats for my nieces, Heather and Taylor, about a month ago. Now I'm working on doll p.j.'s. Taylor's coat has a button that reads, Cute as a Button.

Guess it's time to dust off the cobwebs and try to update this blog. I am still working on getting Carol's desk acclimated to the room. Most of the wallpaper is up, the floor is partially varnished and the desk is back against the wall. Have the computer on it and most of the wires woven through the appropriate holes. There's still some work to be done but I'm going to take my time and do it slowly.

Not a whole lot is happening on the writing front. Did finally hear from the editor at History magazine. He bought the Drummer boy article even though he didn't get it in time for the deadline. Something had happened to his email!! Thankfully, he asked me to resend it and the pictures for inclusion in the next issue - which I'm assuming is May.

There was some mixup about the pictures too so I had to resize them in jpeg and send them along. It all came out fine since he bought that article and gave me an assignment for an article on Sybil Ludington for July.

It's nice to have some good writing news as most of it has been rather grim. Didn't win the scholarship to attend ACFW '09 in Denver, then had word today that my entry didn't final in the Sandy Writing Contest. In fact, I haven't even gotten my scoresheets. :(

I did get a rather nice rejection letter from an agent. She didn't feel she could do justice (which was a nice way to put it) to selling my children's book, but asked me to send something else. She did like my writing.

Am not sure I'm not in a writing slump. There seems to be so much to do and not enough time to do it all. Will be glad when school is out.