A bit of a sensible writerly blog post today - so, as usual with my chosen "career", this means some good news and some not so...
First the good because it's cheered me up no end. My lovely editor has responded to my cries of desperation and extended the Moonshine deadline until the end of February. Yay!!! I now have FOUR whole weeks to finish it - and I WILL!!! You have no idea(or maybe you have...) what a relief this is. I'm so happy!!! Because I write in a sort of muddle (no? really?) and don't plot or plan, it isn't just a question of having to type stuff up - it's got to come out of my head, down my fingers and on to the keyboard first.
However, the book is already written in my head, the sort of rough fuzzy framework is actually down on paper (well, on the screen) and the research is done. All I needed was enough time to pull it all together into book-shape. And now I've got it. So - a huge THANK YOU to Emma for not screaming, swearing, spitting (at least, not in my hearing) or sacking me on the spot as the most useless author that ever lived...
Moonshine is now romping ahead and I'm smiling.
And the bad writerly news - well, should have known really... The long short story commissioned by Woman's Weekly which I abandoned Moonshine to write-and-send in the hope it would bring in some much-needed money, has been rejected. Now, I honestly don't expect to sell everything I sub - I've been writing short stories for long enough not to expect that, nor do I have any sort of over-inflated opinion of my abilities, BUT I'm so miffed because I wrote exactly what I was asked to write: 5-6,000 words, humorous, another one in the series of my odd childhood tales. I really liked Take Your Partners - but sadly, WW didn't. They said "nothing original here", "some nice touches but not enough for us to use it", "this one isn't suitable for us" etc etc.
With hindsight, I've worked out that I've not sold anything to WW since their editorial changes and their fiction guidelines altered - and they published nearly everything I subbed before - soooo, I can only surmise that I'm not now what they're looking for, and I've decided I'm going to give them a miss for a while. I've still got about 5 ordinary shorts that they've rejected, and the three-parter serial (also asked for) - and most of them certainly can't go anywhere else as they are and I don't have time to rewrite them for other markets until Moonshine is out of the way. This has given me a sulky face and a full-on disgruntled pout....
Anyway, on the glass half full side, I've got my extended deadline which is far more important at the moment, so that'll give me a happy smiley face soon - pretty damn soon... but in the meantime I'm a sulky, flouncing, grrr-ing rejected dejected writer...
Buggeration!!!!! (as my mum used to say)
21 comments:
Good news on the extended deadline :-)
WW regularly reject my stories. At least I'm in good company!
Fantastic news on the extension Chris! Can't wait to read it!
That's annoying with WW, specially since they asked you for it! Like you say, maybe it's time to leave them for a while. xx
Tam - Thanks so much! I'm so glad I'm not alone!!!! But it still makes you go grrrr evry time they say no, doesn't it???
Mummy - yes, it's a big Moonshine phew from me too! It's a shame about WW - but I guess I'm just not writing what they want to publish any more - sob!!!
Oh, thank goodness, Chris! Now do not, repeat DO NOT, rest on your laurels. Remember, we are all waiting to read it!
And I can guess which Emma you mean and yes she is lovely.
PS - word verification 'pyric' ! Sound as if it's a book-and-a-half behind to me.
Their loss, Chris. xx
Thrilled for you that your deadline has been extended.
I'm not at all surprised you're miffed with WW, especially after they requested it in the first place.
jan - not resting on anything - promise!!!! Just so bloody relieved and writing like - er - well, wrting very, very fast!!! pyric? - hmmm - me too!!!
debs - win some, lose some - think me and WW are just not suited at the mo. And off topic - have you got SNOW too?????
mummy - bless you. I think so too!!!
Glad Emma has helped you out, Chris - it's in her own interests to do so really, isn't it! Hope that really gives you the extra impetus to finish the book.
As for WW: I'm in exactly the same situation with them. When I was writing short stories before, they accepted lots from me, and Gaynor and Claire are lovely - but I just can't get it right with them any more! Having said that, I'm still waiting for verdicts on a couple, and took a chance on sending them the one I wrote last week which I was so pleased with - so it'll probably come crashing back any time now!
The Write Woman - thanks for understanding! Yes, I guess Emma didn't have a lot of choice - and I've spent all day snowed up (lovely!!!) typing like billy-o! Hope you break the WW trend!!! No idea what they're looking for now - will keep everything crossed that they LOVE yours!
So glad your deadline's been extended, Chris. I hope it won't mean we'll have to wait longer to read Moonshine, though!
Hisssss-boo on WW but remember what I think you should do with your childhood tales (when Moonshine's finished, of course).
Snowed in good 'n' proper here. Thank heavens for Crafe-Away
xxPat
P.S. My word verification is sledence, is that a form of sledding/sledging? Is it the only way I'll get out to the shops?
WW reject everything I throw at them as well. I suppose I should try using envelopes and posting instead. Sorry, groan.
Good news re the extended deadline. And after you've completed Moonshine you could edit those WW rejects and try them elsewhere?
We know you can do it - but well done for extending the deadline and geting yourself some breathing space.
Sorry to hear about the rejection. After my 'great writing, great book - no thanks!' moment your frankness made me feel less like The Shunned One!
Pat - thanks heavens for Crafe Away indeed! You've saved (what was left of) my sanity!!! Moonshine still showing on Amazon as available Sept 3rd - find this really amusing... Yes, will organise a proper home for my Prefab Years when Moonshine is finished - promise!!! I do love the verification words - a whole new language???
womag - oh I'm so glad it isn't just me with WW. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely rejig them and try them with new homes as soon as The Bloody Book is finished.
chrisH - still smarting for your rejection though - SO hard to accept when you've put so much time and effort in. DO NOT give up - get it out again and again and again. Hah - I'm a fine one to talk... (still sulking...)
Thanks Chris. I've stopped bleating now, time to dust myself off and berludy get on with it again (but doing a big fat sisterly sulk on your behalf!).
chrisH - love the idea of a sisterly sulk... onwards and - er ???
Excellent news about the deadline extention. Big yay for your lovely editor.
Big boo for the folk at WW though.
Gonna be a writer - thanks! And yep, it's a thumbs up and a thumbs down - which is sort of okay-ish in my life - I think...
Happy for you about the extended deadline, but echo those who hope this doesn't mean we'll have to wait longer for your book.
Re WW - thanks for sharing. It makes us struggling scribblers (or should that be 'we struggling scribblers'?) feel less depressed at our own rejection pile when a popular and established writer like YOU is having work sent back. Definitely their loss, though.
Suzanne - thanks for the lovely post. And no, apparently, Moonshine's schedule is still on track, still with a Sept 3rd publishing date - so unless my fingers drop off or my computer dies again (eeeek! nooo! not that!!!) I'm still on course...
Sorry you're being rejected by WW too. Is ANYONE being accepted by WW these days and if so what are you writing and how do you do it????
Perhaps you could put all of your short stories together in a book, that way we all get to enjoy them :D
I adore the way you write Christina - I smile, laugh and despair with the characters. I would love to be able to read all of your work (especially, your earlier work (Dancing in the Moonlight))
I'm glad that you've got the deadline extension (I hate deadlines!)
Love
Eleanor
Ellesbelles - thanks for the lovely words! Sadly no-one wants books of short stories (unless you're very famous or literary) - and you really DON'T want to read DITM - it's truly AWFUL!!! Back to the dreaded deadline - still hopeful...
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