Bhagwan @ Large

Out the Door

The biggest, and most effective tool in separating amateur and professional writers is the submissions process. Historically, it involved typing (or causing to be typed) query letters, manuscripts, securing postage for both legs of the trip, and then months of waiting for hypothetical response most likely to be a rejection letter.

I have done all these things. I have agonized over novel summaries, outlines, formatting, postage, and my own quite inadequate handwriting on the envelope itself. I have checked the email every day for a year, waiting to see a letter justifying my efforts.

Tonight, I submitted three short stories within 20 minutes of one another, using exactly the same technology I needed to write them. I researched paying markets, guidelines, did final edits, and then sent my digital children out into the ether in hopes of success. I used previous rejection letters to narrow my attacks on the editors’ sensibilities, and my own opinions on what those pieces were supposed to say, and what they actually convey tot eh hypothetical reader.

In short, I wrote. I haven’t done that in some time, other than quick story treatments and brainstorming. This fall’s convention circuit has re-instilled in me my biggest failing as a writer.

Apathy.

It is so blindingly easy to send work out into the world, there is no excuse for my stable of stories not to be circulating at all times. If they are not being submitted, clearly there is something wrong with either them, or with me.

And I think they’re pretty good.

So tomorrow, I’ll be selecting more homes for more pieces. I’ll be collecting feedback on other stories in preparation for other submissions, and maybe I’ll even dip into the brown notebook for another piece of low-hanging fruit.

Or, and this is crazy talk here, I could continue work on the two novels also not being submitted right now.

Occupying Apathy is not a way to end the tyranny of procrastination. It’s time to move on, move out, and move up in the world.

It’s time to write.

in the deep, dark night-time of night

So we have moved. In a new bed which was not cheap, in a new neighborhood which is similarly priced, I still have problems getting and staying asleep. Be it pain, cramps, cold, racing mind, or whatever, it’s two shifts at least a night for me.

Tonight, that first shift was from 10 PM to 3 AM. quite possibly the best non-drunken slumber in quite some time. In one or two hours, I will (hopefully) wake up from the next one, and get myself ready for a day of creatively creating.

Saturday’s party was magic. Much like the theater, it all worked out, for some reason no-one understands. The ground floor was open and accessible to all, the backyard grill area worked to perfection, and the rain held off until the sun set and most grownups were either home in bed or inside drinking from big kid glasses. Many thanks to all that attended, especially those what brought wine. Post party tally shows I have nearly doubled the available bottles here, which is good because the party has much in common with the bed and neighborhood.

I also have no leftovers, you crazed locusts. Two pieces of chicken and a box of veggie burgers somehow survived the swarm, which is awesome because someone else brought the chicken. It would seem I properly estimated the available food exactly, or it could be that y’all were very kind and considerate regarding the MEAT situation.

I take it back. There is still half a bag of GIANT MARSHMALLOWS, waiting to be artfully melted at our next gathering. Stay tuned.

It feels oddly strange and satisfying to have paid the rent 11 days early. It feels doubly so to be “broke” on the day one gets paid, and then to see a large sum of money still there in one’s account waiting to be whisked away in 11 days’ time. One of our overly aggressive party purchases was returned Sat. morning, but those funds will not return until sometime today. Now more than ever I am happy to have paid down all credit cards before heading to Hawaii in May. Much of our move “lives” there at the moment, and my desire to no longer possess that debt is the prime factor in my inability to buy a cup of coffee this week.

Yes. The above statement does indeed mean I had >MORE< money before I got paid last week. go figure. On the bright side, I “found” quite a bit of it sitting in front of other people at a chip-renting game session last week. Things look good for another such session, especially since it’s now a self-sufficient bus ride away from my house.

Not paying 5bux a day for the bus next month will be awesome. Just saying. Last time I checked, that’s 8 days away. Also, twice the price of store-bought coffee beverages. I have coffee here, coffee at work, and the knowledge that I probably shouldn’t drink coffee so much.

Wheeee!

Time to pretend at sleep, so that this morning I may pretend at competence. Hope the day (or the night) holds more success for you.