Writing in Public: Month 5 in Review

Well, I didn’t keep up with the posting as much as I would have liked (At all, in other words), but I did manage to keep up with the challenge. While not as productive a month as I would have liked, two submissions were made and a third was missed (But will be finished the first week of September). They are:

“Common Cause” – 2,980 word short story set in the Wendigo Universe and submitted to Third Flatiron Publishing’s “Abbreviated Epics” Anthology.

“You Are My Brothers” – 2,400 word excerpt of a 30,000 word novella set in the Soul Weaver Universe and submitted to Tor.com’s Imprint publication line (22,000 words completed as of this post).

“Fire with Fire” – 6,000 word short story set in the Soul Weaver Universe and intended for Crossed Genre’s “Destruction” themed issue, but is general enough that it could be submitted anywhere accepting fantasy (3,000 words completed as of this point).

My plan for September through the end of the year is to write at least six short stories a month, in addition to a novelette-length work and to complete at least a portion of a novel, be it outlining, writing, or editing. For September through November, the plan is to do a rewrite of the

Total Fiction for Month: 48,023

Total Salable for Month: 5,380

Total Fiction for Challenge Year: 201,627

Total Salable for Challenge Year: 44,394

Writing in Public: Day 1, Month 5

And we’re off! I had some unplanned distractions during the day, so my actual short story writing was below what I intended, but that was all right. Between outlining and writing it came to be close to 4,000 words. I mostly finished with the rough draft of the Abbreviated Epic story, so tomorrow I should be able to get started on the revised draft. I say “should” because weekends are always odd. When I think there’ll be time it turns into a day of chores and errands and other stuff that ultimately is not writing.  It’s much easier to maintain a routine during the work week, I guess.

In any event, here are the actual numbers for the day:

  • Blog Posts: 000
  • Planning and outlining: 1,422
  • Short Fiction: 2,450
  • Novel Fiction: 000
  • Salable words: 000

Total Fiction for Month: 2,450

Total Salable for Month: 000

Total Fiction for Challenge Year: 156,054

Total Salable for Challenge Year: 36,034

“Harmonious Bedlam” Accepted by Fictionvale!

I am in the middle of working on an “abbreviated epic” for the upcoming Third Flatiron Publishing anthology, and I happened to notice a new message in my inbox. It was from Venessa Giuntas, Editor-in-Chief over at Fictionvale Magazine. Fictionvale has graciously accepted my fantasy short story “Harmonious Bedlam” for Episode 5 of the magazine, due out this upcoming November. My thanks to her and to Fictionvale for the opportunity to submit, and for the acceptance!

Another of my works, “Mechanicis Solis”, will be published by Fictionvale later this month in Episode 4. Venessa and I have worked back and forth on editing the story and it has been transformed into a much, much better piece than the one I originally submitted. I learned quite a lot from that one story, and so I am looking forward to repeating the process with “Harmonious Bedlam.”

Once again, thank you to Venessa! I look forward to working with you again.