Hello: Is this thing on? Oh... I'm the problem, it's me
It's been a minute. More accurately put, it's been two years and five months since my last post.
Oops.
A quick catchup?
Let's start with a mea culpa. Hold the judgement on this one, though.
Life has gotten in the way. Pandemics and moving, and moving again (and packing and sobbing and battling for home – but it hasn't been all stress and moving so I shouldn't complain). I've been working away (toileting, yet happily so) at my day job. I know not everyone gets to say it, but my work in marketing leading an amazing team of brilliant, caring, vivacious people is rewarding in a multitude of ways. I'm so lucky.
Let's see what else has been going on? Ah, yes, the small task of having a baby and raising a kid in this weird, topsy turvy, everything-is-changing-all-the-time (everything everywhere all at once, ya know what I mean, folks) world.
So yes, I've been busy, y'all. Just like every single person out there in existence.
But I'm still writing. In snippets, in bursts, and sometimes in fragmented thoughts in a notes app or notebook or cloud-connected thing (platform, platform is the word I'm looking for).
And these last five months especially, okay make it six, the writing has kept me company on many nights and mornings, and through the air traveling across the country a few times over, on trains and even while I'm driving as I mull and get inspired. The writing has come. It's more than a blast of snippets and passing ideas. Writing remains a constant, and not just the last four years I've taken writing fiction seriously. I've been a writer my whole life, and I'm confident enough now to admit that. I've learned so much about myself and my ability to adapt since starting this blog, and the writing has fueled me and fed me and made me oh, so, happy.
Exciting updates:
- I applied to and was accepted at the inaugural Generation Women Writers Retreat. I attended the three-day residency in Upstate New York earlier in January 2023 and it was an amazing experience, to say the least about it. (Is it lame to quote myself? I'm going to quote myself). “The gratitude is overflowing. I had the privilege to spend a long weekend swimming in scintillating conversation, sparkling personalities, and beautiful art. I’m floored by the connections we made and the sheer magic that surfaces when we make space for vulnerability, stillness, and each other. Fourteen amazing women helped me come away from this weekend with five new short story ideas, 18K words drafted in my new novel, and what I never knew I always needed: a badass writing community of powerful, brilliant women. Wow. Simply, wow.” So that was amazing. And guess what? Their next one is in March and applications are open. Highly recommend, for women writers working in any genre or format (from screenwriting to short stories, oral storytelling to memoir).
- I finished another book – writing that is. I've finished several reading (thank goodness for work travel that allows me to bask in a few free hours of travel without the beautiful but time-consuming obligations of home). The first draft of a new upmarket fiction novel is now complete, at 99,000 words. So yes, I do need to cut and edit and revise this monstrosity. But all in good time.
- My fiction has been chosen for publication in a cute little indie literary magazine out of Canada. In my esteem, my story that's planned for publication in February 2023 isn't my best one. It wasn't the first one I wrote, but maybe right now it's the most raw and honest and taps into something many people are growing through. I can't wait to share it with you all.
- I'm putting myself out there more – applying to contests, submitting short fiction, sharpening my query letter for my first novel, and even taking on new challenges (storytelling on stage in NYC... coming this spring). I submitted my pitch to the fabulous query critiquing podcast, The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing (seriously give it a listen, it's super helpful and fun). On the social medias (the ones I can stand right now, at least) I'm sharing word counts and photos and takeaways and connecting with my new writing community and old friends who are aspiring writers.
Taking stock like this feels damn liberating. I've finally learned how good it feels to stop judging myself so cruelly. If only there existed a pill – Insecurity Be Gone. No pill can do that (in fact, no pill can make sudden transformations and miracles and transform who you are as a person but that's a diatribe for another day).
Writing life is good. I'm in it. And I'm so happy I didn't give up. And that's the whole secret to this writing thing. Even the notion of trying to get traditionally published (which surprise, has been a big goal of mine). Keep going, keep writing, and the rest is just a velvety Luxardo cherry on top of an already delicious ice cream sundae.
If you're not having fun, what are you writing for?
Until next time!
Quick note: I'm hoping to post at least once a month, setting a reasonable, reachable goal for myself. Along with all the other things tugging at my impatient attention and limited time. Like I said, so grateful for work travel.
