Another month come and gone.

How’d I do?

• Revise an old story to submit to Swords v. Cthulhu
• Finish revising a previously drafted story
• Draft a new short story.
• Clean my office

Two solid months in a row! I knew that last goal would be a tricky one to complete–believe me, it was down to the wire. I’m just glad I didn’t say I was going to re-organize my office. It needs that too, but I’ll settle for being able to walk around again. To give you an idea of the state of things, I found a birthday card from seven years ago, and an anniversary card from ten years ago.

Evidently, I’m a pack rat.

::cough:: Hoarder ::cough::

Okay, we’re not quite at hoarder levels at Thunder Road HQ. Yet. Never fear, steps are being taken.

I always, always forget that February only has 28 days (yes, I’m aware of leap years). You’d think after so many trips around the sun, that fact would stick, but every time I set a deadline in February, the 26th rolls around and I’m like, “Lots of time to finish.” ::sees calendar:: “NOPE. NOPE. NOPE. SHIT.”

This year wasn’t as bad as many previous when it came to February’s surprise ending, but a variety of non-writing factors still kicked my butt for most of the month. I’d reached the point where I wasn’t sure I would get anything accomplished. So I feel pretty good about what got done.

Looking at my handy new words per day tracking sheet, I drafted just under 15000 words for the month, way down from January, but I was expecting that. I usually have a bit of a comedown after submitting a large project. Two short stories out on submission in two months; one brand new, one a revision of an old story I’d only submitted once. A new story nearly nearly ready to go out the door (I finished my revisions, but I had an idea after the fact, thanks to my writing group, that would cut 1000 more words and I want to mull the notion over before I hit send). I finished a draft on another new story, but I was ear-marking it for a specific anthology and I’ve since heard that the editor has pulled the anthology from the publisher. I was sorry to hear that, but at the same time, I’m not sure I’d have been able to get this piece ready in time for the deadline. I was aiming for an existential horror tone, but so far it comes across as a bad faux-literary wankfest. I’m going to try again and add monsters. Which is a good plan for any occasion really.

So that was February. What’s on deck for March?

• Reread one of my novel WiPs to refamiliarize myself with a work that I’ve been mostly ignoring since the summer.
• Finish a comic script I’ve been noodling on.
• Finish drafting that novella I’ve been noodling on.

That should keep me busy. What are you up to?

Write on!