Tag Archives: shortstory

ROW80 check in 10-30-2011

Posted on October 30, 2011 | 7 comments

Here were my goals and stats for this week:

1:  Decide on the beginning on my novel

Thanks everyone who took the poll.  Results were 77% for Stuck in a closet, and 23% for fruit throwing.  This actually made me feel good, because I was leaning toward “Stuck”.  I am going to review all the comments now, and spruce up “stuck” a bit before I officially place it in the manuscript.

2:  Finish my short story – First draft done.  My first short story in over eight years.  Yeah for me!

3:  Do at least one, maybe two “Manuscript Rejection” lessons on my blog – Squeezed the second on in last night.  Done

4:  Begin editing 19,000 words from my novel- Glad my goal was just to “begin”.  150 pages are edited, and I am only down about 200 words.  That’s a little scary because “stuck in a closet” is actually longer than the current beginning.  Erghhhh.

This week’s goals:

1.  Re-vamp “Stuck in a closet” and finally insert it into my manuscript.

2.  Try to attend a “Getting published” seminar on Tuesday as long as it doesn’t snow again.

3.  Host a session for my writer’s group on how to build a successful blog. (Still shaking my head that they asked me.)

4.  Try to work out at least once (I think I might have to count Trick or Treating to get this done-That’s 1/2 mile of walking)

5.  Cut 1,000 words out of my manuscript

6.  Start a beta read that I have been sitting on (Sorry, J)

7.  Do one regular blog, and two ROW Check-ins.

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ROW 80 Check in 10-26-2011

Posted on October 26, 2011 | 12 comments

What a week!  And it’s only Wednesday!

I actually finished the first draft of my short story.  It ended up at 2,259 words.  I originally wanted it for a writing contest that was 1500 words.  I could probably cut it down, but I would lose the feel and emotion of the story, so I guess this contest is out for me.  Stinky.  Anyone know of any 2500 word short-story contests?

My Beta-Buddy Jenny Keller Ford won first place for her short story “Baby” on the Midlife Collage Writers contest.  She was also a semi-finalist for Brenda Drake’s  Can you leave us breathless” contest.  Be sure to scoot over to her site and give her a cyber high-five.  She’s on a roll!

No, I was not a finalist in the “breathless” contest.  I read just about every entry.  I was the only middle grade story, so I was not surprised.  I couldn’t compete with sensual kissing, demons, death, gore, drugs, and murder.  Nope, even I will not do that to my kids J.    No biggie.  As usual, I learn something from every contest.  I think I even picked up some new followers from this one “Hi guys!”  I actually enjoyed reading a lot of those entries.  There are a lot of talented people out there.

Jury’s still out on the 50 word synopsis contest.  That one’s being judged by an agent… still holding my breath on that one.  HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT is more up the right alley for that contest.

Ugh.  The bad news.  I started out with 119,567 words in my novel, and I wanted to cut it down to 100,000.  Well…  Sigh. I was doing really great until I hit about page 100.  I had to remove an unnecessary POV and change it to the MC.  In the first draft, the character looks up and sees the MC doing something supernatural.  It was quick, it was easy.  Now, the MC has to feel it, experience it, all from within this huge encompassing scene.  Honestly, I really like how it is coming out.  There is much more feeling.  HOWEVER… now I have 119,845 words.  And that’s after 100 pages of editing done already!  Ugh.  I am in trouble.

Still not daunted!  Trucking along!

Jennifer Eaton

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