Late-term pregnancy really kills the drive to write...

Just as my first trimester was marked by complete exhaustion and no writing, these last weeks have also been characterized by me sleeping as much as possible and writing very little. Given my druthers, I would take a nap at 10 am and another at 2 pm. That rarely happens, but this means that I am walking in a fog most of the time.

This isn't to say that I haven't written at all: I banged out a 600 word flash fiction story based on the prompt from the NPR "3-minute story" contest, and I wrote a play review for a local paper. However, I've done nothing toward the BIAM 2010 book, nor have I re-revised or submitted the other two books.

The good news is that the editor of the Salem Weekly like the above play review so much that he's asked me to write more often for them. Heck, yeah. I'll take some freelance work to keep my mind in "drive." I did tell him that my second child is due any minute (literally, though the due date is Nov. 9), but that I definitely wanted to write for him.

So, sleeping has replaced writing and will soon be replaced by infant care. Perhaps by Christmas I'll be in a position to begin writing regularly again. I'm not expecting more than that any time soon, though.

m

Back in the saddle in July!

Summer is finally here! I am finally feeling good! It's time for the summer super-productivity fest!

In case you didn't know, I am 5 months pregnant. I am blaming the first three months of this pregnancy and its associated morning sickness and exhaustion for my appalling lack of productivity this winter and spring. But I am now in the bliss of the second trimester when the hormones have settled and I am not yet so big and uncomfortable that I don't want to work. Hooray months 5, 6, and 7!

June was mostly a bust for me because not only did we have final exams (and pregnancy exhaustion), but the next weekend I was running an alpaca show. Then I slept for a week. But I am back in the saddle for the summer with these ambitious goals:

1. Finish the novel I started in November by August 6...I think it has about 10-20K left in the story
2. The August 6 deadline is because I am going to the Willamette Writers' conference that weekend in PDX
   
3. Polish the set of scripts I have written for a planned online video series for the college library...it is clandestine-ly educational, but really, it's a Scooby Doo farce. It will be filmed in August.
   
4. I am going to teach the "Nanowrimo" class again, this time in Aug/Sept. I want to do the 50K in 30 day challenge again, but since I'll have a newborn in November, I don't think I'll make 50K that month. I'm not sure I'll write a word that month, actually. Anyone want to join me in my August Nano challenge?
   
5. Catch up with short story re-submissions
   

Does anyone have any advice for the writers' conference? I've never been to one before. I should have two finished novels, plus a finished screenplay or two to market, but I didn't sign up for any one-on-one meetings with editors or agents (though I think there may be an opportunity to do so later). I'd be happy to just waddle around and go to seminars, but I'd be happier if someone were introduced to my writing and took an interest in it. I'll be there on Friday and Saturday.

I have no news on the submission front. The novel is either languishing in slush piles or someone is eagerly trying to get it sold to their marketing team; either way, no news is good news. I haven't caught up with the short story submissions yet...that's another to do for July.

I wrote almost 2,000 words on the novel and 20 pages of script in June, most of that in the last week. I'm taking any little victory at this point.

That's all for now.
m