I thought October was going to let up for me. It hasn’t, but my writing is still going. I revised my “writer” article, and I’m still working on the angle. It isn’t quite right for the message I want to send. I’m also drafting another article (a review) but I’m rereading the book I want to review. I’m working on Alex’s novel crit (and sadly, getting nowhere). I had some medical stuff going on this week, but the good news is that I’m getting around really well now. The toe is healing and the only thing that really bothers me is descending stairs. Oh and running after my two your old son. But, what can I do there?
The other big source of my time is this online conference I’m trying for the first time. Have you heard of Muse?
The Muse Online Writers Conference
I’m blown away by how much there is. I signed up for a flash fiction workshop, and the instructor (an editor) has given assignments every day. I actually wrote a piece of flash fiction and twice revised it. Since Monday. It’s not the best thing I ever wrote, but hey, it’s a start. A friend of mine is running a workshop on description. It’s good stuff, but time consuming. I feel like I can’t do it justice. I don’t like doing this half-assed. So, I’m behind on hers. There’s one on time management the instructor is calling “Book Factory” so you can have time to write multiple books a year. I’m waiting for her to get to the good part. 🙂 And it’s all FREE.
It’s too late to sign up for this year, but it runs every October for a full week. Sign up, and join in next year. Seriously. Did I mention pitch sessions? Yup. None for me this year, but they have ’em.
So what are you waiting for? Go!
DAWN BONANNO 
Hmm, never heard of Muse but it does sound interesting and helpful. I’m sure I would be behind too, if I were attempting it. Those dang two-year-olds just take up so much time, ‘ya know! 🙂 I wonder if a three-year-old will let me have enough time for that next year? I hope you’ll share some of the “good stuff” from Book Factory, I sure could do with some time management tips!
Her basic concenpt was to identify 15 minute increments where you could be writing. She focused on replacing time wasters (email, FB, internet) with 15 minutes of writing, etc. Nothing there seemed to be a big surprise, I think I’m beyond where she could have helped me. Which, is good. Though it was nice to have a reminder. I usually work on the 30 minute principle. 😉
The class I got the most out of was the Flash Fiction class with Jim Harrington from Apollo’s Lyre. I had to write a flash for the class, revised it a bunch of times, and submitted it last night. 🙂 The biggest thing I learned from him is… well, what flash IS. And that he made me sit down ane write one. It started out 300 words, but the final version is out at 700. So, long for flash I guess, but I’m happy with it.