One Ending is Another Beginning

Thesis Diary 24 April-2May

I’m away from the comforts of my desk and writing this without my normal outline. Yes, I actually put together a short outline for these posts.

This is the transition post.

This is the moment we change up to full time writing, but first we have to talk about last week.

School and Writing

They are the two staples of my life. Or at least they were.

School and my MFA are officially over as of Sunday, May 2, 2021. The conferral date is months away, but the degree and the credits are mine.

In my last post I mentioned having trouble with revision due to a lack of beta readers, of insight. I have since fixed the problem, and perhaps forestalled it happening again.

I not only set up a beta reader for my Thesis Novel, but I also worked out an exchange program with another writer for my new novel.

Which is a nice segue into the second topic.

The New Novel

I will admit to getting off to a weak start. But in my defense, I am still working on the structure and outline of the book. And I also spent the weekend away. It was my choice to give up prime writing time. But hey, I still managed to get in 1600+ words on the new book.

This also means that these posts will now be about word counts and accountability again.

As to my exchange program. I think this is a great idea and I worked it out during last weekend. Right after I made the previous post for this blog.

Thinking it through I realized that I have a LOT of writer friends. And while I don’t ask them for help… offering an exchange of help/accountability could be a great idea. I simply looked for another writer who was struggling with their word goals and who was about to start a new project.

We then agreed that each week we’d exchange what we’d written and give it a quick workshop. I don’t know how good my partner is at workshopping (I unfortunately didn’t get much interest from my college friends), but at the point any feedback will be great.

The other part of this is the fact that we have to produce words every week. We exchange NEW pages every week.

Other Writing

I have my final edits on an article that I’m looking to place. I’ll have that polished and finished by the time this is live on the website. I have a list of 5 magazines I want to try out for. I will of course share the rejections on here. That is the point of these posts. To share my journey with you.

I kind of regret calling these my thesis diaries… I might have to start a new name. The thesis book is written, it still needs a final revision and then the queries and the sales push. But the rest of these posts are going to be about other novels, essays, and gaming materials. And if I finally sell the thesis novel, it won’t be called the thesis novel. Also, I will have fully moved on from it.

Eh, it’s only a name. The point is what matters.

The Week Ahead

So, this is the first week with zero school work.

As this post goes live on Monday morning I will already by 2+ hours into my writing session. Hopefully I will have finished my prologue and moved into the first chapter of the novel. I then plan to finish the final edits on that article and submit it to the first of five magazines.

The goals for the rest of the week:

1. I am trying for 2-4000 words per weeks right now, I intend to go higher later.
2. I need to finish all of those query letters that I’ve been putting off. I’m supposed to have sent 2 batches already and I never sent the first.
3. I have painting work that must be done and shipped by Thursday.
4. I have a podcast to record on Thursday.
5. I need to continue the journal for Strahd.

All of that is also not accounting for work and life issues.

Well… as I’m still far from home as I write this… I have to get to other things.

The next month see should see a lot happening. With the new novel and hunting an agent and all the other work I have planned.

Hope you all stay on.