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Monday, December 28, 2009

Mentally Ill Cats and Multitasking

I've been dealing with both. We thought for sure our poor kitty was nearing her last breath: hadn't eaten or taken water in nearly a week, was in perpetual hiding, breathing was shallow and rapid. We finally flushed her out of hiding and got her to the vet. Several hours & dollars later, we hear the verdict: cat is perfectly fine, she's just suffering a feline form of PMS. Might need some anti-anxiety medication.

I guess it's true that pets take after their owners.... :-P

But now that I can rest more easily knowing only a hefty dose of Midol is needed for kitty, I have more time to worry about my own issues. Like, when am I ever going to finish another one of the many manuscripts on my hard drive. The three shorter ones that I did finish have all been published, so shouldn't I try to something longer? After all, the last couple of rejections I received for one of them all said the same thing: this one is too short for us, but please send us something longer. They said they liked my writing - just needed to see more of it. Longer, more developed. Sigh...

However, I want to work on an idea I have for Samhain's Steampunk Anthology. These characters have been knocking on my door for weeks, and I'm on my last round of edits with the one coming out with Cobblestone, so I should be good to go, right? But... but those other editors... they were so encouraging. Shouldn't I jump on that first, before they forget they requested more material? Shouldn't I hurry and finish one of those novels for them? What's a gal to do?

Edie Ramer had a post about the various characters going in and out of her life this past year, and it was great. Shana Galen also has an article about when it's a good time to cheat on your books. (In truth, just like every other rationalizing cheater, I want people to tell me it's ok if I hang with several characters at a time.) ;)

So, what about you? Are you a faithful or a fickle writer?

10 comments:

  1. It's too funny that you quoted me. I'm being faithful to my WIP characters now. I'm past the halfway mark, and on the way home. And it feels good!

    You do what feels best for you to do. For whatever reason, shorter seems to be working for you right now. Later, you might want to write longer. Unless someone is offering you money, do what feels right.

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  2. "Unless someone is offering you money, do what feels right."

    LOL - Edie, I like your attitude! Congratulations on nearing the end of your WIP.

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  3. Fickle! Well, faithful. It depends on the money situation. :-)

    WRITE, Kate! You've got good stories to tell!

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  4. Thanks, Natasha. I'm still trying to decide which one to commit to. :) So many stories, so little time...

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  5. Hey hon!! :-D

    Knowing me and my writing style, I'm as fickled as they come. I jump from project to project depending upon which one sings to me first.

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  6. Marcia!!!!! :)

    With your Little Bit around now, I would imagine you have to take whatever writing spurts you can get. :)

    Happy New Year, Everyone!

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  7. I'd love to say do what feels good, but if I did that myself, I doubt I'd ever sit down to continue a story. Write about what you love, that's what I tell middle school students all over the country. Everything I've written has come from a passionate place in my soul. That helps me focus when the world is pulling me in a hundred directions at once. HNY also!

    Kevin Gerard
    http://www.conorandthecrossworlds.com

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  8. Thanks for stopping by, Kevin. :)

    So... what I'm hearing is: are you smarter than a middle-schooler? ;) Good advice, thanks.

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  9. I'm an unhinged, over-the-top Art School Chick style of writer-- deeply, madly, passionately in love, while the affair lasts. When it's done I don't look back...

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  10. LOL, love it, Steve. I can see that in you. ;)

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