Second Draft and Short Stories

So I'm on a second draft and I don't know how to stop. I read through the draft, made notes and then from the beginning, I started editing. Unlike previous works, I did a very detailed outline before draft one and it served me well in D2. I didn't have a lot of plot to fix. So I started shaping paragraphs and now I'm doing more nitty gritty. By gritty, I mean I'm doing lots of find it searches for words I know I use over much and for other "lazy writing" such as I saw, I felt, I heard... And so on. But I'm wearing thin. In the past second drafts I just did a go through and stopped when I got to the end. There was no nitty gritty until  at least draft 3, probably more like 4. I have Googled the snot out of second drafts but to be honest there just isn't a lot out there about it and knowing when to let it sit. So I'm going on instinct. I think I'm going to let it go, give it to my beta reader and breathe. It sure doesn't help I'm feeling the itch to get back to some unfinished stuff :)

As for short stories, last night I decided I needed to enter a contest and/or submit to publish a short story. I'm hoping to get some feedback on my writing or get something short published. This morning I was more realistic and acknowledged this is not an easier path to publication than the one I'm on. It is just a different path. But may be, just maybe I'll take a gander, meander a little ways, at least until where the path curves and I can see what's around the corner.
Never give up.

Beyond the Writing

Just like every other writer, I have a life beyond my writing. So here's a flash:
Bullet journaling?!?? More question marks for a reason. I've just heard about this and I'm going to try it, emphasis on try. Here's the thing, I'm not good at journaling, but bullet journaling is different. From what I've read, it's basically making you're own very personalized planner that is also a journal... Of sorts ;) I'm going to try it because I've sort of been doing this, but all spread out. I have the calendar on my phone that I use for appointments and things of that nature. I usually write a list of things I'd like to accomplish daily. I have a white board I fill out every week with my weekly schedule + goals for the week/tracking generi. Tasks( did I give the dog her pill today? Did I wash hockey gear yet?) I have a list on my phone of books I'd like to read. I've got pics on my phone of books I saw in the store that I'd like to read. So you see, I'm all spread out. Calendar-wise I like this because I feel like the more I write stuff down the less likely I am to forget. But I really like the idea of looking back and seeing that I have been productive or maybe that I haven't and it will kick start me. I'm afraid I'm just adding one more step, but may be not. May be it will work.

I've been busy with life! And it's stopped me from writing. I've been visiting/socializing and my girls naps have been happening when/where I'm not able to write.

Friday I spent the day looking out for the dogs that attacked one of my heifers, getting meds for said heifer(who's name is Luna!) and then trying to treat her unsuccessfully. Today was a success so I'm feeling better about her.
I'm on at least my third week of obsessively trying to watch all the reruns I can of The Big Bang Theory.
My wee girl has been sleeping like crap! So I'm not sure why I'm here and not asleep. I need to go to sleep.
That is all!

Breaks

Breaks happen, sometimes by choice and sometimes not. I often fall behind on writing when my husband is home after traveling for work. There always seems to be so much to do and that is on top of enjoying my time with him. In this case it didnt hurt me like it sometimes does. Sometimes guilt overwhelms me. And then I feel guilty for feeling guilty! And sometimes it hurts because I wasn't writing. It's not about the lack of productivity, it's because I need to write. But this time it was ok to take a break. And today I sat back down and worked on a d2 and it felt good. I know it's not perfect and I know it's not "done" but it still felt good. For the first time I'm considering handing over a 2D to a reader. I have never done that. It's always been D4. Brave new world! Stepping out on a limb! Living on the edge! :) sorry, gotta little crazy there.
Keep on!

Second draft

There's just not a whole lot different going on. I'm nearing the end of my second draft of R and I've slowed down. It's a combination of life and lack of motivation. There's nothing wrong with the story. I'm not afraid there's something missing or something big to be fixed. This is something to do with me.
Good news, cause I can't leave on a negative note... I still have feelings for a story I left unfinished in 2015. I do believe I'll come back to it as soon as I'm done with this second draft.
Trudging through like a deep dark winter night becaus to stop is to die.

A sigh of relief....

Okay, I didn't really breathe a sigh of relief but I definetly felt relief! I can force a story and I can sludge through the mud of drudgery but I also need those moments(I don't dare ask for more) of feeling the inspiration and knowing that I'm on the right track. I set aside a story that I had been working on because I was afraid I was beating a dead horse. I still longed for the story to go on but there were no moments.
I just had a moment!
I'm still going to let the story rest because I'm editing a different story that I am also having feelings for ;) but it is a relief to have two stories still "there" for me.
Don't give up!

Slow Going

Some things perpetually move slow, like editing.
In the far reaches of the back of my mind I am slogging out the background of the fantasy story I've got brewing.  I just know it has to be there, even if it's sketchy, for me to move forward with the story.
So the fantasy feels like slogging through mud.
Other troubles include a teething, snotty, whiny toddler and a high strung six year old.
So this horse didn't break out of the starting gate running.  That's ok because as long as I'm moving I'm headed in the right direction.
On a positive note I sent out ten more query letters!
Keep on keeping on!

Recap/What's up Now/Coming Soon

2015 is done and over, but not forgotten. I've accomplished a lot more than I ever thought I could. I've certainly not reached my ultimate goal of having an agent and getting published, so I'm constantly reminding myself of what I have done. Which is...
I have consistently wrote on my blog all year! Quite frankly this is more of a journal than a way to entertain anyone. I write as though someone might read it(ha!) because this is the internet after all, but mostly I'm doing it for myself. It's a good way to reflect and plan and vomit emotions about how I'm feeling about my writing journey.
I have "finished" a novel.
I have begun querying agents for above novel.
I have completed in the shortest time ever, for myself,a first draft.
I have written half of another first draft.
I have started editing my fastest first draft.
I have done some brainstorming and world building for another novel.
I wrote the first chapter or so of the above mentioned novel.
I have allowed myself the creative freedom to: stop in the middle of a 1st draft and let it sit,
stop editing to tease out the beginnings of another story, or in other words be more flexible.

     What's up now? The fantasy story of which I've written just a bit of is like smoke in the wind. I know the grand overall three word description but the rest solidifies randomly.  This story will take more world building than I've ever done before. Because of that fact, I am super grateful that A) I've become more flexible with starting and stopping a project even if it's not at an official stopping point(aka the end of a draft) and B that I have other stories to work on in the mean time.
I have the very beginnings of a second draft for my fastest written 1st draft.
I have an incomplete first draft that needs finished.

      My goals for 2016 are to:
1. Finish my incomplete first draft
2. Finish the 2nd draft of my fastest first draft
3. Query a total of  100 agents for the novel I finished in 2015
4. Tease out some sort of plot for my fantasy novel.
5. I would love to write at least half of a first draft for my fantasy.
I have to be realistic though. This year I will probably go back to work. I'm currently job hunting. These are lofty goals for a stay at home mom, let alone a working mom. I'm not going to sacrifice my family. And I'm not going to sacrifice this creative flexibility I've found.
Keep on keeping on! Reflect, set goals and be flexible!