Weeks of Writing: 5/25/20 to 6/7/2020

This post covers a couple of weeks of writing endeavors. Here’s how I did.

New Look

Instead of the usual quote I put here, I figured I’d talk about the obvious. You certainly noticed the new logo and new look for the site. I’ve been wanting to change things up for a while, so I started working with a graphic designer (Erik Nowak, an old friend and colleague of mine) and, well, this is the result. Okay, so why the change? Two reasons:

1. Promotion. I started this blog with a two-fold mission. The first was to relate my experiences in the publishing industry and by doing so help other writers navigate submissions, rejections, and all that jazz. The second was to, well, have an author site and promote my own writing. In short, the old site was a bit better at the former than the latter, and I’d like them to be on equal footing. Hence the rebranding to “Aeryn Rudel’s Rejectomancy.” I know, crazy to put your actual name on your own author site, huh? Anyway, this doesn’t mean the content of the blog is going to change much. I’ll still do all the rejectomancy stuff I’ve always done (it’ll just look snazzier), but the new site says “Hey, folks, let me share my writing and submitting experiences with you” AND ” Hey, folks, look I’m an author with stuff you can read.”
2. Five years. Next month marks five years since I started the blog, and I figured it was time for a new look. Not that I didn’t like the old look, but in addition to the reasons in my first point, it was time to shake things up. I also have a better handle on what my blog is about, and the new look and logo reflect that.

The Novel

I had a productive couple of weeks with Hell to Play, and I added over 16,000 words to the first draft. That puts my over the 50,000-word mark and past the halfway mark (I expect the first draft to be in the 90,000-word range). If I continue at this pace, I should have a first draft in a month and change. I like where the book is going, and I have a clear path through the second and third acts. As I write, the things I’m noting that need to be addressed in subsequent drafts are little but very important details of my world and its mythology, character motivations, and working character backstory into the novel in an organic and believable way. You know, easy stuff! 😉 I’m averaging about 8,000 words per week. My usual pace is 10,000, but that’s just not how it’s working out right now for a lot of reasons, and I’m okay with that.

Short Story Submissions

Two decent weeks on the submission front.

• Submissions Sent: 4
• Rejections: 5
• Acceptances: 1
• Publications: 0
• Shortlist: 0

I sent two subs per week over the last two weeks, which gives me 44 for the year. I’ll need to send out another 5 o 6 submissions in June to keep pace for 100, but I don’t think that’ll be difficult. The rejections were mostly form rejection, though two were higher-tier. The acceptance is from The Arcanist. I sold my story “Outdoor Space” to them, which will be published next month. That gives me 8 acceptances for the year. A good pace, and hopefully one I can continue.

Microfiction

Trying to get back on the ol. microfiction train, and I did write some last week. Here they are. The micro from June 2nd is probably the best of the three, but I got a giggle out of June 1st, mostly because I’ve been looking at a lot of property listings lately.

6/1/20

For sale: Seaside cottage near Innsmouth, MA. Enjoy panoramic views of newly risen R’lyeh from your living room. Open the windows for the ocean breeze and the croaking supplication of the master’s spawn. Leave your sanity behind at this #littoral getaway! Cthulhu Fhtagn! 

6/2/20

Mrs. Hubbard grew #hydrangeas and gave them as gifts. White flowers for weddings, blue for birthdays, yellow for funerals. She gave red ones too, but not often. Pete Dawson got red ones after his wife, Beth, went to the hospital. Again. She got yellow ones a week later.

6/3/20

Dan was a mean son of a bitch, but he had to get good and drunk to fight. He called six slugs of cheap whiskey his #potvalor, whatever that means. All I know is once he had a belly full of rotgut his Colt Navies filled enough pine boxes to make the undertaker a rich man.

Goals

Keep chugging away on the novel at the same pace. Also, as always, send more submissions, and maybe finish a new story to facilitate the more submissions.

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That was my writing week(s). How was/were yours?