2014 in Writing

So…I’m looking at the Submission Grinder, and I’m discovering that I submitted 11 shorter works 53 times last year. I’m looking at Query Tracker, and I’m discovering that I hit 52 new agents with Abigail Rath. This year I rewrote a novella (which still needs another rewrite), wrote a new novel and have revised it almost 3 times, and wrote six new short stories.

I had several stories held for upper tier consideration, second and even third looks. I had some requests for full manuscripts.

I made my first professional sale. Blatant plug: Buy The Mammoth Book of Dieselpunk when it comes out in July. You know you want to. Or maybe you know I want you to, if we get all Freudian about it.

***

What can I take from this? Well, in no particular order

1. I worked really, really hard at producing writing this year.
2. Revising is a lifestyle.
3. I am a submitting machine.

Now, in terms of controlling what I could, I did good. 🙂 I would have liked more sales, or an agent. I would have liked to have finished The Poison of thy Flesh in terms of having it ready to send out. But I look at the amount I’ve done, and I can’t say that I really did a lot of procrastinating. Nope. Productive is my middle name this year.

***

Where am I at in my quest to gain the extra 6K I need to get my 10K Outliers hours? Yes, I am still on my quest to get those 10K hours that Malcolm Gladwell suggests to master an art. I’ve been at it for 4 years, and this year my magic number has totaled 2232. I wrote 516 dedicated hours last year, fewer than the first 2 years, but about the same as last year. That I did all the above in 516 hours makes me feel pretty good.

***

So, in 2015? Well, I’m going to get Poison smooth, get its supporting materials in great shape, and send it out. I’ll be visiting two pitch conferences in addition to all the queries by mail. My goal to produce a short a month will continue, and it’s still my hope to get a serial up on Patreon.

After Poison, I’ll be ripping into that weredog novella again, and then I’m thinking I will revisit the trolls in Decorah YA. Then, on to the second Klarion book. Plans of course can change.

***

How about you? What are you up to? What do you hope for in 2015?

Author: Catherine Schaff-Stump

Catherine Schaff-Stump writes fiction for children and young adults. Her most recent book, The Vessel of Ra, is the first book in the Klaereon Scroll series. She is currently working on its sequel, as well as penning the middle grade adventures of Abigail Rath, monster hunter.

One thought on “2014 in Writing”

  1. I love this post and find it inspiring. I hadn’t thought of writing in relation to Outliers hours. Very cool! It does take years and years, doesn’t it. Happy 2015 to you and I wish you the best and all your dreams to come true!

    Shari

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.