Struggling through a dry spell

I've taken a job in Denver. Keeping the bills paid is priority one. Between the ending of the last contract, which had a hard end date regardless of the preparedness of the project, and the anxiety of finding work out of town, I had little time and even less energy to write much.

I managed to make some contributions to some TaleBait, but not much progress on my own work. To make matters work, I've started a programming project too, writing a book keeping application that I hope will be easy for non-accountants to use.

It's not so much writers block, as it is a lack of ambition. I've contacted a nearby community college by email which was immediately replied. I may have found some resources here to network with and find some enthusiasm again.

There is a conference in New York this coming January which includes something called Pitch Slam. Pitch Slam puts you in a room where you can pitch your books to as many of the 50 agents as you can in the allotted time. You get 90 seconds to make your pitch, and 90 seconds for them to respond, then move on, like speed dating. I imagine a zillion authors in long lines. I'll have to think about this one.

Got a phone call from WL asking if I was ready to accept their joint venture offer. I told them that whatever my plans were, it didn't include them. It amazes me how a business with as bad a reputation as their's prefers to prey on people instead of cleaning up their act and going legitimate.

Ultimatum

It's been eight weeks since I sent my manuscript, and 15 days since I asked the agent for her intentions. Today I sent a final email stating that if I receive no response, I will assume she has lost interest. I need to move on.

Meanwhile, I asked my sister to test the first two chapters (still first drafts) of The Diva of Mud Flats. I simply wanted to know if it was interesting enough to continue, and she thought it was. I still struggle with some of the character names, and she noted some confusion with them. Perhaps there are too many characters, but mostly I think it's the fact that they have names and titles. I hope to iron it out in the revisions.

Side Note:

In a previous entry, I mentioned a jazz quintet I had joined. The drummer drove the guitarist and myself crazy until the guitarist finally quit and the band was disbanded. I remain in contact with the guitarist myself, however job prospects may take me out of state forcing me to revise how to handle future music interests.

Agent Responds

I'm not quite sure what to make of the agent's interest. Over five weeks have passed since I sent the full manuscript, and not a word from her. I emailed and asked how it was going. She expressed real interest in the book, and interest in seeing my other book.

Her response was real short, however, not what I would expect from someone interested in the piece, but she did use the title by name.

Nothing says I'm interested like a contract, however.

I have resumed work on The Diva of Mud Flats, but I find I'm writing very brief scenes of mostly dialog. As one reviewer of my short story, Evolution of the Apes, said, it reads like a radio play. I will probably embellish on the second pass, kind of the opposite of normal.

Still Waiting...

So, I haven't received a rejection yet, but the four weeks have passed that it would take to typically read a book and respond. I don't know if that is good or bad. I want to contact her, but don't want to push. If she is interested in my book, then I'd like to offer her my completed Virus manuscript rather than randomly posting queries to the world again.

On a side note, I find myself being sucked into the world of music again with a Jazz Quintet. I also have been attracting a lot of interest professionaly (computers) but from all over the country, New York, Denver, and Boston for example. And to top it off, I have been offered a chance to do some part time work above and beyond any other full time I get elsewhere. There is not enough time in the day, but working away from home will effectively nix the music, at least here.

The Mother of All Viruses is complete!

I have finished the final revision on my first novel. I have drafted a short synopsis, but still need to edit-check the long synopsis before I send it out.

I started this novel over five years ago, but suspended it to write something more in line with acceptable first novel lengths. It originally came in around 163,000 words, and I have only trimmed it back to 158,000 words. My second novel, which is still being reviewed, is 92,000 words, and my third one will probably come in around 60-70,000 words.

I tried removing characters and entire sub-plots, but the whole thing fell apart, and after three failed attempts to drastically reduce it's size, I put it on the shelf and started the second book.

I really like this book. It has a complex story line of intertwined sub-plots (which is why it was so hard to shorten). It starts out as an intrigue story and ends up being a science fiction.

This was a real mile stone for me.

No news is good news

Still no response from the agent, but it hasn't been very long yet.

I did, get a nice fortune cookie "Your present plans are going to succeed."

I'll choose to believe the it was a smart cookie.

In the mean time, I've made my way through 2/3 of my my virus novel. Seven more chapters and I'm ready to start submitting it.

Time to Cross My Fingers...

My latest query & synopsis has garnered a request for the full manuscript. I had already pre-screened the agent against the beware lists. I'll say no more and just get back to editing my Virus novel.