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Aug
05
2010

Moving On…

…or forward, but never backward.

I’ve sent my query out to three new agents. Three seems like a reasonable and manageable number to me. So, it’s out in the world again and now it’s time for me to sit tight, cross my fingers and toes, say a little pray. Hopefully I’ll hear positive responses soon, but if not, I’ll keep on keeping on. Because that’s what a writer does. They keep trying even when they get a rejection. They keep writing even when it’s hard. And they keep telling the stories their characters want to share because the voices are too loud to ignore!

While I wait for responses, I decided to get started on a couple of new things. I’m working on my outline for Book #2. I have a rough overall idea on paper, but now I’m trying to get all the main beats on the page so I can see if the story arcs in the right places, moves forward at a good pace, has enough conflict etc. It’s coming along nicely and I’m excited for when the outline is finished and the writing starts. I’d like to have it fully fleshed out and ready to roll by September — just in time for the kids to start back at school and I get to have a regular writing schedule again.

I’ve also started a short story which I plan on submitting to an anthology submission call I found online. It’s been a while since I’ve written a short story, but I figured I would give it a try and see what comes of it. At the very least, maybe I’ll have a little story that I love and will be able to submit to other places if that publisher isn’t interested in it. Or perhaps I’ll fall in love with my new characters — as I have with my old ones — and my short story will turn into a full length book. Currently, I’m aiming for 20,000 words but you never know what might happen. First I have to write, edit, and polish. That shouldn’t take too long, right? LOL! I’m planning on finishing it by the end of August so that it’s done and ready to go out on submission by the time I’m ready to start focusing full-time on Book #2. Which leaves me plenty of time for any additional tweaks needed before the November deadline.

Well, enough chit-chatting. I’m off  to visit with my new characters. I can see the sparks flying from here and they’re both anxious to meet, so I better go make that happen. Fate is just about to step in and make their paths cross. I love getting to play with fate…

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Heather

7 pings

  1. Janet Walters says:

    Heather, Good luck on the short piece. This is where I began my career eons ago and find it very hard to go back to short things. Glad to hear you’re planning book 2. Once a books is sent out the best thing is to start something new. Takes care of those jitters.

    1. hthurmeier says:

      I definitely find that it helps to pass the time by focusing on something new. And there’s just a good feeling that comes with putting new words, new stories, etc on the page after months spent revising a completed piece. I was hoping that maybe if I write a few short pieces here and there, it might help me find my footing in the publishing world. We’ll see I guess!

  2. Shoshanna Evers says:

    I think you can start calling your “short story” a novella – it sounds much more impressive 🙂
    According to Wikipedia (and we know they always post the truth, lol :P) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novella
    “A novella (also called a short novel) is a written, fictional, prose narrative longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000.Other definitions start as low as 10,000 words and run as high as 70,000 words.”

    1. hthurmeier says:

      Well, then I’m apparently working on a novella! Now that I’ve started on it, I think 20,000 words sounded a lot shorter in my head! But I’m committed now and I like my characters, so off I go. I’ve got 2000 words so far which isn’t a bad start, but I’m going to have to keep up the pace if I hope to be done by the end of the month!

  3. Taryn Kincaid says:

    Sounds like a plan!

  4. charmainegordon says:

    Heather,

    Quarter Mile is a terrific observation. I came to writing w/o a whole lot of knowledge-just life experience and working from scripts. I’m learning from RWA-soaking up knowledge like a sponge and loving it. Thanks.

    Charmaine

    1. hthurmeier says:

      Hi Charmaine,
      Congrats on the new book release!! Thanks for dropping by my blog. I’m learning a lot from RWA as well! I’m so glad I joined.

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