What Happened to the Weekend?

I spent the majority of my weekend writing, organizing my revision draft documents, and catching up on my workshop lessons. I also met two friends for a writing group discussion. We're forming a brainstorming, accountability, professional growth and writing support group. I am glad. I miss my CPs up in DC, and this will be a wonderful new beginning to my writing year. We discussed how we would approach our meetings, maintain our focus, and how to prioritize what was important to us as writers. Rather than sending pages and critiquing, we're focusing on story development and professional growth. Of course, we'll read each other's work, but that won't be the focus of the group.

I have high hopes for our trio. I'm excited about our future. And I'm happy to have two writing friends nearby my home. People I can call, vent to, plan with, and celebrate with... I love my larger organizations within the RWA, but this is nice as it is more intimate.

Plus no one else gets me excepts my writing friends and the people closest to me who support my dreams and goals.

My revision is going okay. I am not sure where my monster is heading. Right now, I am not worried about beautiful writing, more about the overall bones getting reset. I'm pushing myself to get the monster into second revision mode before the end of the month. Work smart... work smarter... some of the writing is awful, but I know I can improve the structure. It's the story I am fiddling with--and trying to strengthen. I honestly wish I'd taken the FROM THOUGHT TO PLOT workshop a year ago. But oh well.... this too shall pass. I hope to have a decent set of pages to enter into the Golden Heart this autumn. It's pretty erotic, so no high hopes, but it'll be good to have the goal and meet it.

I'm entering the third book again. But no revisions. Nothing. Nada. Just the synopsis and the story ... as is. And then I'll polish the fourth as best as I can up to 50 pages and work on the synopsis. Another reason to do the GH--have the synopsis ready to roll out to other people.

That's the only contest I am entering this year. Really paring down my contest stuff till next year. I am heading back into the 2nd book after I first draft the Golfer story. I'll do it in December--or maybe early January. Yeah, plot it out with the BREAK INTO FICTION book and then get it out of my brain in January. Then it's revise the 2nd book -- haven't looked at it in a while, but I am ready to tackle it.

Today I managed to work through 3 scenes quickly just for story, and some light editing. But the real work will be in the 2nd revision stage. Pant. I was surprised because I had a lot of household stuff to work on. But the scenes were pretty straightforward. Now I head into the next batch of 4 scenes. Blah!!! I want to get this bad boy's bones reset.... fast! I am working faster.

Surprising myself. But I am driving myself to work hard and smart cause I want to get my books lined up and ready to roll for submissions and pitches.