Just a quick entry, more for my benefit than anything else :)

I thought it was time to look at the stats again, to see what I need to do writing-wise over the coming weeks and months. I've had a flurry of rejections over the past week, and now the number of things doing the rounds is looking a bit weak.

So, let's see what we have here....

2005 Stats:

2005 Word count:	26,104
Stories written:	5
Total submissions:	28
Total acceptances:	0
Total rejections:	24
Waiting for response:	3
Books read:	7
Fiction Mags/Chapbooks read:	8
Audiobooks:	47

I haven't written any new tales since early August when I had a rather productive week, hence the unchanged word count and story tally. Although, I have made some good progress on an outline for the next bit of a collaborative project with the collab partner, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that one unfolds.

What I do need to do rather soon is write a story for an anthology. I've done some reading in preparation, but have found that more of a cat-vacuuming exercise than anything productive. Perhaps it's time for a quick idea generation session or three?

Oh, and I also owe the bloke from Oz (the other one) a story in response to his most recent effort. It looks like I've turned the fast-paced ping-ponging of stories into a glacial process, which it doesn't need to be. While I've been worrying about other projects--both writing and otherwise--I probably could've churned out a quick piece to lob across the pond. Reminder to self: fast writing needn't be bad writing, and more often than not is actually pretty good.

As for submissions, that's an ongoing thing. Sometimes they come back so fast it's like they're attached to a conveyer-belt. Still, I guess it's better to receive a quick response than to have something sit in a pile for months on end :) I plan on preparing some submissions in what remains of tonight, and get the rest out there tomorrow. Then there's the 3 or 4 that need a good bit of work before they can be sent out, but they'll have to wait for now.

Still haven't finished editing that piece I wrote in early August. After facing an initial quandary over what to do with it, I now find myself with lots of questions to answer before I'm satisfied enough to send it out. Some much needed advice via email got me motivated and ready to tackle it again, but lots of overtime at work over the past two weeks has put a dent in my plans. Excuses, excuses ;)

Also on editing, I need to whip a finished collab piece into better shape. At this stage it's more of a word removal operation (or should I say, demolition) than a buff and polish job. There's some good stuff there, but unfortunately it needs to go on a diet.

And finally, the reading. There's never enough time for it, but the audio books help in that regard.

I'm sure there's other stuff I've forgotten, but I've got a to-do list around here somewhere to remind me. Assuming I can find it, of course ;) Now I better stop prattling and get some writing stuff done!