Summer began three days ago, officially. Naturally, that means that it has been cold and raining ever since. I love Yorkshire.

We did have a nice summer this year. It happened in Spring. This is either Spring or Autumn. I haven't decided which yet.

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Clarion West 2004 began last weekend. It astounds me that it's now been over three years since I went. As a summary, this is what I've done since:

Sold 7 short stories, five to pro markets, two to semi-pro markets.

Written three novels, one adult, two children's/YA, of which the two children's are good enough to market. The adult one is now being rewritten.

Visited America an uncounted number of times.

Lived for six months in Vienna.

Temped for several months in a variety of tedious jobs.

Got a "proper job" that I've been working in for over a year, and am likely to work in until at least the end of 2005. (This will be the longest I've stayed in any job, if I make through to the end).

Moved to Leeds--a place I'd never even visited or thought much about before.

Got engaged.

Which, all in all, isn't so bad for three years. Particularly as I hadn't expected to do any of those things.

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Clarion West are also currently running a "Shadow Clarion West" for those of us who aren't there. The idea behind it is that you commit, over the six weeks, to "shadow" what the class is doing, by which I mean either write a story a week, or a novel chapter a week, or whatever weekly writing/critiquing target you have.

Strangely, despite the fact that I now have a full-time job and a wedding coming up pretty fast that is scarcely planned, this seems like far less of a challenge than it did during Clarion West. Perhaps part of it is that I don't have to read and critique four stories a day every day (I guess I could commit to that for my writing challenge, but I don't particularly want to). Part of it is that there isn't that same amazing group of people to talk and hang out with every moment I don't lock myself away. Part of it is the writing discipline Steph and I have learned over the last couple of years--last year particularly. And part is just that I'm a better writer now.

Despite that, I haven't signed up for the challenge. The main reason is that it is a fund-raising venture, and I just can't afford to give any money right at the moment. Also, I haven't quite decided what my challenge would be.

I think I'm going to work the challenge on a week-by-week basis. I'm also going to allow myself up to the Sunday night each week to achieve the challenge.

This week's challenge:
To write a new short story.

I started one yesterday, but I don't really know where it is going. I have until Sunday to find out. Check back here Monday to find out if I made it.

I've also been re-writing my adult novel this week, so maybe I'm making it hard for myself, but that's okay. The challenge shouldn't be easy. I may even critique something, just for the hell of it. I owe Steph a novel critique. That should do for starters.

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If what has happened to me over the last three years tells me anything, it's that there's not much point trying to predict what is going to happen over the next three. For certain, I know I will get married. (August 7th). I would love to get at least one novel published, and I think I have a good chance at that, although it is out of my hands in many respects. I would also love to sell a short story to either F&SF or SciFiction. I've not even come close on either of those--I don't even know if I can write the kind of thing that Ellen or Gordon will love--so that's the unlikely target.

I'll let you know how I get on in three years time.