March round up

Oops sorry this is bit late, I'm blaming the weather. Well, you have too don't you? Here are the Indoor Writer's writing stats for March:

Write 1 Sub: 2 new short stories written, 2 new flash fiction pieces written, 15 submissions (including 1 non-fiction feature)√

Publish e-collection: still collating the stories and have decided to enter The Scott Prize (Salt Publishing) which opens end July. So time to write a few more for the collection...

Re-start the novel: am planning to use some of the existing novel for a short story (or stories). Wrote 8,000 word story for BBC Short Story Competition using characters and plot from novel. I flew through the writing and it felt great to be back with these characters. This has to be a sign to pick this up again!

Crack the Weekly News: Waiting for GOOD NEWS (you have to stay positive) on the story I submitted last September. Well, haven't yet heard any bad news.

Crack Woman's Weekly: story submitted - still no response, but as above 'no news' etc etc.

Write and sell a serial: synopsis and first chapter submitted, but sadly was rejected. The lovely Shirley Blair at PF wrote a gentle email explaining why it wasn't right for them and I totally understood reasons. Now have to decide if I make some revisions and try to pitch to other womags which publish serials. 

Application for MA in Creative Writing: apparently interviews for bursary applications will be held on 26 April. Have not heard anything further, hoping to hear something positive in next few weeks.

Hmm, the √'s are static at present. Will need to push on with some of these goals.

Successes: Won Write-Invite weekly competition. Feature published in Writing Magazine (Prosetry in motion), Longlisted for The New Writer's prose competitions: Microfiction and Essay categories. Filler published in Writers' Forum newsFront section. Runner-up in another competition, but still can't say more until official letter turns up!

And now for some good news... Income = payment from Write-Invite and Writing Magazine (feature printed in April issue). The MA fund goes up a little bit more..

And to balance it out with the bad news: Two rejections from PF in one week: serial and short story. Disappointed not to make shortlist etc for several competitions: Writers' and Artists' Yearbook, Homestart (Margaret Drabble was judging), Willesden Herald, Sophie King Prize. And despite getting longlisted for The New Writer in 2 categories I was miserable for not being named in short story category. Sounds silly, doesn't it, but I had made the Finalist/longlist for last 2 years and then didn't make it this time.

There's only one solution for rejection blues...

Keep writing...