Wow - 17 days and nothing from me here. Will you allow the excuse "I've been busy?" I have. Really busy.

I can't get my story out of my head. Not the right thing to say exactly. I get it out while typing, but then go to work (I wish writing was my job), or go out for date night with the LH and find myself always always going back to the story. I come up with a new spin on it, or something I want to add. Luckily my iTouch (Christmas present) has a notepad app and I find myself making notes there all the time. This is good right?

One of the things I have found myself doing is not so good though. I have a stand alone computer in one room, then I have a personal laptop, and then I have my work computer (which of course I only use at lunch ;-]. I have found myself transferring files from one to another with a flash drive but have discovered I don't always transfer the changes I make back. Actually thought I was going bonkers and had imagined a nice writing burst until I double checked each one and found what I was looking for. New rule - write on one computer only. I used this weekend to consolidate the files onto one computer and then cull through them and get rid of duplicate pages. Yep, combining three computers did leave me with a whole bunch of duplicates. Don't worry I didn't delete the dups (just in case there was some hidden treasure) I named a folder "Possible Duplicates" and put everything there.

I also joined Critique Circle http://www.critiquecircle.com/ and critiqued two stories there. (These were my first crits I have given on any ones writing. I hope they found my input helpful) I submitted the first half of the first chapter of my WIP One Wish and it comes up for review tomorrow Wednesday February 18 2009. I am so very excited.

Authoress of Miss Snarks First Victim runs a monthly Secret Agent contest titled "Are You Hooked?". She has gotten Agents to agree to crit submissions and give feedback. This is above and beyond what Agents tend to do unless it is work they love and are looking to represent. The contest is held towards the first of the month, so I was also was trying to rush and compelte my WIP because I wanted to be able to enter. Only writers with a complete MS ready for submission is allowed. There is a chance the Agent is interested in your work and wants to read more. I wonder how many people decide to ignore the Rule and enter anyway. How sad would that be if an Agent shows interest and then you don't have enough to show them. I think it would make me cry.

Okay, rushing didn't work for me. Needless to say I could not enter. I recognized the Secret Agents remark(s) "I'm on notice" in particular. Turned out to me none other than Kristin Nelson of Pub Rants (another agent blog I follow). I really wished that she could have held off until I was ready to enter my first page, but no such luck. See she has posted several times over the last 2 months what Publishers are looking for. Middle Grade was big. Middle Grade with a Girl protag big. Middle Grade Fantasy big. I'll just have to query her the old fashioned way when I am ready.

Oh, have I told you what I was writing about? MG Urban Fantasy inspired by a family trip to the ocean last October. Okay enough - I'll tell you more of the story later.

Last but not least I signed up for a writers conference. SCBWI Western Washington 5/16/09.
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators - Western Washington. How cool is that. A conference for Children's Book Writers right here practically in my own back yard. And guess who will be there holding a session or two there. Nathan Bransford. (Yep, another agent blog I follow). Of course there are many more talented Agents - Editors - Publishers - Authors - Illustrators that will be there. I will pull my registration papers and write more about it tomorrow.

Yes tomorrow. I want to post some of the crits I receive (or hope to receive on my story)

Okay so in the last 17 days I have consolidated all my writing onto one computer; joined a critique group and submitted my first writing, signed up for a writers conference. What have you done?

Thanks for stopping by.

Cassidy