By Wednesday. It’s a short story, entitled “The Watcher.”

Yes, I’m still “blocked.” But I’m finishing it anyway, even if it’s terrible in the end. Because really, it’s time to move on.

One thing about the current protagonist is that he reminds me of the protagonist of a story I wrote previously. Not the characterization, since they are drawn very differently, but the two characters are alike in their circumstances. Both this character and the earlier one are the respected advisors for their respective commiunities, both are experiencing alienation from the thing that is the source of their power, and out of fear, both are harboring a secret.

I wonder if it’s a common thing for a writer to come back to the same themes. And I wonder whether it’s best to just go ahead and write the stories that seem compelling, even if they are familiar in a way… or if it’s better to look for things to write about that are completely fresh.

Last Saturday I wrote a post about dreams over at Adventures in Writing. I was wondering whether dreams are ever a valuable source of inspiration or ideas for writers of fiction. This post was prompted by a dream I’d had the day before, which I thought (and still think) might be the seed of a short story.

Well, I haven’t written this story. Not yet.

But I was using the character in a free-writing exercise last night, to see if I could generate a story with more “sense” to it than the typical dream-story. The answer is, Yes.

I’ll be outlining it today, and starting to actually write it tonight or tomorrow. It’s a fantasy, by the way, and the protagonist is not particularly likable. Risky, I know.

I’ll let you know what I think of the final result, hopefully by the weekend.

Anyone else ever rework a dream into fiction? What was the result?

I just withdrew a short story from a market that had been holding it for 14 months. Fourteen months! Now, while I do understand that editors are busy, and I certainly know that they are in no way begging writers for stories, I still think that response times of months are too long, response times of six to twelve months are inconsiderate, and anything over a year is just plain crazy.

In my view it is unfair is for a market with a typically long response time to insist that writers not send in simultaneous submissions. In the time it takes one slow publication to respond to a submission, the story could be out making its rounds at five different publications. However, I have not sent in a story silmultaneously to more than one publication when the guidelines clearly state not to. 

I haven’t done it (yet), though I have been tempted more than once.

Short story writers, what are your views on long response times and simultaneous submissions?

Some exciting news! My short story “Beanstalk” has been published in OG’s Speculative Fiction. This is my first time appearing in that magazine. You can read the current issue here.

Now, I know I haven’t posted here in a while. So, here’s what’s happened regarding my writing since my last post: I received a rejection from a professional market (sigh!) but it came with news that the story made the second round, and an invitation to submit again - which I haven’t done, as I don’t think I have anything suitable for that market.

I’ve been posting weekly over at Adventures in Writing. And I’ve been writing posts on another non-fiction blog dealing with a criminal case that has gotten my attention.

Also, on the non-writing side, I’m taking some online courses for my regular day job. I’ve been doing these on my own time, and yes, it’s time-consuming but important, and as a result my own fiction writing has been suffering a little lately. I’m not worried about it though, as I’ll be done with this course work soon.

I’ll be writing more regularly and posting here again soon, and also, I’ll be catching up on all the blogs I like to read.

I haven’t started writing my new novel yet. I said I would start it in February, but I did not. Nope. I did not start it.

I have characters, plot, tension and most of the scenes outlined (according to the snowflake  method) but with the expectation that I will still need to grow and expand the story during the writing process. Still no title I like, but basically everything else is in place to at least start this project. So what’s wrong?

The initial enthousiasm is gone (of course it is). So now I’m facing the prospect of working hard for several months, maybe a year, at a single project. I imagine this is a common dilemma for writers accustomed to writing short, but I’m wondering what is really a better use of time and effort – writing a single 100,000+ word novel that may never see publication, or in the same amount of time writing twelve or fifteen or twenty short stories, some of which will almost certainly be published somewhere.

What to do? What to do?

My short story “All That Glitters” is now appearing in Reflection’s Edge, which is an excellent online magazine publishing a variety of genres. The story just published is a fantasy, and it happens to be one of my favorites. I hope you’ll stop by and read it.

Yep, I have them - compounded today with the Sunday blues! I’m in survival mode now: first survive January, then survive February, then survive March, and so it goes for every me, every year.

Anyway, I thought I should post an update on my writing, even if it’s just a record for my future self to read on some warm spring day. And I thought I should put in place some deadlines for myself, in order to insure that I complete these projects. No, I don’t really think fake deadlines are any more effective than the other tricks I play on myself, like making my alarm clock run 15 minutes ahead, or hiding away fifty dollars for when I need it, while pretending I don’t know I have it. But maybe posting my fake deadlines here in an open forum will bring the full force of public shame upon my head if I fail to meet stated deadlines. So with that bright hope, here goes:

Beamstar - That’s my sf novel about killer satellites. I completed the draft months ago, and for writing it by the seat of my pants, I was happy with the way it turned out. But it needs revision (aka, lots of rewriting) and I am not doing it, not now. The deadline here is a bit hazy: 2009.

Short stories – I’m working simultaneously on two, which is something I usually don’t do. They’re both fantasy, though one has sf elements. Deadline: the end of January for both.

And… drumroll… 

A new novel! Yes, that’s right! I don’t really  have a title that I like yet (I keep trying out titles, then rejecting them), but it is a fantasy. I’m using the snowflake method to develop the story. I first heard about this last summer from Mary Garcia and I’ve wanted to try it ever since. I’m on Step-5 right now, and it’s going very well so far. My goal here is to complete up to Step-9 by the end of January (though I’m not sure about using spreadsheets) and then to begin writing in February, sticking to a strict word-quota plan. Once the actual writing begins, I will publicly state my deadline for completion of the first draft.

So that’s it. Please feel free to heap scorn upon me if I fail to meet my made-up deadlines.

I want to write a short story this week. Just because I want to. Yes, I know – the novel should be my priority, and maybe working on another project is really just a form of work-avoidance. Maybe, maybe. But I’m doing it anyway.

I have half-a-story in mind for this project, but I don’t have an ending. Nope: I do not know how it will end. I’m starting it anyway, because I trust that the right ending will become clear to me before I get there.

And now that I’m thinking about story endings, I do have to admit it: Most times when I start a new story, I do so without a definite ending in mind. I trust that the creative process will deliver, and you know, it always does.

I’ve noticed that in my short fiction, I usually write from the POV of a male character. In fact, of the stories which I’ve sold, 12 of them have had male POV characters, 3 of them female  POV characters,  and 1 had a POV which shifted between a male and female character. That’s pretty overwhelming, but really, I’m just choosing what seems best for each individual story. Any other authors out there who tend to select (overwhelmingly) POV characters of the opposite gender?

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And on a sad and glum note, a story of mine (one of my favorites!) earned its fourth rejection tonight. Here are the comments received with each rejection so far. I’m paraphrasing:

Fantasy Magazine said: No on this, but do send another.

Strange Horizons passed on it, without comment.

Abyss & Apex said: No. Good story, but begins slowly. Try fixing that.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies said: Good beginning, but the story didn’t live up to its promise.

Hah! Try reconciling those last two! Actually, I do like this story as is, and in the midst of other projects I don’t feel like going back and reworking the same stories over and over.  Also, I do feel pretty confident that it will be published somewhere, eventually. So I’m sending it off again tomorrow, and going back to the other things that interest me right now.

Attention short story writers!

Here’s the link to an article I found on the Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine website. It’s a list of the 24 most common reasons short stories get rejected.

Note the cruel advice about starting in the middle and cutting your beloved story down to its bare essentials. I know this is sometimes hard for me.