What I've Learned

Monday, that unwashed-skank-whore-with-open-sores-on-her-lip of a day, is upon us once more. (Oh, and: EEEEEEWWW! That was a vile image!) I try. I REALLY try to make this day less repugnant. I get up on time, exercise, eat a healthy breakfast, try to go about with a smile on my face . . . to no avail. No matter what I do, the day ALWAYS sucks.

Well, at least the weekend wasn't too bad (with the exception of the Giant's humiliating loss!). I got in a solid 4,500 words on "First" as well as a good start on some maps I need to keep things straight in my head. The words were good, and even managed to stay (somewhat) on the track of my outline. Still waiting for my new power supply so all work done on the work laptop.

I'm a little . . . frustrated? (we'll go with that for want of a better word) I'm writing regularly again, which I'm pleased about, but I can't shake the feeling that all this work is an exercise in futility. I still feel horribly unready to go about the actual businsess of publishing. I'm still fumbling about, trying to find the right path to get my career started and knowing that knocking about in the dark is never going to get me there. I'm reading all the "How-To" stuff I can find and looking into hitting at least one writer's conference this year but I'm still feeling that I'm just kidding myself. I have the skill (I truly believe that.) but not the business experience to make this happen. I'm still shaky on synopsis and query, still having zero luck at the agent finding (though, to be fair, I haven't had a chance to do any more submittals because of the loss of my office) and absolutely no contact with any professionals in this field (other than a few other authors in the blogosohere).

Hmmm . . . whining again am I? Sorry, it must be Monday.

I keep writing every day but I can't help feeling I'm missing something important here. That I'm not seeing the forest for the trees. I write, I edit, I plan the next piece of work, I've sent out a handful of Agent Queries . . . no submittals direct to publishers though. The slush piles just seem too large for that to have any hope of success. I have work that's ready for the publication process, but no inroad into the workings of that system . . . as I said: frustrating.

Ah well, I'll keep on keepin'-on! No place to work at home is just making this harder to deal with. I can't even attempt to move forward until I can unpack my MS's and lists of agents, editors, etc. Hell, even finding a few square feet to write in is a major production.

So, to sum up my year-to-date, I have learned that:

1. Contractors suck.
2. Tech Support people suck.
3. Mondays suck.
4. Not being published sucks.

Well, that's as good a start as any, no?

Later!