Dear Slacker...err...Me,

Dear Slacker ... err ... Me,


I think it is time we have a talk. We have a talent. I don't think there is too many who would argue with that statement. What we DON'T have, is self discipline. Don't bother to argue. Nope, we have none, zip, zilch, nada. We saw a glimmer of what could be when we competed in NaNo this year and actually wrote more on a single story in thirty days than we ever have before. The exercise fueled great enthusiasm and a lot of talk. It was all hot air. We talk a mean talk, but fail to walk the walk. It must be the storyteller in us. 

We have ideas coming out our wazoo! Noisy muse take up residence in our head clamoring to tell their story until the din is nearly unbearable. It is no wonder that Van Gogh fellow cut off his ear in a bid for relief from the voices. If only he had known there is no escape, only compliance. When the story comes from within, all you can do put it to paper while the muse is willing to talk to you. Too often with us the muse grows frustrated with our progress and slips into a sulky silence.

NaNo forced us to write at a pace we had never experienced. We put aside perfection and let the words flow for the first time. It was frightening, but oh so liberating. The muse rejoiced! In 2010 we must release the beast! We must turn our muse loose and allow the words to flow unchecked. If we can write fifty thousand words in thirty short days, what can we accomplish in the eleven months remaining in this glorious year?

In 2010 we will not only continue writing, AND SUBMITTING, our short stories, but we will clear the mental hurdle of the novel and complete one, even if it is only for our satisfaction. By the end of the year we will be able to show at least one of our works off in print, or a sheaf of rejection letters telling us what we must improve. ARE YOU WITH ME?!

Ummm okay, maybe I got a little caught up there. Of course you are "with me". You ARE me. The point we need to remember is that there are those out there with less natural talent than what we have that are getting published. Why are they getting published we ask? They are getting published because they complete projects and have the guts to put it out there. It is time we put it out there.

In 2009 we entered eight contests on WDC and placed six times. We dabbled with offsite submissions with one story accepted to an on-line magazine, a rejection, and three still out there. Those aren't bad odds. In 2010 we will keep on track with at least eight entries in WDC contests and step it up a bit with eight submissions to offsite publications. We have declared 2010 to be a fresh start financially. Why not go all the way and make it our breakout year for the writing we love?

Love,
Me

SURVEY

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