Chicago, IL
It’s been a slow tap-in for the kid. Since the pandemic started, ushering in the new year hasn’t quite hit the same. Before I get into an overview of what I have planned for 2022, let’s kick it back to NaNoWriMo [November] 2021:
Yeah, that was a [kind of] bust; I made minimal progress on my book project. Sadly, it was my least productive run. I remember back in 2016 when I started: I was going through a breakup and as a country we were watching a ‘baby Hitler’ emerge but I STILL managed to push numbers. Last year was different. To be honest, a combination of general exhaustion with a sprinkle of ‘distraction’ made it impossible to focus on my goals. It wasn’t completely shot to hell - I did get some editing work completed - but 2021 was both physically and emotionally draining.
Because I didn’t get what I needed to get done for Nano, those goals have shifted their completion dates to Q1/2022. Two weeks into January and I finally finished piecing together those sample drafts [first 10 pages] and have submitted them to the AWP conference ‘Author to Agent’ program to be reviewed by representatives from five different literary agencies. This was not actually planned – I just happened to see a post on IG in December about it. Their submission fee [in other circumstances, there is no fee to submit] required that I purchase a ticket [in-person or virtual] to the conference in March. I sincerely hope that someone resonates with the story enough to reach out; it’s one that needs to be told.
Speaking of IG, I took a 3-week hiatus – again, part of the distraction – so I could simply, get shit done.
Don’t judge me! Ha. I don’t have a teapot.
For the first time since 2019, I did my goal board [remember last year? I ain’t even fill her out until, shoot, halfway through 2021]. It looks like Q1 and Q2 are going to be busiest for me in multiple areas of life. There are a lot of decisions to be made and as of now, most of everything is a giant question mark. Ew.
I’m currently in the middle of revising [heavily revising] my book proposal. Even though I have a semi-draft started from when I applied to the Hugo House fellowship in early 2020, it’s still very difficult to edit: I have to rework some chapter structures and review parts of the manuscript itself. It will need to be sent to an independent editor for review – one I have to pay for – and it ain’t cheap. I need a seasoned eyed to to glance over what I’ve come up with and add suggestions to tightened it up. I want to be as prepared as possible for when the time comes for me to go full throttle in the submission stage of this project. I’m following a blueprint I found online a couple years ago and am using my marketing skills from my day job to help me pull it together.
I’ve also been saying this for a while, but I’m actually going to get back to doing survivor interviews – conversations have been had with a few folks. It’s time [for real] to saddle up the horse. I have medium articles to revise, some to start, and a few to submit before March.
I’m hoping to be able to do a little more traveling this year [ugh, covid]. Maybe Minneapolis, Phoenix. Definitely Seattle - I miss my PNW friends and would love to break bread with them in person soon! I’ll take advantage of Chicago spring/summer events, starting from the bottom to build a network – it’s tough, but I’ve done it before. I can do it again. Lord.
Everyone keeps asking, “HAVE YOU MADE ANY FRIENDS YET?!”
I moved here late fall and we’re knee deep into winter so the answer is ‘no. I have not.’
And that’s ok. The alone time is nice.
Mood Music: Me, Myself and I - Beyonce