August was one of my slower months for writing. Well, that’s not entirely true. It was a very good month for poetry; I just didn’t do much with other projects.
- Drafted 40 poems
- Submitted 21 poems
- Submitted chapbook
- Wrote and submitted a piece of creative nonfiction
- Began planning the First Annual Austin Feminist Poetry Festival
A couple of things in August did not go as planned:
- While doing research for my horror novel, I realized my initial idea was just not going to work. I scrapped my plans to mull things over. And while thinking things over, I ultimately decided that I don’t really enjoy the process of trying to write novels. Stories and essays and poems are enjoyable; there’s something about writing and revising novels that, ultimately, I don’t really love. So I’ve decided to scrap long projects and focus on shorter works. As a result, I’ve decided to start the horror project over again from scratch, as a series of linked short stories. The main concept will still be there, but this will be radically different from what I had intended.
- I did not apply for the fellowship I wanted, because I found out my friend’s wedding would conflict with the conferences. Maybe next year.
With these shakeups, here’s how the rest of the year is shaking up:
- Poetry every day.
- Put plans into motion for the poetry festival. (So much to do. So little time. This is intimidating. But fun.)
- September-October: Research and sketches for horror project.
- September/October: Apply for the Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship.
- October/November: apply for a grant from AROHO.
- November: Draft the horror project for NaNoWriMo, even though I won’t be writing an actual novel. (This is what’s known as a “NaNo Rebel.”)
- December: revisions on horror project.
Nothing wrong with preferring one style over another. I keep meaning to write short stories and/or poems and they always expand out to massive tomes. Because I’ve discovered that I find it unsatisfying to do anything short of creating an entire world with histories and religions and movements and whatnot. Even with “Finding Gaia”, which is set in mostly the real world, I’m compelled to write Jason’s full 400-year history to explain why he is the way he is.
And if you don’t enjoy a process, you probably won’t do well at it, so it’s always best to focus your energies on what works for you. Then it’ll work for your readers as well.
I don’t blame you for not wanting to write another novel. I published my first novel several years ago, and frankly, that wasn’t fun plus it hasn’t sold well. A couple of years later, I started another novel, but after about eighteen chapters, I got stuck and decided to make it into a short story. Ever since, like you, I’ve been concentrating on shorter projects. Last year, I published a collection of poems, which also isn’t selling well, and now, I’m concentrating on writing and submitting short stories and poems to literary magazines.
Abbie Johnson Taylor, Author of
We Shall Overcome
and
How to Build a Better Mousetrap:
Recollections and Reflections of a Family Caregiver