I don’t often update people on how my writing is going, but I figured I’ve got enough movement at the moment that maybe somebody would be curious. My active projects include the following:

• 1 (Middle Grade) book for which I’m seeking representation by an agent – perhaps I’d have more luck if I sent it out to agents…
• 1 (Middle Grade) book out to beta readers – the format is odd, which has me worried.
• 1 (Middle Grade) book halfway through major restructuring – the story’s drastically improving, but restructuring is taking for. ev. er.
• 2 sequels and 1 separate book underway (all Middle Grade) – not the most intelligent way to write sequels; the separate book came to me almost two weeks ago, and I’m super-excited by it.
• 1 book in outline mode – nonfiction, which I don’t write. Odd. A guy named David planted the idea in my head, and it won’t leave me.
• About 3-5 short stories out on submission – most are science fiction, and a couple are unusual formats.
• Numerous short stories (at least half a dozen) in various stages of drafts – also mostly science fiction (hard and soft), and quite experimental.
• 1 poetry fellowship application awaiting a decision – yes I write poetry, but you know that if you’ve followed my site over the last few years. I wish I’d discovered the fellowship before my last year of eligibility, but there’s nothing I can do now other than hope I get it.
• Lots of organizing and consolidating so that each story has a centralized location – I’ve got written and digital notes, superfluous drafts in many places, multiple programs/apps, and all kinds of clutter that gets in the way of actual writing/rewriting/submitting time. Realizing how disorganized my writing world had become and fixing it has been a huge boost to productive output.

No “success” with anything as of yet, but hey, at least I’m making a large effort these days. An author I once talked with said she’s great at first drafts but with rewrites she drags. In the past, that made no sense to me, but now I more than understand. Breakthroughs (publication) can take a while, but you don’t catch a fish if you’re not actually trying.