Thursday, February 25, 2010

Report in!

Yes, the end of the month is nigh and it's time to start totting up your points for February. In the comments, please let me know what you've been up to. You may tot up your own points (please do, maths is not The Koala's strong point), but I will be checking up randomly, so no porkies!

So, in February, have you...

Submitted a short story, poem or other short fiction submission to a competition or magazine (one point for each submission)?

Submitted an article (one point per article, no matter how many mags the article is submitted to)?

Written and/or edited at least 4000 words (one point)?

Written more than the basic 4000 words (one additional point for each 2000 words of original writing (not editing)?

Edited more than the basic 4000 words (one additional point for each 5000 words of editing) ?

Outlined/plotted 4000 words or more (one point for each 4000)?

Beta-read read a fellow writer's novel and provided feedback (one point)?

Completed and published a new author website (one point)?

Written your query? (one point)

Written your synopsis? (one point)

Submitted a novel to an agent or editor? (Straight up to Koala Approves!)

(Anyone who's on Koala Approves while waiting for an agent response, remember that you must keep writing/editing/submitting short stories in the next month. Anyone sitting on their laurels drops down a stage. However, if an agent asks you to make changes to a novel, you get to stay on Koala Approves for the duration of your editing and negotiations, provided you get those changes to him/her in time and remember your manners. Ask for an extension or moan about your potential agent and you drop down a stage.)

A reminder... Points cannot be held over for a following month. The Koala wants consistent effort. The Koala is always right.

Special Furry Rules: Paca - adapt to suit Furry Dissertation and article submissions. In your case, job applications also apply. Over-adapt and I will claw you. And take away points.

Special Bird Rules: If Phoenix ever feels sufficiently inspired to actually start a blog and even manages a few posts, there might be a point in that...

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Back to blogging nonsense

I'm hearing good things about your progress this month. Who will join me at the top? Wait and see...

Now that we're up and running I may sometimes even talk about other things. Like a little parental bragging. Soccer Boy had his swimming carnival today and came third in breaststroke, fourth in backstroke and narrowly missed the freestyle final. Aw, bless. He also tore up the field at the soccer trials, just waiting to hear which team he gets into, fingers crossed for As or Bs. At school, he's in a composite class this year, with only four of his friends and a much larger younger group. Not ideal, however on the plus side he is enjoying the unexpected pleasure of coming top of the class, which is a whole new experience for him. And to be fair, I suppose he is also ahead of the other four. Go Soccer Boy!

Princess is thriving with a class of new, loyal subjects who think that she's super cool because she's already done Year 1. Luckily for her, they're young enough not to realise that repeating a year is, um, not necessarily a good thing. She's happily leading them in The Way of the Princess. Yesterday she was throwing sticks at poor, long-suffering Soccer Boy while he was trying to eat lunch. Greatly assisted by a posse of her little subjects who thought this was so cool they were running around and picking up sticks for her, so she could stand and fire them at Soccer Boy, machine gun style. It's clearly just a matter of time before Princess and her Mummy will be spending some quality time in the Principal's office.

Happy days!

Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Only one of you has the right idea...

And that would be Mother (Re)produces for the wonderful suggestion of a 'perma-smack' button for Catvibe: "I'm thinking dangling in a net just over McKoala, so she can give her a whack between leaf munches". What a beautiful vision. I don't need a button. I can just dream about it.

The rest of you, fie upon your foregiveness and general niceness! What nonsense! The challenge is about endurance! Pain! Claws!

By a huge majority, Janey is saved. I'll even give her the five points she didn't report. (But don't try that again Missy!). Catvibe and Diane J are...sssss...ssssss...ssssss...OK...because it's the first month....one point each.

Fail to report in next month, though, and you will be.....SMACKED DOWN!

Saturday, February 06, 2010

Time to vote!

See pleas/excuses/apologies below. Who deserves to be spared? Vote in the comments below! You have until Monday night, US time.

(Apparently The Koala is ahead of the trend, as ever, having last year created her early version of this year's fad...the accountability group...check this out: http://www.calliopecontent.com/the-creative-entrepreneur/2010-01/accountability-groups. Then GET WRITING AND SUBMITTING!)

Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Smacked down so soon!

Bow your heads in shame, Catvibe, Diane J and Janey.

And we're about to have some fun. Luckily for one of the three above, The Koala has just received a last-minute sign up to the Challenge, who assures me she is already replete with points. I await confirmation, but she has made The Koala happy.

Therefore, to celebrate, I will show mercy on one of the above. And we get to decide who it is. All three must write an apology to The Koala, explaining why they were unable to fulfil their writing obligations in January. We will then vote and decide which one of the three is most deserving of mercy. That person will join the brave-for-at-least-admitting-her-points Iasa on one point. The other two...smackdown. No apology...smackdown. Deadline for apologies: Friday night, US time.

PS - I have ways of reaching Catvibe and Janey V, heh heh, but if anyone knows Diane J, please could you point her this way...thank you!

One, two, three...go!

Monday, February 01, 2010

Major dramas today!

Too tedious to relate, but should have the time to put up the Koala Stats tomorrow.

Anyone who hasn't reported in by the time I change the sidebar...you're on instant smackdown! Did I mention that smackdown comes with penalties? Ooops, just a little slip of memory...