In which The Koala recovers...report in!

*staggers over to the claw sharpener...swigs from the Acid Breath bottle...flexes fangs*

So, in March, 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..

Why the koala is quiet

First Soccer Boy was sick. Then Princess was sick. Now The Koala is sick.

This makes her even grumpier. So with the end of the month coming up...I'd get writing and submitting if I were you...

Behind the scenes of submission

I actually hate the submission process. At the start it's all so bright, shiny and exciting, sending your baby out into the world. Then the knockbacks start...the waiting for partials to be read...the waiting, the waiting, the waiting. I go off the whole process pretty fast.

Then I have to figure out what to do while I'm doing it. Or waiting, because there's not much doing going on after the sending. I'm spending most of my time trying to decide what to do next. Revise my old beloved, 'Maureen', who I think I half-revised and then abandoned for some reason, but, hey, I still love her and I know somebody out there will love it too... (Hey, who wouldn't love a violent novel in Scottish dialect, complete with soccer and family tragedy?) Or should I leap into my next Big One - the village ghosts threatened by the building of a new dam? I mean, who can resist characters with names like 'The Mad Mother', 'The Drowned Girl in the Bath' and 'The Returning Soldier'. Or I could just write some short stories.

Or I could just spend so much time thinking about it that I do absolutely nothing.

Submitting is bad for my mojo. But nobody ever got into print by not submitting, right? Soooo...off we go again.

Not one but three smackdowns...

Janey, Diane J, mdames60. No more Ms Nice Koala. Collect your badges of shame for the month of February.

The Koala is disappointed in you. Apply to her in writing if you would like to know how to escape from the Claws of Doom in the next month or so. There will be a way. But it may be unpleasant...

KOALA SMACKDOWN

The Koala is moderately happy

Look at all those names at or near the top of the list. I am somewhat impressed by your diligence. Keep up the good work! As for the rest of you...you know who you are...

And...
Diane J
Phoenix
Janey
mdames60

You have 24 hours to report in...or it's straight to smackdown for you...