Tuesday, April 27, 2010

My, my, looks like April is nearly over already...

*says the Koala smugly, stroking her little list of submissions, plus the planning notes she has been making for a new yarn*

So, in April, 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.. *Score Phoenix!*

36 comments:

writtenwyrdd said...

I have managed 2 points worth of writing (6k plus), and, for me, that's a win. :)

JaneyV said...

Uuummm … no.

Merry Monteleone said...

I'm going to get this over a little early this month, because the rest of the week will be kicking my ass and I don't want to be on the "Forgot to check in, should be disemboweled" list :-)

1 submission (soundly rejected, but still counts as a point)

2 points for new fiction

1 point for editing

4 points total.

I'm actually not annoyed with myself this month. I got more done than I thought I would considering the non-writing stuff on my plate.

McKoala said...

Good work Merry and Written, keeping up the wordage even in times of trial.

As for you Janey... *strokes large red button reading 'goblin activation* ... you have a few days...

jjdebenedictis said...

*Goblin eyes JaneyV's toenails covetously, then oils up her pliers*

Goblin totals:
- 1 contest submission = 1 point
- 5,000 words writing = 1 point, or 2 if I get another 1,000 written in the next three days. WAIT, WAIT, KOALA; I CAN DO EEET!
- 1 query written = 1 point
- 1 synopsis written = 1 point

Adds to:
4 points, 5 if I get cracking.

If I don't make 5 points for April, I shall just have to console myself by adding JaneyV's delightful cuticles to my collection.

JaneyV said...

**sneaks away and puts on adamantium gloves and anti-goblin cloak**

iasa said...

What? it's not really the end of the month is it? I'm sure at my house it's only the 13th o so.

Robin B. said...

Still going...still going...I'llbe back later with my count for the month.

writtenwyrdd said...

I might not be very high on the list, but coattails are better than being drug by the horsie.

PJD said...

One rejection received and two new queries submitted. I am definitely the tortoise in this foot race. But progress is being made, I suppose.

pacatrue said...

I submitted my entire dissertation officially to the committee, which earns me all possible koala points. I will take just 9, however. I've have some more revising and such to do in May with a couple other submissions.

However, in June, I might have to go from special furry rules to normal rules. I just discovered the last fiction I completed was in 2006.

Aniket Thakkar said...

I managed to retain my 3 points with 2 contest submissions and 1 magazine submission. Ah, the little pleasures of survival. :D

Mother (Re)produces. said...

1) wallowed in rejected misery- 0 points.
2) listened to the word "mom" being uttered contantly in dolby surround sound- 0 points.
3) made four pathetic little submissions, one of which has already been rejected- 4 points.

So that's.... 4 points. I didn't write diddly doo-dah. So bite me. I mean, shread me.

McKoala said...

Time flies, hm, Iasa? And Robin...

Paca, don't be so modest. It's your submission! The only one this year! (Unless you can bash out a novel in six months). Go straight to the top and bask!

Aniket, Pete and Motheree - better than some! (*glares at Janey*)

PD Singer said...

1 Query letter
1 submission
1 Wrote 4k story
1 Beta’d novel
1 edited a story
1 Edited a different story and wrapped it in a pretty package, posted it as a free read
4 wrote another 9000 words of novel
*Offers Janey a point to ward off shredding, hopes Koala does not notice*

JaneyV said...

Aw Thanks Pam - don't worry though, I've been eviscerated so often that I don't think there's anything left for her to shred!

Robin B. said...

I realized the next two days were gonna be spent still rereading and working on the same two chapters I've been working on since Monday morning, so here ya go:

In the month of April, I edited approx. 35,500 words, and today, i rewrote my query for an agent who like hers written a certain way, while working on the structure of my original query which, frankly, mostly kinda sucked.

35,500 edited words = 7 points plus unused leftovers

query writing = 1 point

___________________

8 points for April, baby.

jjdebenedictis said...

HA! DONE IT!

I added another 1,600 words of writing to my total, so I am up to 5, count 'em, 5 shiny Koala points!

Oh wait--The Koala has 20 shiny Koala points, and she's sharpening all of them...eep.

writtenwyrdd said...

I am still adding words this morning, but it looks like 2 points for me for new writing still. I'll update with an upgrade should I achieve it.

Diane J. said...

Do I get points for writing essays I'm going to submit? I was on a roll with my thinking and now I just need to tidy them up and write cover letters and submit.

If it counts I have three essays I've written.

I also submitted an article and got it published :)

So, depending on the point system, I either have 4 or 1 in the point department.

iasa said...

i still have 11 hours and 22 minutes to get a point. Don't come for me yet with those claws!

Whirlochre said...

I can only manage 5 points this month — 4 down to edits and 1 down to a synopsis.

And, unless things change, I'm not going to be able to play in May as it's limbering up to be a total nightmare.

Do we get points for watching sparrows? There's been loads around in the garden today.

McKoala said...

Hm. Cogitating.

Sarah Laurenson said...

New words:
New Adult WIP: 1420 words
Fantasy short: 48 words
Total: 1468 words (0 points)

Editing:
MG: 9034 words
YA: 566 words
Total: 9600 (2 points)

And still not finished with those damn root canals...

Hope to be done editing and submit this puppy by the end of May.

iasa said...

I give up. The door is open and I made you a cake. Please don't get any of my blood on the couch. I'm ready to take my smackdown like a big girl.

PJD said...

I vote that root canals exempts someone from total evisceration at the very least. Hasn't she suffered enough, the poor dear?

One of my two submissions already came back a form rejection. Sigh. But I did get about 1,500 new words written today.

jjdebenedictis said...

**skids in sideways, trailing sparks**

IT'S STILL APRIL IN MY TIMEZONE, DAMMIT!!

And I just submitted a short story via an online form, so that's another point.

Plus, I've edited 6,400 words this month (= 1 point for 4,000) and written 6,600 words (= 3 points for 3 increments of 2,000.)

Then there was 1 contest submission, 1 query letter written and 1 synopsis written.

So 7! 7 shiny Koala points for me, and none of them shredding my bum! Whoo-hoo!

Kate said...

Although I said I would be on vacation in April, I did manage one query. 1 point? Or would I be better off without it?

Angie said...

I submitted four stories this month for four points. (One acceptance, one reject, two pending.)

I also finished and submitted the marketing file for my upcoming novel, which included a synopsis -- several actually, for different purposes, from 2.5 lines to five long paragraphs, and a couple of others in between. I'm not sure how that counts, so I'll call it one point.

I spent most of the month dinking around with stories which had been sitting on my HD for a while, almost done, or done but needing cuts, revision and general sandpaper. I got a bunch of them out the door without having done any really substantial new writing or editing of really huge amounts of old writing. Not enough to be worth any points, anyway. (If I only actually change a line here and a paragraph there, and cut a hundred and some words out of the ending, it doesn't seem like I should get credit for "editing" the whole story of however many thousand words, although I'm willing to be mistaken about that. I'm not sure how to count editing in little bits, so I'm being conservative.) Have to work on my new writing totals for May.

So, total points = 5

Angie

Laurel said...

Okay, May the oneth. A day late BUT I am in between a batch of cupcakes that the kids "helped" with and making macaroni and cheese for fourteen people.

Happy Derby Day, everyone!

Actual new words written: 3 pts (9000, including first ch of a new WiP)
Beta read x 2= 2pts
Revise/Edit 10 K = ?? 2 ??

So 7 points. I think. I don't like math unless it's logic problems.

Sylvia said...

New work in progress and I'm loving it. Well, I was. I think I just got to the scary unknown bits.

Correct me if my maths is wrong:

Two short story submissions: 2
30,005 words written: 1 + 13
Novel submissions: 7

16 points plus lots of novel submission love so the Koala approves!

*gloats*

Angie said...

Sylvia -- holy sheep, seven novel submissions in one month?? What do they put in the water where you live, and can I get some?! :D

Angie

Sylvia said...

(Um, one novel, sent to seven different people. I am working my way down a list and it only takes about an hour to research and personalise the letters. If I were really on the ball, I'd do one a day!)

Angie said...

Sylvia -- oh! LOL! Okay, that makes more sense. I haven't been to bed yet, and clearly my neurons are groggy. :D

Angie

McKoala said...

Save the skidmarks, goblin, and put away the pliers. Circumstances allow me to award our victims one more week to save themselves... see next post.

Phoenix Sullivan said...

New blog with several posts, so as with special Paca rules, special bird rules will no longer apply.

Lots more submissions, more than enough to keep me on the approved list. I'll likely fire my last volleys in May, though, so unless something breaks, June is looking grim... (*chant it with me: break, break, break*)

Looks like some great progress all around. Koala Claws will need to look elsewhere for fresh meat (apart from Janey and iasa).