Monday, November 26: Long lag! Yikes!

Well, it has been a while, hasn't it.

My last post was on the tenth, over two weeks ago. Here's what happened. I got sick the week following the 10th, and ended up not writing at all that week. My brain was fuzzy because my head was stuffed up badly.

Then last week was Thanksgiving week, and I took a break. Unfortunately, I am way behind on my NaNoWriMo project. I might have to make December another NaNoWriMo project.

Now, after almost two full weeks of not writing, I am not filled with much motivation! Geez, see what a two week lag does to you? or me, rather...

Anyway, here's what happened on the morning of the 17th, which was a Saturday. I got up and went to the office to check my e-mail. I got an e-mail from Rob Waring, who is the head of the editorial team that is running the show for the graded readers project for Thomson Heinle. I've mentioned this. The outline and proposal and revised proposal for the Mars Betrayal are what I have done for this. Oh, and The Hidden was soundly rejected. So Rob Waring wrote me saying that he has asked the company to GIVE ME A BOOK CONTRACT!! Holy mackerel!

So, to put it drily and lightly, we are very excited. Really, really excited. I have not heard from the company yet, but I am trying to be patient.

Now, here's what I am going to get done this week.

I will write lots of articles for the two Helium contests that are going. Only a couple weeks left on the College Writing Contest, and I am in third place overall on the grand prize leaderboard! But I have to keep at it! So these articles will happen tomorrow.

Then on Wednesday I will outline Chapter 6 in the User Manual for Charted Course. I will also catch up on my time log for that job.

Thursday and Friday I will get 5000 words done at least, each day, on The Cabin. I will take at least one break each day. During this break I will take a walk and conceptualize two new projects: one sci-fi or fantasy story for Writers of the Future and one more Graded Reader.

I am already feeling more energized and motivated to get back to work. It is fascinating to notice how specifying goals in writing really is a motivating force.

A book contract!!!!