Wow

Has it been this long? Almost a year, really? I guess I've been too busy or unwilling to keep up with this blog, even though I still like it. (We're still super good friends, I promise.)

So what have you been up to?

What have I been up to?

Good question, Drew. Where to begin?

In July I finished my second novel. I haven't written one since then, but I have had ideas for editing the first and making it better. After I edit the first I'll edit the second. Maybe those will take up my summer break. I don't plan on writing another novel this year; I have to make the ones I've written amazing first. There's a difference between just slopping paint around a room and actually painting the damn thing. I want to be a writer, not just someone who slaps words on a page.

In August I did nothing of note.

In September I competed in the International 3-Day Novel Contest. I did finish a book, a novella, but it didn't win. The contest was fun and nerve-wracking, though. I don't know if I'll compete in it again, but it was definitely a good experience. I think I'll come back to the novella I wrote for the contest at some point in the future--there's a good idea behind it, but it needs more polishing, maybe also more character and plot developments.

In October I wrote stories for school. I wrote two stories for my creative writing class, and they both turned out pretty good, although the one I submitted to Jenny (the new literary magazine emanating from Youngstown) wasn't accepted. I also wrote several good journal pieces for that class, which I look forward to working on again, once I get some time.

In November I kept up the class work and got ready for my brother's and my trip to Ireland.

December: Christmas Break, Ireland, amazingness.

January: Decided that I've wasted over three years in the past six, and that's unacceptable. My New Year's Resolution is to not waste my life anymore, specifically by trying to do something to further my goals every month. If I do something worthwhile every month, how can that month be wasted? So since I'm trying to be a writer and all, all of these monthly goals are writing related. In January I submitted a short story to The Three Rivers Review, and even though it was rejected, I have a lot of confidence in the story itself.

In February I submitted some of my poems to Jenny, and I haven't gotten a word back from them yet. I also took the Jeopardy test, and am hoping they will get a hold of me this year. I would love to get on Jeopardy. I would show no mercy. (Also, did I mention that this semester I'm taking a poetry class?)

In March I submitted 12 poems for contention in the Robert and Virginia Hare Awards. I just found out that I won the award for poetry! Also, although I didn't even know I was in the running, I won a scholarship for class work in English! So April is looking like two banquets and maybe buying a suit. Ha.

Hopefully things go in an upward spiral from here.