Borderlands Writers Bootcamp

I'm in! It's been a crazy couple of weeks. I know my last blog entry detailed how I had decided to put my Black Knight Towing novel to rest, but it wouldn't let me. Trevor Galloway kept coming back to me and demanded to be written about.

With the deadlines for the several arts grants looming, I buckled up on wrote up 3 chapters, about 40 pages of the novel and whipped them into shape for submission. I used the same writing sample as my submission to the Borderlands Writers Bootcamp. Earlier this week I received an email telling me I was accepted! I did a little happy dance.

Now, my attention has turned to what I need to do to prepare for this bootcamp. For September 1st, I need to provide: 

• up to 35 opening pages of my novel 
• synopsis or chapter outline of remainder
• brief but encompassing list of major and secondary characters and their biographies

It's going to be an exciting and busy summer!

First post of the year - 2012 writing goals

Yes, it's April, but that's okay. It's actually a perfect time to review my writing goals for 2012.

My goals to kick off the year were:


[  ] published 4 short stories
[  ] write a new short story each month
[  ] get two Back Issue! assignments
[  ] write my novel
[  ] contribute to Black Glove magazine


Revisiting them now:


[ 1/4 ] published 4 short stories (1 slated for publication this year)
[ 1/12 ] write a new short story each month (1 new story so far)
[ 1/2 ] get two Back Issue! assignments (1 out of 2 so far)
[  ] write my novel (hacking away at it)
[  ] contribute to The Black Glove (ongoing)
[  ] contribute to Biff Bam Pop! (ongoing)


As writing my novel is my primary focus this year, I'd like to break that down a bit more. Originally I started out with the following schedule aimed at getting my novel written for World Fantasy Con 2012 here in Toronto.

Mar - write 17,000 words
Apr- write 17,000 words
May- write 17,000 words
June- write 17,000 words
July - write 17,000 words 
Aug - Revision
Sept - Revision
Oct - Revision
Nov 1 - World Fantasy Con


So where am I now? I have about 19,000 words written, but I'm really struggling with putting together the overall plot.


I had a great chat with author Ian Rogers over the weekend and he reaffirmed that there was a market for good dark fiction set in Canada. So I'm mulling over whether to press on with my novel or to grab some pieces from the novel to flesh out something in the 10,000 word range as a chapbook.


I'm not sure where to go, but I guess for now, I can try and do both! We'll see how successful that is.


A tip of the hat to Daniel Huber for encouraging me to continue this writer's blog.