What sounds like a circus act is actually the reality of having several different projects going on at once, all at different stages. Out on submission, revising, copy editing, Lately, when I sit down for my writing time at night, I have to ask myself… What’s on my desk right now, and what’s off it?
Tonight’s status report…
On my desk:
- Two presentations for the NYS English Council Conference in Albany on Thursday. I’ll be giving two workshops: Historical Fiction as a Bridge to Content Area Literacy and Walking the Walk: How Teacher/Writers Encourage Student Revision. My PowerPoint presentations are updated and ready to go, but I need to get my materials packed AND I need to finish reading a pile of fantastic ARCs from some fellow 2009 debut authors so I can talk them up to the teachers and then give them away.
- My second MARTY MCGUIRE chapter book for Scholastic. I’m wrapping up a first round of revisions before I send Marty off to some critique partners.
- SUGAR ON SNOW, the middle grade novel that’s my current WIP. I finished Chapter 6 tonight. I’m really excited about this one, but I think I need to make a trip to Lake Placid for research before I write too much more.
(Truth be told, there’s also a whole bunch of other stuff on my desk, including a few newspaper clippings, some books, a pen holder made of popsicle sticks, index cards, rocks, notebooks, photographs, bookmarks, a kid’s homework that I hope is not due tomorrow, and an orange Tootsie Pop. There used to be a chocolate one, too, but I ate that while I was writing the end of Chapter 6.)
Off my desk for right now:
- THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z, my Fall ’09 middle grade novel with Walker Books. Gianna is spending some time in NYC for copy editing. (Do you think she’ll get to see a show while she’s there?) I expect her home around the end of the month.
- MARTY MCGUIRE, FROG PRINCESS, my first Marty chapter book for Scholastic. My latest Marty revision went back to my editor last week.
- OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW, my picture book with Chronicle Books. I’m waiting for a decision on an illustrator. I’ve heard bits and pieces of some very exciting possibilities, but nothing definite yet.
- A new picture book that’s out there in the world right now. Think good thoughts for it, okay? I’m very fond of it and have high hopes that I’ll be able to make it what it needs to be to find a home.
Off my desk for good:
- Son’s leaf collection project (which wasn’t on my desk, exactly, but it meant that the boy was hogging my computer and dripping pine needles all over the living room floor, so it still counts.) He is turning it in tomorrow, and we will both rejoice.
What about you? What’s on your desk right now? What’s off your desk for now and could use some good thoughts from the rest of us?
On my desk…the almost completed MS for my chapterbook mystery…one chapter to go and then it is out to crit partners…want to trade?
Off my desk…my mid-grade that I finished a few months ago. I sent it in to my editor as part of my last contract, so yes, good thoughts on that would be welcome.
Also on my desk…my camera, various forms for the upcoming SCWG conference I am working on, my magnifying glass, so I can read the fine print of most anything (and everything seems to be fine print these days,) and tons of other ‘junk.’
Wow, you are really busy!
I have stuff for my column, standup act, book promotion, and book manuscripts on my desk. Also ideas for articles and stuff about my kids’ soccer teams and running program. My desk is a pig sty.
Sounds like a chapter book swap is in order soon (I’ll need…maybe another week or two to finish?). Thanks, Judy! And good luck with the MG – let me know how it goes!
Oh I feel better, not being along in the pig sty department. A newspaper reporter doing a little feature on me for the tiny town where I grew up sent me an interview a few weeks ago asking what my desk looks like. I was all torn between telling the ugly truth and making up something sleek and organized. In the end, I just sent her a picture.
Okay…let’s make the goal two weeks…that will motivate me to finish, too.
Goal?? Who said anything about a goal??
(Just kidding…I’ll do well with a two-week deadline, too. :^)
You’re right…’deadline’ works better. Deadlines are less forgiving than goals.
You are insane Kate. Too many irons in the fire for me! One or two is all I can take. On my desk right now: a coffee, a Hot Wheels car of a 1932 Ford coupe (which appears in BUG BOY), a Batman action figure (that does not appear in any of my books), a calculator and a model spine.
I just began reorganizing my office so my desk is piled with Patience Press business on one side (InDesign User Guide so I can make an index for the ebook I am trying to put out of the Post-Traumatic Gazettes, stuff on my website, the cards for my talks–I wouldn’t know how to do Powerpoint, orders I have shipped, etc, etc) and the other side where I want to start writing some of the stuff I want to write that is not about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, YA fantasy or SF, etc.
I have a bunch of pens in a glass flower frog (works great and markers in a cup. Endust…hmmmm. That must have been here since June when we went to Maine. Speakers. I just go a new computer (Macbook) exactly like my las one which died, but this one will not let me play any of my ITunes for some reason. Gotta talk to Bob about that. It also keeps switching back to the wrong printer every morning and then has to look up a printer driver for the laser. I hope i fixed that by going into preferences. An empty basket that says SHRED on it. A 3-hole punch. Backup drive. My name in kid’s blocks which I glued together from blocks I played with as a child. (Patty not Patience) Six small bugs I want to write a picture book about. I make ’em out of cones and acorns and stuff. wpadmirer is going to make me some icons of them, since I am too inept to do it myself.
I am really impressed by all the writing you are doing. Hope to get there someday myself.
Hey Kate — all is well though wish I had more time to write, but between work, family & puppy-land…I’m tapped out. Every day, I vow to get more organized & then every day, well, passes.
Hope you’re well – I’m sure you’re absolutely swamped as well. Hanna