2015 Q1 Writing Summary

Writing Updates:

Novels

Gilly Frank's Record Collection

I've sent query letters to nine agents since the beginning of 2015.  I've gotten one request for the whole manuscript (yay!), and 4 "no, thanks" letters.  One agent did not respond at all within the time-frame stated on their submission page, so I'm assuming that's a rejection too.  3 agents have not responded, but this is still inside the time-frame they've stated on their submission pages, so there's still hope!  I'm still honing my query letter, but I feel like I'm at a good place with the full manuscript and I'd like to let it be what it is for a few months before looking through it again for revisions.  I'd like to have a few more readers give it a read through and tell me their thoughts as well.

I have some ideas percolating for sequels, and I've written a couple scenes and started making lists of different music.  I want to give the first book time to fully become itself before I rush into the next part of the story, however.  I feel like there could be at least three books total here, and I'd like to have the whole story arc through the three novels plotted out in my head before I start the second book.

Playwrighting

Writing:

I've written 4 short plays so far this year, 3 of which I like a lot, and one of which is not great.  I rewrote a short play from two years ago, and I like how its turned out this time.  I just finished a very rough draft of a short full length or long one-act comedy.  I'd like it to be at least a full length, but we'll see what happens in the editing process.

Submissions:

I've sent 7 different plays 21 contests.  In some cases, I was only able to send one play, and in others they allowed for up to three plays.  So in total this year I've made 33 submissions.

Results:

My short play Deal Breaker was accepted for a short play festival in Independence, MO. 

It's a bit early yet to see the results for most of the competitions I've submitted to.  I have gotten 6 "no thanks" messages, three of which were immediate, because I live too far from the competitions.

I try to submit plays to every contest that I'm eligible for and that I think my plays will fit into.  That usually means about 5 - 10 contests per month.  I've focused almost entirely on short plays so far this year because I haven't had a new full length in a while.  I'm hopeful that this new rough draft will flesh out into a good evening of bizarre comedy hijinx.  Maybe some shenanigans thrown in there for good measure.