SMP just bought New-Slain Knight.

The deadline is 15 January. I need to write about 63K words by 15 January.

And Kate wants to start shopping Seven Women to possible publishers as a finished manuscript around March or early April, to coincide with the release of Daymond's non-fiction book, Display of Power.

That one needs another 80K or so words.

I need to write 145K or so of saleable fiction, in two completely different genres and in two completely different voices, between now and spring. Kill me. Please kill me.

I am not doing NaNoWriMo.

Just thought I'd stick my head in. How is everyone?

(paragraph edited for redundancy - not in here much and tend to forget stuff)

Back to work. 63K words. 15 January.

Please don't let this all suck.

for you, every month is NaNoWriMo, Deb.

For the "Things That Go Bump In the Night" drabble: --------------------

THUMP!

Ididn'treallyhearthatIcanstayasleep

THUMP!

She might go back to sleep if I don't respond.

THUMP! "Aaaaah!"

She can't do consonants, but that's her call for me. I sigh and swing my legs out of bed, trudging into the next room. I totally know how to do this without really waking up. There's enough moonlight to see by. I pick the bottle up off the nightstand. "Are you thirsty?"

"Uhh." She can use straws, which is nice. I cradle her in my arms and hold the bottle for her while she drinks and drinks, then pulls away.

"Do you want any more?" A sharp shake of her head sends the headboard into the wall again: THUMP! I make sure she's covered and head back to bed.

I wonder - when she can no longer move her head or make a sound, how will my mother call for my help?

Oww, Raq, that's just oww. I was thinking it was going to be about Mallory until you used "she." I'ma sit here and sniffle a little.

Raq, whoa. Disturbing.

Raq, that was disturbing. Very well done, but brrrr.

So, I have a question about writing and insecurity? What do you do when you start feeling that you've been deluding yourself all these years, and that you're NOT in any way a good writer? I know part of the reason I'm suffering a sudden attack of What am I doing? I can't write! is because I'm working on something different from what I usually write. But knowing that doesn't change the worry.

What do you do when you start feeling that you've been deluding yourself all these years, and that you're NOT in any way a good writer?

You post here so that I can type the words, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?"

Jilli, I am in awe of your writing talent. I've only had the opportunity to read your website and your posted drabbles, but I couldn't possibly count the number of times I've rec'd your site and babbled about your drabbles. Especially the Picture Me drabbles. Simply wonderful imagination and skill. Squash the doubt.

Jilli, I *still* feel that way every other week or so. Especially if I'm trying something new or out of my comfort zone. The fact that you already know that is good -- but banishing the worry can be tough.

One of the best ways for me to do it is to let something sit for a while. Get some distance from it, even if it's just a day or two. Whe you go back it's much easier to see trouble spots *and* to be more objective about what you did right.

You post here so that I can type the words, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?"

Jilli, I am in awe of your writing talent.

Nicole, thank you. (I'm marking your post so I can go re-read it!)

I think my big problem is I'm not sure if I can write dialog. The GCS columns (obviously) don't have any, and I don't think any of the drabbles I've written have dialog.

Jilli, I just sent feedback. Also, your dialogue is fine! The girls' voices are very natural, which is the most important thing.