My 2024 in Review (Part 3): So, What’s Next?

Hello Funny People,

Having kevitched about my failures and reflect on my (small) successes, that just leaves one overwhelming question.

After watching Deadwood for the first time on Max, the very idea of talking about what I plan to do next brings to mind the above hilarious (and often sadly true), quote from Ian McShane's character, Al Swearengen. It's a slightly verbose variation of the saying, "Man plans; God laughs." And I've rather taken it to heart, considering how badly I (still) feel I've failed to take any meaningful step forward this year in my life. 

But time only moves in one direction. I cannot go back over this past year and reverse all the faux pas I've committed. I cannot go back and redouble my efforts to finish the things I failed to finish. I can't recover any of that. It's done. It's gone. It's irretrievable and unredoable. So, it begs the question: what do I do next?

Well, as it happens, I do have a few things in mind.

1) Revise The Two Stories I Workshopped Over the Summer

This is a fairly achievable task. All I need to do is take the notes for revision suggestions I jotted down during the two workshops and incorporate the feedback that I think will best strengthen the stories. Both, by my own estimation, are likely to become novelettes as a result of this process (one of them was already boarderline, anyway), which means they'll have ever fewer possibilities for publication. But I'm willing to sacrifice that in exchange for writing a story that works properly. One of the stories needs less revision than the other, so I'll begin with that one and then move onto the second, which is in much greater need of an overhaul.

2) Keep My Little Flash Story Out There Until It Sells

While I've still yet to receive word back as to whether my little strange flash story (which has gotten nothing but personal rejections and hold notices since I began submitting it), will see publication, my expectation is that it won't get accepted. I've been through this hold notice rigmarole enough times now that I've learn if the zine really wanted to say yes, they would've straight away. A hold notice is nothing but a delayed no. 

But that won't stop me. Something in this story works. It connects to people in a way that precious few of my stories have. Maybe it's because of the thematic material or the emotional content, I don't know. But I know it's good. And it deserves a readership. So, at every given chance next year, I will continue to send it out until it gets the yes it deserves.

3) Write a new Boltstone Short Story

I must admit, I've already got a head start on this one.

While at the workshop, one of my colleagues submitted a story that actually inspired the way I'm writing this current story (as well as all Boltstone short fiction going forward). She too has a recurring.main character about whom she's writing. However, that main character is almost never the POV character of her shorter stories. Instead, rather like Holmes or Poirot, they enter another person's story to act as a major agent if change. That leaves it to the POV character to change and grow instead.

So, going forward in short fiction, Boltstone will act as a major secondary character, entering people's lives to change them.

4) Try to Finish Both In Progress Novels

Progress on each of those projects are presently on hold. The holiday season is hellish enough trying to make everyone in your life happy. That said, once this super storm of holiday cheer and artifical levity is finally over, I plan to return to both of these to at least bring their respective first drafts to a close. As to whether or not I'll return to them to revise either of them...well, one step at a time.

5) Begin Revisions on My Already Drafted Novels

2023 (the good year), saw me finish drafts of not one, but two novels. I still have hopes for each of these projects, and I also have plans regarding the kinds of edits and revisions I'd like to make for them. I don't quite know how long each revision will take, but considering that both of these books is significantly shorter than my fantasy novel was when I came to revise it, I have a feeling that cutting excess verbiage won't be a big portion of it. Expanding, adding, and fleshing out things, however, may be.

6) Do Revisions with My Editor for the Fantasy Novel

I mentioned on one of my social media platforms that I'd engaged a freelance editor to help me go over my one completed fantasy novel. Considering jd received one full request for it from an agent who was genuinely interested in it, despite one major issue (and even expressed interest in seeing a revised version of it), I have hopes this process will be productive. The plan is to do two rounds of edits at the moment. I should hear back from him by March, at which point I'll review the editorial letter, evaluate the suggestions, and incorporate the feedback accordingly. After that, the plan is to ship it back to my editor for further feedback, which I should get back by May.

7) If Everything Goes As Planned, Draft A Novella

This is a big if. I've had it in mind to write a novella for years, specifically one set in the world of my Tata Duende stories. And I already have a first.chapter of it drafted. If I can finish the revisions on the stories, complete the two novel first drafts, and make good progress on revisions for at least one of my old novels, this will be the big new project I attempt. But it remains an if

When it comes to ambitions in life, people also say you should allow your reach to exceed your grasp. That allows you to always have something to whi h you may aspire. Maybe next year's efforts are just that, beyond my grasp. But I still.plan to try for them, even against my better judgement.

— IMC 🙃

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