Weird Al, Articles and Wayward Hands

Oh, no. It's not my fault Pete is continually distracted. Besides. I'm not the one with a penchant for passing along YouTube links every 17.8 seconds. I just happened to mention a few songs (ok, and extensive lyrics) that I was listening to. And somehow we ended up talking about Weird Al, which led to both of us digging out bunches of Weird Al songs and discussing our favorite Weird Al songs. (Mine is "I Remember Larry")

And I was singing Joan Jett. While chair dancing. Pete was busy being thankful he couldn't hear me.

I guess this is what happens when two ADD writers team up.

***
The past few weeks, I had a potentially troubling situation brewing in my household, which was ultimately resolved. During this, I had a great epiphany concerning getting serious with my writing. Serious meaning "making some money". I finished my novel, but I'm not under any illusion that it'll make me any money anytime soon. (Probably sooner if I'd finish editing!)

So I get the bright idea that I'm going to work on freelancing. Write some articles. Sell them to magazines. Get paid. Piece of cake.

Right.

Turns out that article writing is far, far more difficult than fiction. On the one hand, all the information I need is right in front of me, I just have to organize it and make it look pretty. I don't have to pull anything out of a hat or tap into a great deal of imagination. On the other hand, I can't just make stuff up as I go.

The biggest obstacle I'm finding is that there is a huge "which came first, the chicken or the egg" thing going on with freelancing. The magazines don't want an article without experts, but the experts don't want to talk without knowing what magazine they're going in.

I've been having Angsty-Os for breakfast every morning for the past two weeks - gnashing my teeth, trying to be professional, while angsting about my current lack of credentials. It's a really weird cycle. I suppose I'll get used to it as time goes on and I get more experience, but for now, there is much head-slamming-onto-desk.

***
Speaking of Pete being off AW, I've coincidentally been spending less time on the forums as well. Pete's self-induced exile was a challenge to himself to get a shitload of work done. Not to be outdone, I decide that if he's getting a lot done, then I will, too. (Er, we have this slight competitive thing going on...)

Part of my personal challenge is to finish the aforementioned article, write my query, pitch the article, edit 50 pages of my novel, and write two short stories.

Of course, this would be no fun if we didn't throw in a tight deadline. And decide to start a blog. And continue working on several other projects at the same time. And keeping up with everything else in our lives. All while balancing on one foot.

***

To quell my angst, I switched gears and started working on a short story. I'm about 1500 words in, and I'm having a ball. It's about a man whose hand is no longer under his control. Somewhere along the way, I realized that this story was inspired by a story I read years and years ago by Clive Barker. I'll have to see if I can find the book it was in. (Looking around at the overflowing bookcases and pondering the boxes in the attic... no small feat!) Or maybe I'll just see if I can get it really cheap on Amazon. (Edited to add: It's in The Inhuman Condition, which I can't find anywhere in my house... But it's only a penny on Amazon. *grin*)

***

My current favorite comic strip is Pearls Before Swine, done by Stephan Pastis. Just thought you should know.