There are four — and only four — general measures of output. These four are Quality, Quantity, Cost, and Timeliness. Notice that the last measure is “timeliness,” not “time.” That’s because in measuring output, it’s more useful to focus on timeliness — adherence to schedule, meeting deadlines — than it is to think about clock [...]
Archive for April, 2008
Timeliness
Posted in Housekeeping, Practicing Risk, tagged FilAm Lit, Goals, Time on April 24, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Run-Up to SCBWI Western Washington
Posted in Housekeeping on April 22, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Headed out this weekend to attend SCBWI Western Washington Conference…which I see is sold out. Whoa. I’m glad I got my reg. in a few weeks back.
I want to pitch a couple of picture books, but I registered late and didn’t get any pitch appointments with agents/eds. I feel like I need to bring /something/ [...]
Packing List
Posted in Housekeeping, lists, tagged Checklists, Nerves on April 14, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Been spending the last few days reading the listserve forum for the VC program. Pretty overwhelming at first reading everyone’s posts and trying to figure out what I need to do next.
First, of course, is getting my manuscript done, which I think will require a bit more thought than I had originally planned… I’m going [...]
Performance Anxiety
Posted in Backstory, Practicing Risk, tagged compromises, motherhood, Reasons on April 10, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Weekend busy-ness turned to workweek busy-ness spiced with disappointment and more risk-taking.
I had to shift my sights to adjust to part of the MFA plan not coming together as I had hoped while still making sure the goal stayed in sight. Back to that not-giving-up, thing. It’s been slow going, getting my feet back under [...]
Gift of Collaboration
Posted in Artists and Visionaries, tagged Artists, Collaboration, Swil Kanim on April 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Came home late tonight after working all day, taking the family out for dinner and catching the First Friday Concert by Swil Kanim.
Swil is a musician, storyteller, and philosopher who’s name is Richard Marshall but who /is/ Swil Kanim – Works for the People.
I’ve seen Swil perform off an on for years, ever since seeing [...]
Receiving the Unlooked For
Posted in Asking and Receiving, tagged miracles, Scholarships, story ideas, tasks on April 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Today, a small miracle.
VC sent me an email letting me know a few more details on the residency this summer, not the least of which was informing me that I had been given a scholarship!
I didn’t even apply for it – they just offered it. So wonderful!
It’s a good start to what I hope is [...]
Practice is Practice
Posted in Crossroads, tagged Decisions, Oddkins, Writing Practice on April 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Got thrown off kilter today.
I work for a scientific nonprofit as an editor and we’re past deadline on our close for three of our journals. Wishing I had taken a more hardline with authors late with their corrections is one of those ‘hindsight is 20/20′ things. Tomorrow we close one way or another and hopefully [...]
Riding the Wave
Posted in Asking and Receiving, Practicing Risk, tagged Aphorisms, Contests, Submissions, Travel on April 1, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Writing begets writing.
I’m going to have that printed and framed, I think.
So riding the crest of my work last night, I took three unpublished pieces from my files and sent them off to an essay contest. When I sat down to work, I thought I had a month to get the pieces ready, but a [...]
