Updates

Phew--well, this week flew by in a mess of deadlines and topic brainstorming! I've sent in my first articles to both of those writing jobs I was talking about in a previous post.

To clarify, I'm definitely doing one of them each week-- the one where I get to pick whatever I want to write about and put it up once (or more) a week. That's for Top Shelf Magazine, which I highly recommend for some fun reading. And to my writerly friends, I'm not sure, but they might still be taking new writers on, if you're interested. It's unpaid, but a great way to get your name in print and something to put on your resume. I know a lot of you would be writing for fun anyway--why not get it published?

The second was for Today I Found Out, the site with articles about random facts. I was presented with three different options to write about. I started off writing about how blackboard chalk isn't actually chalk, but couldn't find enough information about it to write a nearly 1000 word article (yes, okay, chalk is gypsum--but when did it switch to gypsum? Why? Couldn't find answers to my burning questions.) The one I ended up writing about was on Vasili Blokhin, the man who killed over 7000 people in 28 days, one at a time, becoming the world's most prolific executioner. Interesting stuff. I'll link you if it gets put up on the site.

With that job, I sent in a few writing samples and was put on a short list. The people on the short list were all sent a few topics (not sure if we had he same ones or not) and they'll pick 1-3 people to write regularly for them based on those articles. Fingers crossed mine was better than the majority, but to avoid disappointment I'm not holding my breath--even if this would be a really cool opportunity!

It felt SO good to be able to put up some deadlines on the calendar. I'm submitting Mondays for Top Shelf, so my Mondays this month all have "TS article due!" on them. Ahh, at last--a schedule of sorts!

I've also told TIFO that I can write two articles each week. Might submit to them and TS more often than that if I don't get a real job soon. Something to fill my days, right?

Meanwhile, I've been neglecting this blog. No worries, I'm just going to finish reading "Enchanted Glass" by Diana Wynne Jones and also attempt to get rid of this ick-feeling I've been having so I can get out and DO something. So--stay tuned.