November 15, 2017
While taking care of my daughters during the day, I have been working nights at various writing projects. These include Death and Life, various short stories, several incipient book proposals, and an academic paper based on my PhD dissertation. I wanted to take a moment to update my website with my progress on these projects.
Last week I finished and submitted the academic paper to a peer-reviewed journal, but I will have to wait four to five months to hear back. If it is not accepted, I will repeat the process elsewhere. I would like to develop these ideas into a critical opus, but that is still some distance in the future.
I’ve written a couple of short stories, and those are currently in rounds of submission, but once again it will take time to hear from the various places, and if they are rejected, I will have to submit them elsewhere. I’ve decided to be bold and aim high in where I am submitting, so the chances of rejection are quite high. However, the rewards if accepted are also great. Meanwhile, I continue to write more short stories.
The book proposals are a bit more difficult. I’ve developed a relatively comprehensive outline for one book based on the theoretical foundation on which my dissertation was based, but I’m having trouble figuring out an engaging way to introduce the ideas to a reader. I need to develop a more compelling introduction so that I can actually sell it. I’ve written several versions of this, but I don’t think I’m there yet. Meanwhile, a few other book proposals are in the outlining stage.
Death and Life moves forward apace, and I’m part of a novel-writing group that forces me to make progress in that writing while also offering incredibly useful feedback and advice. The work is nevertheless slow, as I am splitting my focus quite a bit. But it progresses.
As things go forward, I will continue to update this space.
Filed under Death and Life, Writing.