While I started everything up on Wednesday, I also started my weekly tech scan for viruses. As that ran, I read through A DAY AT THE RACES and made a few tweaks. Then I copied and pasted it to 12 STORIES IN 12 MONTHS and gave it another proofread before hitting the SUBMIT button. The next prompt is up and I’m delighted it isn’t the 300-word one. It’s 1,000 words and it’s due on 11 September.
I turned the rest of the day on its head by finishing the hard-copy client proofread first. There were only 33 pages left and I was keen to get on with the consolidations. It took only one Pomodoro to finish this stage of the work. Meanwhile, my story had been posted to the 12 STORIES website, and I’d already received one comment.
It was dinnertime by now, so I broke for lunch and made a ham salad sandwich.
After dinner, the plan was to consolidate my proof corrections with those from the author and the independent proofreader, but, of course, I fell down a rabbit hole – the same rabbit hole I fell down before – and off I went in search of my contract from the publisher at the centre of my recent rantings. I was pleased to see that my contract had not been replaced by any subsequent contracts.
Just in case my work starts to pop up in any of these new anthologies, I’ve also rejoined the Society of Authors, who are experts in contracts. At the end of the month I’ll be renewing my membership of the Crime Writers’ Association too. I updated the tagline on my website, on my X, and on my Bluesky. And just like that – I’m in a UK trade union again.
Little Miss Militant, eh?
Unfortunately, that and responding in the forum took the rest of the day and I didn’t get any more work done. It was gone 5pm and the poem was home, so I clocked off too.
Today I’ll start with a bit of a catchup.
Good for you. Trade unions are important.
I may also join the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), but it will probably be in a different month – for budgeting.
These are useful organisations to belong to.
I hope so.