Surprises (#WIPmadness check-in, December 16)

Look at what I found!

This is definitely the season of surprises. Hopefully nice ones. Small wonders, big delights. It's about the unexpected. But also hopefully about the wonder.

What has surprised you the most this year? Have you made any discoveries about yourself that have lent something to your creative self? To your writing?

For me, the biggest development was that I gained the confidence to put myself forward in a big way. I started querying like mad. I spent a lot of time at this year's SIWC pitching to agents. That meant I didn't take as many notes (and yes, I'll be sharing more soon) but I was able to put myself out there. I memorized my pitch and was able to deliver it confidently. Not glancing down and referring to notes meant a lot because it meant I could respond to questions on the fly, make my pitch a conversation. Having a finished draft and being able to say, "Yes, it's finished" rather than "It needs a bit more work, can I wait to send it to you?" felt like an accomplishment, too.

And that led to me taking other chances. Like participating in #PitchWars. And I was delighted to find out that I'd been named an alternate for author mentor Rin Chupeco!

So, guess where my goals are right now? Yep, working on the thorough and precise feedback I've received. (Well, that plus beta-reading. One of the authors I featured here the week before last has given me the second book in her series to give feedback on, and I'm excited for that!)

Of course, not all surprises are good ones. Yes, there were rejections. (On the positive side, they were personalized, which itself was useful and encouraging.) 

There was also non-writing-related heartache. Still is. There's a useful book I intend to delve into soon, our very own Denise Jaden's WRITING WITH A HEAVY HEART. But that's all I really want to say right now. I am, at my core, an incurable optimist and not afraid to self-assess. I have a wonderful and supportive husband, and a lot of good things to be thankful for in my life. For me, at this moment, staying focused on the writing stuff is where I need to be. Well, that and planning for our annual holiday party this weekend. :)

So, how have your goals been going? What have you discovered? And what has surprised you?

Speaking of surprises ... With help from Random.org, I drew another name for a surprise gift. Congrats to Carol Garvin!

Dealing With The Unexpected (March Madness Check-In, Day 19)

"Sofie was more than a little surprised when she discovered the difference between a fern and a cactus."

 How do we deal with the unexpected?

Sometimes things come from out of left field. We can't always be prepared for all things all the time. Whether they're good or bad, news, events, and even feedback about our work can throw us out of our rhythm.

My plans for the weekend went out the window on Tuesday. A spontaneous family invitation out of town, one that was worth accepting, meant that I'll be away from home until late today. And so I canceled appointments, booked off tomorrow so I'll have some time to wind down when I come back, and early Saturday I left for a relaxing three-day Vancouver Island getaway.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Not exactly something to complain about. *grins*

I am of course grateful for this. I needed it after a stressful week. But it wasn't exactly what I'd planned. I'd set goals for the weekend! Places to be! Don Rocko and I were supposed to catch a movie! A dear friend and I were going to hang out (and those plans, I forgot to cancel. Oops.) And on top of all that, I had this post to write!

But when my plans changed, I had to readjust. I spent time that I would have normally devoted to my creative endeavours packing and getting ready for the trip. It threw me off my game. Fortunately, in this case everything worked out well, but we all know that isn't always going to be the case. So as easy as it is to fall into the comfortable, planned pattern of our daily lives, we've got to be ready to accept surprises when they occur.

How do you deal with the unexpected? What strategies do you have? March Madness folks, have there been any surprises thrown your way this month that you weren't expecting? How have they affected your goals, or did you find a way to work with them?

So far I've had ample opportunity to devote time to my March (WIP) Madness goals, which included catching up on my reading and working some more on my WIP. I finished my second pass last week, and now I'm onto a third (and hopefully final) list of items to fix before I send it out into the wild. This weekend away has proved fruitful, with intense epiphanies about how to make the story better. And earlier last week, I also got some research done on my other novel project, as I researched the character's identity and roots. How about you?

I might not be able to respond much until I get home tonight. And don't forget to stop by Denise Jaden's blog tomorrow, where she'll draw for more fantastic March WIPmadness prizes!