[My Leap Year is a 12-month life project (begun 11/01/07) at the end of which I intend to be writing full-time. 365 small steps = 1 giant leap.]
So. My writing retreat.
It went even better than I thought it would, though at first (because all the initial [then backup] plans I had made for how it would all work out kept falling through) I had doubts I would be able to pull it off. But Wednesday night, thanks to a $16 folding table from Staples and a chair from the dining room table, I was able to create a workspace for myself in a corner on Erin’s side of the room that had previosuly been home to her make-up kit and shoes. In fact, I pretty much moved into that side of the room until this morning. It had the interesting effect of making our usual bedroom feel like a new space, because I’m never really on that side. So in this “new” space I felt like I had traveled somewhere and was actually on retreat. Except when I had to go to work, I pretty much didn’t leave. I even had meals delivered in. And it produced results. Here’s the new workspace, where I’m typing this right now:
Most of what I got done was on Thursday, my day off. The day job just kills the ability to build any sort of momentum and, for me at least, momentum is important. Here’s the list:
-I did complete rewrites on two 22-page scripts.
-I submitted one of them the publisher of a company I’d like to work with, who wrote me back the next day and said it was a good read, he’d be keeping me in mind and for me to stay in touch. I also arranged to have the same script sent as a sample to an editor at another company I’d like to work with.
-The second script I sent to Philipp Neundorf (my co-conspirator on PRINCE CHARMING) in Germany. I’m hoping it will be the first issue of a new mini-series from us. I also started on the mini-series’s proposal.
-Vito and I finished the first draft of our proposal and sent it to the artist. There’s already been some interest in the idea and potential open doors at several top-notch publishers.
-I finished a 7-page script which has been sitting half-written on my hard drive for months and sent it to Noel Tuazon (REDCHAPEL, PAPER CUTS). Hopefully he’ll be able to fit it into his schedule.
Also:
-I was e-mailed an opportunity for a new upcoming anthology and started working out some story ideas.
-Daniel Lafrance and I started talking about the form of our next collaboration, and I think it will be very interesting. First thing like it that I will have tried.
All in all, I’m pleased with the results. Now back into real life, taking some of this weekend’s momentum with me.
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It all sounds good. You are an inspiration to all of us aspiring to create. Thanks for doing what you do.
Ditto what Scott said. The mere fact that you’ve got a comic online–a real collaborative process–is both an awesome achievement and demonstrative of the new direction I think comics should take.
Technology can cut down costs so much, but also significantly increase the options for collaboration. I think it’s time for me to set my own “goals,” why not?
Thanks guys! Prem, there is no reason why not: if you shoot for the moon, you might make it halfway there, but if you shoot for Mars, chances are you’ll at least make it to the moon.
I love this
Can I quote you on this?
Sorry the previous comment dropped the quote. Here it is.
“if you shoot for the moon, you might make it halfway there, but if you shoot for Mars, chances are you’ll at least make it to the moon.”
Thanks again.
You can quote me.
(That may be the first time I’ve used that phrase)