Time, I think, for a new start.
I’ve allowed myself to lose focus in the last month or so and I actually missed a deadline this week. Normally I have a list of deadlines to work tom but I’d let it slip. Suddenly I realised that the 30th June was only days away.
I hate submitting at the end of a submission window because you’re never sure if a rejection is due to quality or due to the fact they already have enough good stuff.
Add an extra variable, that I hadn’t been completing enough material, and I had to make the tough decision to let the deadline pass.
I didn’t like doing it, but it’s better to leave it than submit rubbish. It was due to go to an editor I hadn’t sent anything to before and I didn’t see any point in making myself look unprofessional.
I have now set myself a number of targets, which I’m not going to share until I see which ones are working. This is, I admit, a bit of a cop out but I feel happier that way. It’s also erring on the side of modesty as I’ve set myself some stiff targets. If I hit them all and tell you about them it might look like I’m boasting.
However, one I will reveal is that I’m back to daily posting. This Day One. It’s the easy one. Day Two might be trickier.
I will also reveal that I’m setting myself a target of at least 185 words per post. That avoids the temptation to take shortcuts because it’s about practising writing, not just ticking off the days.
Fine words. Let’s see how it works out.
The pictures are poppies in the front garden. Each morning three or four open up. By the evening they have blown away. We have several clumps of them and, apart from some minor deadheading, we don’t do anything to them. They even planted themselves. You have to admire that in a flower.
Poppies growing from cracks in concrete. The rumpled effect smooths out as the day draws on.
Well, nothing like a blown deadline to make you buckle down. Good for you. I LOVE poppies and try them every year. I just don’t seem to have what they want. Those are lovely pictures. You make it look so easy.
We threw packets of California poppies around in really bad soil when we built some banking on the farm and then just left them. Result – 1,000 s of poppies. I’ll look for some old photos.
Good luck with your goals. Lovely poppies!
If I could get a shot of Puffins chasing puppies amongst poppies it would probably break the internet!
You got that right!
🙂
Just had another thought – how about Maya meeting a four foot tall talking Puffin? Just a thought…
I will keep it in mind. 😉
🙂 I once gave J K Rowling some advice (“write shorter books”) but she ignored me. Unfortunately.
Good luck with the writing. As you know, we have those poppies. Dead heading really brings them on
I’m feeling a deadheading session coming on. Actually, I want to hide from Julia, but I will dress it up as gardening.
I love those little seeds that find the tiniest crack and liven up the paving!
I think they are the best bit of gardening. 🙂
I agree!
Those are very beautiful poppies, Quercus!
🙂 Thank you.
These are very good value flowers. You have made a good start as poppies always score highly and secret targets are the best. Good luck.
Thank you. I have a patchy record with poppies. The ones I buy and look after all die and the ones I neglect seem to prosper.