I've just sent back the scanned, signed offer letter. In twelve days, I'll start my job as a data analyst.
That sounds like an awful job title, like I'm planning on becoming a robot. For the mildly interested, a data analyst is apparently a person who goes through health providers' dense data files and figures out a system for overpayments. In a majorly geeky way, I'm really excited about it. It's all crunching numbers and figuring out patterns, and there's bonus figures for how well I do it, which is a first for me.
The only concern I have, like I said before - how will this affect my writing? Am I going to be able to balance the job and the books?
I'm maybe an eighth of the way through my third draft of The Cherubim. I plan to be near the halfway mark by the time I start work. I hope.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Monday, June 15, 2009
Great news!
Now what?
Today, I revised the first fifteen pages of The Cherubim - moved a few things around, added a few things. For some reason, the first paragraph is always the hardest for me. It has to really draw in the reader, and I always pay extra attention to it - it has to hit hard. I spent as much time on that paragraph as the next two pages combined.
The phone rang a little after lunch. The place where I was interviewed a couple of weeks ago called me back; they've offered me the position. The job pays better than any place I've worked, offers amazing benefits, and has some sort of commission system where I'll get paid... for something or another. I really don't know; they said they'll get back to me tomorrow morning with details about that. This is big, huge, great, amazing news.
The recruiter said I'd start next Monday - if they could get the information to me this afternoon. That's out the door, so I may start the Monday after next. The only problem is: what about the book? I'll have to figure out how to handle this. I need at least three more weeks to get it into decent shape. I guess I'll have to start doing this stuff on the weekends / after work.
Which doesn't give me as much time, but - the past four months was a great run. I knew it had to end sometime; hopefully, I've given myself enough to work with for now.
Today, I revised the first fifteen pages of The Cherubim - moved a few things around, added a few things. For some reason, the first paragraph is always the hardest for me. It has to really draw in the reader, and I always pay extra attention to it - it has to hit hard. I spent as much time on that paragraph as the next two pages combined.
The phone rang a little after lunch. The place where I was interviewed a couple of weeks ago called me back; they've offered me the position. The job pays better than any place I've worked, offers amazing benefits, and has some sort of commission system where I'll get paid... for something or another. I really don't know; they said they'll get back to me tomorrow morning with details about that. This is big, huge, great, amazing news.
The recruiter said I'd start next Monday - if they could get the information to me this afternoon. That's out the door, so I may start the Monday after next. The only problem is: what about the book? I'll have to figure out how to handle this. I need at least three more weeks to get it into decent shape. I guess I'll have to start doing this stuff on the weekends / after work.
Which doesn't give me as much time, but - the past four months was a great run. I knew it had to end sometime; hopefully, I've given myself enough to work with for now.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Number forty-four
Starting is the hardest part.
That's why, I guess, it's best to never take a break. Getting back into writing is terrifying. I stopped writing and editing after finishing the first draft of Mrs. Shadow. Vacations, visitors, Van Halen; every week, I told myself that something else was in the way and I needed to wait before editing The Cherubim.
It's been three months since I've looked at it, and a month since I've done any sort of writing (other than at our new blog. It's time to clean off the rust and get started.
Over the next couple of days, I'm rereading the book, making a few changes that Rebecca suggested, and then I'll start going over everything with a fine-tooth comb. Hopefully, when all is said and done, I'll have it in a place where I can submit it to Critique Circle, and - eventually - out to agents.
Granted, I don't know if this is strong enough to be published. I still have a lot of work to do!
Sorry for my lengthy disappearances, guys, and sorry for not posting more comments - believe me, I'm still reading all of your posts! I'm just being quiet right now.
And I'm still waiting to hear back about last week's interview. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Now - onto the editing!
That's why, I guess, it's best to never take a break. Getting back into writing is terrifying. I stopped writing and editing after finishing the first draft of Mrs. Shadow. Vacations, visitors, Van Halen; every week, I told myself that something else was in the way and I needed to wait before editing The Cherubim.
It's been three months since I've looked at it, and a month since I've done any sort of writing (other than at our new blog. It's time to clean off the rust and get started.
Over the next couple of days, I'm rereading the book, making a few changes that Rebecca suggested, and then I'll start going over everything with a fine-tooth comb. Hopefully, when all is said and done, I'll have it in a place where I can submit it to Critique Circle, and - eventually - out to agents.
Granted, I don't know if this is strong enough to be published. I still have a lot of work to do!
Sorry for my lengthy disappearances, guys, and sorry for not posting more comments - believe me, I'm still reading all of your posts! I'm just being quiet right now.
And I'm still waiting to hear back about last week's interview. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Now - onto the editing!
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
New Blog!
Rebecca and I have just posted our first recipe at our new blog, the hungry lemur. Expect more very soon! For now, go check it out and comment!
I'm just back from a job interview at a really, really nice place. Good feeling about this one; please send positive thoughts my way.
I'm just back from a job interview at a really, really nice place. Good feeling about this one; please send positive thoughts my way.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Time Passes.
I've been pretty lazy the last couple of weeks. I'm enjoying it. My birthday, our anniversary - and, this week, a visit from the in-laws. I'm lounging around, living off the work of my beautiful wife, and baking the occasional cake.
I needed to step away from the two books for just a bit; enough to clear my head so that I can get around to editing and rewriting. In the meantime, Rebecca and I have been working on a new recipe blog! She's taking pictures of the food, and I'll write the text. I'm kind of getting excited about it. She's really good at photography. We worked on the first post last night - it should be coming up very, very soon.
And of absolute interest to nearly no one: I have a couple of great job interviews coming up over the next week. And every time I say something like that, I think I cast a hex on myself. Keep your fingers crossed for me, everyone.
I needed to step away from the two books for just a bit; enough to clear my head so that I can get around to editing and rewriting. In the meantime, Rebecca and I have been working on a new recipe blog! She's taking pictures of the food, and I'll write the text. I'm kind of getting excited about it. She's really good at photography. We worked on the first post last night - it should be coming up very, very soon.
And of absolute interest to nearly no one: I have a couple of great job interviews coming up over the next week. And every time I say something like that, I think I cast a hex on myself. Keep your fingers crossed for me, everyone.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)