Procrastination October 25, 2006
Posted by Jen in : Bits and Pieces, Journal , trackback‘Hard work often pays off after time but laziness always pays off straight away.’
I can’t remember where I saw that but, crumbs, I am surely the crowned monarch of Putting Things Off. Well, not all things, to be fair, just the important ones. Like writing the rest of my novel, for example. I promised that I would have two weeks’ r&r after the final coursework was submitted and then I’d get stuck in. Stuck in good and proper, in fact. I even have this week off and have I done anything constructive? Nope.
Unless you count my listing clothes that no longer fit me on eBay. That was kind of creative, especially if anyone wants to buy clothes that are described as ‘cuddlesome’ or ’sort of an Angel Delight colour’. Thought not.
Tomorrow it is then. I will send off my shorties* to some magazines in a bid to get them published. As research during A215, lovely bf went through a phase of buying lots of those ‘Take a Break’ type mags. As research, I’m stressing here. Not for entertainment or suchlike. God, I have to say, they are truly bloody awful. If they like printing total rubbish and it’s what they really want, believe me I have PLENTY!
Tomorrow it is then… eek, the same day as I’m starting my diet. What bad timing eh?
* Shorties being short stories. Not pants. Well, they are pants. The stories, I mean. But not actual pants. Oh dear. You know what I mean. Don’t you??
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Ahh. Procrastination. Now there is an area in which I can really excel.
Good on you for the shorties thingy (I love the fact that typing shorties makes one think of underwear. Or is that just me?) - that all sounds most constructive and un-procrastinatey. And you are entitled to time off after finishing your course, after all; from the sound of it, you’ve still time to bring yourself back from the brink of proper procrastination with one last whirlwind effort before going back to work. You can do it. Where there is tea, there is hope.
Typing quite a lot of stuff makes me think of undies. Glad I’m not the only one!! D’you think perhaps I might be the reincarnation of Sid James??
Tea… yes… tea really does fix everything. A nice bath often helps too. Mmmm… lovely
I love that quote… it really speaks to my inner slacker. I am meant to be working on my first TMA for my next OU course and when I checked the course website the other day, there was a bulletin saying “Your first TMA for U210 is due soon”. I checked the calendar and smirked. It is actually due on 7th November. To me, due soon means tomorrow. So I closed the webpage and read some blogs, wrote some blog, surfed iTunes, and pretty much avoided the issue. Due soon, my arse. I still have 12 days.
This just in –
Two PhD Creative Writing students in the Department of English - Sally Flint and Ginny Baily - have been awarded an Arts Council grant to produce a pilot copy of a new literary journal, Riptide.
The aim of Riptide is to promote short stories, whether from established or emerging writers. Ginny and Sally want to use this opportunity to provide a forum for high quality, innovative fiction, expanding the readership of this genre and enhancing its standing. They see themselves as part of the wider push to revitalise the short story within the UK. They will invite work by prominent authors who believe in the continuing importance of the short story - Philip Hensher has already agreed to contribute - but they aim predominantly to feature new voices.
Riptide will showcase previously unpublished short fiction and a call for submissions will be sent out soon. As the journal is based in the South West Ginny and Sally are hoping for writing that displays some connection with the region or draws inspiration from the people, their traditions and the area’s diverse land and seascapes.
Although this is an independent venture, Sally and Ginny can be found in the Royal Literary Fellowship room, 237, on Wednesdays. The Riptide web-site, http://www.riptidejournal.co.uk, is currently under construction and is expected to go live within the week.
Hope is interesting.
Oh, and this –
Riptide, the new short story journal edited by Creative Writing PhD
students, Ginny Baily and Sally Flint, is now seeking submissions. If you
would like your work to be considered for the inaugural edition of Riptide:
Send or hand in 1 original and unpublished short story of up to
5,000 words to the address below
Stories must be double-spaced in 12pt typeface on one side of the
paper only.
The deadline is January 31st 2007 but early submissions are very
welcome.
Do not send work in the first instance via email. If your story is
selected, we will contact you by e-mail for a word file attachment.
Do not send more than 1 story. (We will only read the first one.)
If you want your manuscripts returned, enclose a self-addressed
envelope with UK stamps, or with sufficient, endorsed International Reply
Coupons (IRCs). We will not reply to submissions that come without SAEs.
Please include your contact details including your e-mail address.
Riptide is a non-profit making journal. However, we will pay
writers a token fee and supply them with 2 copies.
We regret that we are unable to give you any feedback on your work
or enter into any correspondence about rejected work.
The Editors, Riptide,
The Department of English,
The University of Exeter,
Queen’s Building,
Queen’s Drive,
Exeter EX4 6QH.
Ooh, KW, that does indeed look very interesting…
Thanks… you’re a marvel
X
You’re welcome.
Apparently I used to laugh just like Sid James when a baby. It got to the stage where my poor mother lived in mortal fear of something humorous crossing my path…
Perhaps it was his marvellous cackle that helped in some small way to make you the Kitchen Witch you are today? There’s something incredibly irresistable about a child with a wicked laugh isn’t there?