Lots and lots of words

I've been getting behind on my Business of Writing updates, so I'm going to try and catch up now.

I mentioned earlier about a conference I went to, and I should elaborate on that. It was a literary conference, comprised of multiple panels. Unfortunately, I missed the first one, because it was located a fair distance away, and my friend was driving me, so I didn't want to ask her to wake up super early to get me out there. The first panel that I was present for was rather dry. Everyone was reading essays, or papers, or sections from books. They were all accounts of epistolary stories, or histories. The subjects were rather interesting, but I have to admit that I zoned out quite a bit during the second one, and can barely remember what it was about. The third one from that panel was the most interesting, because it was about a certain sweater that is made by a First Nation group, and how it was incorrectly recreated without permission from the group, for the Olympics.

It was a good presentation to end that panel on, because after lunch, the next panel was by three First Nations presenters. And they were all so interesting, because they were talking to the audience, not reading off a piece of paper. They were telling personal stories, not research. There was even some singing and rapping. It was by far the most interesting panel that I was able to attend that day.

Of course, that's not saying much, considering I had to leave after that one. My friend had to be home by 4:30, and it was an hour drive back to her house, so we left at 3. I heard the next panel had to do with food, so I really regret not staying for that one, but there wasn't much I could do.

After that, we started learning about grants and CVs (Curriculum vites? I can't spell it). The grants weren't too challenging, we just had to go into more detail about our porject. And not just the plot synopsis, but details that we probably never really thought about until now, at least for me. The point of a grant is to convince a council to give you money to work on a project. We were told to talk about why we're writing out project, why it's important to ourselves and the community. Why people have to read it, and why it has to be written. Unfortunately, as a speculative fiction writer, I write for fun. Although I try to include deeper meaning into my work, it's generally for fun. I like to write what I like to read, and what I read is fantasy, dragons, magic, knights, kings, queens, grand wars and the fall of kingdoms. Now this really isn't important. It's not a tragic history of my life, and how I became the person I am today through great struggle and overcoming challenges.

So although I found writing about my project was fairly easy, I don't feel like it'll be earning me grant money any time soon... or ever.

It's the CV that got me, and I'm pretty sure most other people, worried and rather self conscious. A CV is basically a writing resume. It includes all schooling, publications, awards and interests. Just to get mine to a full page, I had to include a suspicious amount of line breaks and some small things that otherwise would not be on a regular CV, such as magazines I've submitted to (but not been accepted in). I thought my two little publications in my old colleges anthology were pretty good... Until I looked at some other CVs just from my class. I really need to get my butt in gear and get more actual publications.

Today we had a presentation on reviews. This was particularly interesting to me, since I have actually done several reviews on this blog. None of them have been for money, or even for the public, so I never considered them to really matter. I was doing them for whoever might stumble upon them, or maybe for any google searches. In fact, if I look at my traffic sources, I have a few people that found this blog because of a review I did on "A Murderous Procession". It's been a while since I've done a review, but I have read several books since my last one, so I should get back to them. Maybe I'll do one on Tuesday.

And now what I have planned for the next few weeks. I mentioned Fan Expo a few posts ago. I am definitely going to this. Just for one day, since ticket prices start getting expensive for more than one day, and my poor boyfriend can't afford much. And since I don't have much time to go out and do things, what with school and work, I'm hoping to get a lot of points for my List through online research and sharing. I've found a great resource through Reddit, which has a lot of publishes authors and editors, who constantly posts links to other websites that help to improve writing, or help to get published. It also constantly has AMAs (Ask Me Anything), with writers, editors, publishers and so on. While doing my research on Brandon Sanderson, I realized these are far more than just questions on the author's books or home life, but also on their jobs, and how they deal with the problems that all writers, or editors or publishers, face.

So that was a big update, sorry. I feel like I owed it, after all the other days I've missed. I'll try to update more on schedule from now on!

Three Weeks Left

Almost done with the majority of my projects! After today, I'll have both my presentations done for my poetry class. I have one, maybe two more essays for my English class. And a mock grant form due for my Business of Writing class. So close!

I've decided that I won't take a class in the summer, because I'm not completely sure if the only fourth year English class offered in the summer is one that I need. So I'll take to an academic adviser when I can actually get an appointment. At this point, I could only go for a walk-in, and I don't want to risk a major line.

Besides, it'll give me time to get a new job, and get some experience before I go back to school. I would absolutely love a job at Mind Games. Chapters would be great too, but I would be going from one major company to another. I kind of want to try a small company, and Mind Games seems perfect. One of the people working there already recognizes my boyfriend and me when we come in... She said that working in the summer is best, because it's less stressful.

Sapphics, the Unknown Form

So, I'm a little stressed right now. I kind of procrastinated on getting my presentation for my poetry class ready. It's due next week. I thought I would have enough time. Until I found out that apparently the sapphic is not a popular enough poetic form to be in any of the major poetry books. But a spoonerism is!

The very fact that my spellcheck thinks that sapphic is spelled wrong, but is totally okay with spoonerism, kind of tells you something...

And I have to make this presentation half an hour long... I have a feeling I'm not going to do very well on it. But tomorrow I'll go to my school library and check out the few books that might help. I'm crossing my fingers that they might even mention sapphics, let alone go into details with them. Even our class text book, which we can use but not include as a resource, just mentions it in passing. I have no idea how I'll get this done. Apparently no one cares about this form.

Anyway, back to research.

Lots of School

And another week without an update. Sorry guys! But nothing too much to report anyway.

I've been working on that list of tasks for my Business of Writing class. I got a few points from attending a conference, which I have to thank my wonderful friend for driving me to (I really need to get my N...). After I went to the museum that my mom is the curator of, and used it as an opportunity to fill in the 'go to an archive' task. Technically I have to go for research purposes, but I helped my mom do some archiving on clothing, so I learned a few things there... such as what a cotton apron looks like, and how to spell the work crochet. (Which I now just proceeded to spell incorrectly... Thank spell check!) I talked to my professor today, and he gave me some more suggestions, such as researching more authors, magazines and publishers. I'll do the best I can with my internet connection.

What I'm most excited about it Fan Expo. I was told that'll be worth about three points if I go all day, which I definitely plan on doing. I really want to check out the indie press corner, and the sci-fi/fantasy author, whoever that may be.

And on another subject, I got an A on my midterm portfolio for poetry! I thought I was going to get a B, maximum. I really don't have too much confidence in my poetry, but it seems to be better than I thought. I was even told to tweak a few poems, and submit them. I think I'll do that, and gain a few more points for my list.

And finally, I've decided that I will take one course this summer. I really want it just to get my U-pass, but I also don't want to be taking a fourth year English course while also taking multiple other classes. The course I'm planning on taking is only once a week, and at a decent time, so I figured I'll get it over with. The information on it is very vague, so I'm hoping I luck out and like the subject. It's based all on what the professor chooses to teach. The last time I had a course like this, I really didn't enjoy the readings, partly because they all seemed to centre around males... But my professor this time is a female, so hopefully it'll be different. It'll also be my second to last English course! Yay! And the final one I have to take is actually a second year course. It's required, and I wanted to take it this semester, but because my grades for the prerequisite had not been submitted yet, it said I had not finished it. And unfortunately that class isn't offered in the summer...

Last Minute Procrastination

Just a quick post tonight, partly because I'm working on an essay (that's kind of due tomorrow...), and because I don't think my internet will last much longer.

I managed to finish my portfolio for class today, then proceeded to forget to print out multiple copies of my workshop poem. So I learned how to use the library printers at school. I have to say, they're less confusing than I thought. I managed to get back to class four minutes after it started. And I wasn't even the last person in. That being said, we got out early, because none of us were in school mode yet. That's what happens after reading break.

And that's my first day back at school. Now back to the essay that I should have started much, much sooner...