I've joined a new blog, The Krazy Kitchen, as a contributor. On Mondays, I'll be posting my Monday Munchies meme, which will include a weekly recipe for a healthy, cheap, and quick snack perfect for college kids like me and busy people of all ages. Come visit me over there for something a little different from my posts here.

Also, JulNoWriMo started today. I'm behind on my word count, but at least I'm writing something. I've worked on both my novel and my short sci-fi story today, and I fully intend to spend the hour and a half between now and midnight working. I feel productive for now, though I imagine I won't come August when I realize I haven't packed anything for the big move and have missed the application deadline for my new semester of classes. Oh well.

First of all, I'd like all my non-readers to know that I've gotten another publication offer. This time around it's Cantaraville, and it seems they enjoyed my pet story The Travelers enough to publish it in their April 2010 issue.

Three story publications - does this mean I'm a real, live author? Not by any stretch. Stephen King says that you can be considered to have talent as a writer when you've been paid for your work and the check didn't bounce. I'm personally still working my way up to that tense moment at the bank teller's window.

As of now, I only have one story out for consideration at a paying publisher, and because the story is probably my most offensive piece of fiction ever, I have trouble assuming it will be accepted. I have plans to submit to four paying markets if I can ever sit my butt down to write and/or edit my way there.

While I'm putting that off, I've been thinking about other ways to get paid for writing. I'm feeling pretty useless sitting here while Mr. Nine-to-Five is off paying the bills, and I'd love to get a writing career up and running before I'm forced to get a real job. Let's face it, my first novel isn't going to be finished, let alone published with a $10,000 advance, this summer.

I've sent off a couple responses to freelance writing ads here and there, usually advertising myself as a fresh, young face who may be inexperienced but who *whisper whisper* will work for less than most others. Unfortunately, the most I've heard back is one request for samples of my work, of which I have none.

How do you break into a field like this? I've tried article writing sites to gain experience, but seriously, take a look around you. If you're reading my blog, you're the only one. If I can't market myself well enough to get peoples' attention here, how can I do it in the big, bad world out there where everyone is competing to see who can pay their rent next month?

I guess this is why you're supposed to have Facebook - so you can post a link to your blog, article, or story and get a hundred content-free comments. So you can ask for glowing reviews from people you don't really know, and so you can pray that one of your "friends" needs writing work done cheap one day.

Too bad I'm so antisocial. Oh well, it just means that I really am a fiction writer at heart.

I have a confession to make: I hate blogging.

Yes, I went through a LiveJournal phase in high school, largely using the site as a way to make plans with friends and/or shoot passive-aggressive insults their way. Yes, I've started blogs on about every site out there, only to abandon them in short order. I may be a writer, but blog posts are not my niche. I'm not well-versed in witty real-life anecdotes, useful parenting and cooking tips, or wordy accounts of what I had for lunch or watched on TV today. I'd rather be writing something I'm good at.

Earlier today, though, it hit me: I can use blogging as a way to put off writing anything productive.

Here I am, then, typing this entry instead of working on any of a half dozen stories-in-progress. To be honest, I do see the usefulness of a blog. Most magazines where I submit work allow self-promotion in the form of a link to your blog or site. Now that my fiction is published online, I need to spread the word and gain recognition, so I'm being productive in a certain sense, right?

Now to see if I can figure out how to drag some people in here and start building my base of adoring fans...