Forget Christmas in July; It’s New Years in September

Maybe it’s the shadow of back-to-school still lingering over me. As a kid, celebrating my birthday in late August always meant my gifts revolved around school supplies and new fall clothes. I never really minded; it was a chance to change the old self, the old wardrobe, the old shoes, in favor of something new and exciting.

Maybe it’s the crisper weather and the changing colors of the leaves. As a visually creative person, I tend to absorb my environment and reflect what’s around me.

Whatever the reason, September always welcomes in changes for me–the type of changes normally reserved for New Years’ resolutions. I got married in September, moved into  my house in September, and usually make any big purchases (cars, appliances, home furnishings) in September. This September, I started a new day job, cutting my daily commute by 90%! Big difference.

My current work in progress had me excited to reach the end so I could get it to my editor (where it was looooong overdue). But on a whim, I pulled up an old story I had scrapped last year. I was two-thirds of the way through that story when I decided it sucked, it would never sell, and I buried it in my computer files, believing it should never see the light of day. But a year later, after re-reading it, I realized this was actually quite good. This story didn’t suck nearly as much as I thought.

This revelation has forced me to switch gears and try something else new, another shake-up of my routine. I’m now writing two stories at once, both for the same publishing house. It’s a fine line, dancing between two sets of characters, two settings, two plotlines. But I’m determined to give it a shot. Wish me luck!