Make that All Acceptance

Turns out I DID get that writing assignment from PostHuman Studios, they were just slower than they wanted to be getting back to people. Which, you know, happens. I had actually wondered if the guys were Canadian (and I had forgotten that) given that the original timeline had them working to choose writers over Thanksgiving.  

So, lessons learned so far: 

1) Even when there's a theoretical tight deadline for the writing, assume from the start that it'll take longer for assignments to go out than stated. If the folks assigning projects meet their goal, it'll be a nice surprise. 

2) Don't send 'hey guys, if you have time, how could I improve my pitches to you for the future' emails until actual rejection (I'll count hearing through other sources that assignments have gone out as rejections). Or a month. A month seems reasonable.  Just thinking this writing as a business thing through, as best I can.

3) When looking at your schedule and personal capacity to write (and meet stated deadlines) when deciding whether or not to pitch, look at your schedule under the assumption they'll get back to you later than they think they will.

I mean, unless this particular company has a reputation for being very, very good at time management and getting back to their freelancers quickly.  

I'm fine in terms of my own time management and the first & final draft deadlines, but partially that's because I already wasn't traveling for the winter holiday. So, as part of that thinking through writing as a business, I'm just seeing how it could have been a problem. 

Time, as they say, to put my nose to the grindstone and get 2,000 words out. Wish me luck guys!

Rejection and Acceptance

As expected, I was not selected by PostHumans Studios for this project.

Well, I'm assuming that since it is 5 days past the day they said assignments would go out, a first draft would be due in four days, and I haven't heard from them. It's not unexpected, nor was I counting on getting it for any reason, but you know. It would have been really cool if I had. Any way, I've tossed my pitch email into my writing group to be savagely torn apart so the next one will be better. 

On the acceptance side, I've got four (oh gods...) freelancing contracts lined up — one writing and three editing. Two (the writing and an editing) are in the Red Markets universe, which always makes me excited. One was contingent on a Kickstarter making, which it did, so now I'll be editing goblins having crazy adventures in a post-apocalypse, post-human world — 'ooooh, what's this do?' BOOM 'I'm okay!' 'You lost a leg! That'll take a week to regrow!' — in January after the last of the play testing wraps up over the holidays. The last one is really the most tentative contract as it too is contingent on a Kickstarter, which hasn't started yet, making its goal. If it makes, it's not on the plate until January either but I'm hopeful and looking forward to space adventures.