Updating and Year in Review So Far
I haven't been posting much here, partly because I've been traveling a lot and struggling a bit to keep up with work. Looking over what I've done, I did get about the same amount of writing done this year as I normally do, but not nearly as much of it is finished and ready to go.
Writing
A big chunk of what I wrote this year was Magic: the Gathering: Return to Dominaria which sounded like it would be a quick series of 4000 word short stories and became a fun-filled somewhat exhausting 68635 word extravaganza. It took up basically all my writing time between December through the beginning of April, with the last story being put to bed around April 23. But it was an extremely neat world to play in and a great experience. (If you want to read it, it's here: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/return-dominaria-episode-1-2018-03-21
The follow-up stories, by Kate Elliott, Cassandra Khaw, and Nicky Drayden are here: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/columns/magic-story)
After that I started working on the upcoming Murderbot novel, which doesn't have a title yet. The first Murderbot novella, All Systems Red, was written pretty quickly for me, over the course of a month, but the other three have each taken about two to three months each, with each following the pattern that I'd write about 15 to 20,000 words, then cut back to 5000 and start from there. And then do that again and do that again, until the end. I was hoping that didn't happen with the novel, but that is sure happening. So for most of this year, just imagine me and the Murderbot novel, locked in combat, repeatedly punching each other in the head.
Despite this I did manage to get a short written each month for the Books of the Raksura patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2458567. Last month is the first time I flubbed that, and I'm hoping to make it up by the end of this year.
I also wrote a short 1000 word or so Murderbot story which is going to appear in a magazine in January, though I can't say which one yet because it hasn't been announced. (Believe me, I will mention it when it comes out.) And I wrote a 9400 or so word SF story for an anthology that kind of happened at the last minute because another writer had to drop out. I've done the revision for that and sent it in and I'm not sure yet if they need any more work on it. I don't think it's been announced yet either.
If I worked on anything else I honestly can't remember it right now.
Publishing
The last three Murderbot Diaries stories were published: Artificial Condition in May, Rogue Protocol in August, and Exit Strategy in October. All were novellas, defined as stories between 30,000 and 40,000 words, released by Tor.com Publishing, which specializes in novellas.
Travel and other stuff
The thing with All Systems Red is that it did really well, especially for a novella. Like, real well. Like "holy shit" well. Like New York Times Bestseller List for audio well (with Kevin R. Free performing the narration) and USA Today Bestseller List.
Because of this I got to go to the American Library Association conference for the first time, which is huge and fills up the whole New Orleans convention center and was awesome, even though I missed getting to see the main speakers (Michele Obama and Viola Davis). All Systems Red was also one of ten books to receive an Alex Award, which is for books written for adults that appeal to young adults, and is administered by YALSA.
I also got to go to the Texas Book Festival for the first time since the early 2000s when The Death of the Necromancer came out.
All Systems Red was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
I got to be writers workshop guest of honor at FenCon. And I got interviewed by Locus Magazine. http://locusmag.com/2018/08/martha-wells-unburied-future/
I got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, with a side order of osteo arthritis, so I'll be on medication the rest of my life. Without the medication, I'm in a lot of pain and would be extremely creaky and slow. With it, I'm in pretty good shape, though occasionally a joint will just stop working right for no apparent reason.
I won a Nebula Award, a Locus Award, and a Hugo Award. I met a Sesame Street muppeteer and got my picture taken with a muppet. I got to go to George R.R. Martin's Hugo Losers Party where there were giant dancing robots. https://marthawells.tumblr.com/post/177271852167/im-starting-to-put-up-some-photos-from-the-hugo
And next year I'm going to be one of the guests of honor at Capclave in Maryland, in October 2019: http://www.capclave.org/capclave/capclave19/
So it's been a pretty wild ride this year.
comments
Writing
A big chunk of what I wrote this year was Magic: the Gathering: Return to Dominaria which sounded like it would be a quick series of 4000 word short stories and became a fun-filled somewhat exhausting 68635 word extravaganza. It took up basically all my writing time between December through the beginning of April, with the last story being put to bed around April 23. But it was an extremely neat world to play in and a great experience. (If you want to read it, it's here: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/return-dominaria-episode-1-2018-03-21
The follow-up stories, by Kate Elliott, Cassandra Khaw, and Nicky Drayden are here: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/columns/magic-story)
After that I started working on the upcoming Murderbot novel, which doesn't have a title yet. The first Murderbot novella, All Systems Red, was written pretty quickly for me, over the course of a month, but the other three have each taken about two to three months each, with each following the pattern that I'd write about 15 to 20,000 words, then cut back to 5000 and start from there. And then do that again and do that again, until the end. I was hoping that didn't happen with the novel, but that is sure happening. So for most of this year, just imagine me and the Murderbot novel, locked in combat, repeatedly punching each other in the head.
Despite this I did manage to get a short written each month for the Books of the Raksura patreon https://www.patreon.com/user?u=2458567. Last month is the first time I flubbed that, and I'm hoping to make it up by the end of this year.
I also wrote a short 1000 word or so Murderbot story which is going to appear in a magazine in January, though I can't say which one yet because it hasn't been announced. (Believe me, I will mention it when it comes out.) And I wrote a 9400 or so word SF story for an anthology that kind of happened at the last minute because another writer had to drop out. I've done the revision for that and sent it in and I'm not sure yet if they need any more work on it. I don't think it's been announced yet either.
If I worked on anything else I honestly can't remember it right now.
Publishing
The last three Murderbot Diaries stories were published: Artificial Condition in May, Rogue Protocol in August, and Exit Strategy in October. All were novellas, defined as stories between 30,000 and 40,000 words, released by Tor.com Publishing, which specializes in novellas.
Travel and other stuff
The thing with All Systems Red is that it did really well, especially for a novella. Like, real well. Like "holy shit" well. Like New York Times Bestseller List for audio well (with Kevin R. Free performing the narration) and USA Today Bestseller List.
Because of this I got to go to the American Library Association conference for the first time, which is huge and fills up the whole New Orleans convention center and was awesome, even though I missed getting to see the main speakers (Michele Obama and Viola Davis). All Systems Red was also one of ten books to receive an Alex Award, which is for books written for adults that appeal to young adults, and is administered by YALSA.
I also got to go to the Texas Book Festival for the first time since the early 2000s when The Death of the Necromancer came out.
All Systems Red was nominated for the Philip K. Dick Award.
I got to be writers workshop guest of honor at FenCon. And I got interviewed by Locus Magazine. http://locusmag.com/2018/08/martha-wells-unburied-future/
I got diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, with a side order of osteo arthritis, so I'll be on medication the rest of my life. Without the medication, I'm in a lot of pain and would be extremely creaky and slow. With it, I'm in pretty good shape, though occasionally a joint will just stop working right for no apparent reason.
I won a Nebula Award, a Locus Award, and a Hugo Award. I met a Sesame Street muppeteer and got my picture taken with a muppet. I got to go to George R.R. Martin's Hugo Losers Party where there were giant dancing robots. https://marthawells.tumblr.com/post/177271852167/im-starting-to-put-up-some-photos-from-the-hugo
And next year I'm going to be one of the guests of honor at Capclave in Maryland, in October 2019: http://www.capclave.org/capclave/capclave19/
So it's been a pretty wild ride this year.
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Cheryl
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Nov 24, 2018 09:11AM
Murderbot has been a delight for me throughout this stressful, exhausting year. I'm reading the last novella now and look forward to more Murderbot adventures in future. Thank you!
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I'm timing my Murderbot stories to make them last! I'm an audiobook lover and really enjoy the novella length. Hope this coming year is just as eventful for you.
I've been a fan since The City of Bones was first published and even so I was blown away by The Murderbot Diaries. The novella length has always been a favorite and I'm glad it's coming into its own now. All the honors you have won and will win are truly deserved. I've been reading science-fiction and fantasy since I was 10 and yours is one of the truly unique voices out there.
You and All Systems Red definitely deserve every one of those honours! Just FYI, RA sometimes goes into remission. Mine has been for nearly 20 years. It's not like being completely healthy, but it's MUCH better than active RA.
All the best to you as you adjust to that diagnosis.
