Mini-Post: Writing Update–Spring 2022

Source: https://www.cnn.com/2020/04/16/cnn-underscored/creative-writing-bundle-review/index.html

This will be a shorter blog post, but (hopefully) one that will be a regular feature. I’ve been inspired recently to get back into writing creatively by the way Brandon Sanderson wrote through the pandemic. I’m trying to balance my creative writing, with my teaching, with my scholarship, and I am hoping to find some some sort of balance between these three elements of my writing life. Brandon is able to write prolifically and I’m not–I have to juggle too many competing interests on my time to do a weekly (even, monthly update), so I’m going to go for more realistic goals: Semester Goals. While I like monthly goals, I don’t work “monthly,” I work semester to semester, so this is where/how I’m going to focus these updates. Ideally, I’ll do 2 a semester, one at the beginning (my hopes/dreams for the semester in terms of the project(s)), and one at the end (what I was actually able to accomplish).

Spring 2022: Short Story & Dissertation

Creative Writing: Citizen X (short story–In Progress): This is a rewrite of a short story that I wrote a while back. I’m rewriting it because I think that it had promise, but that I didn’t understand the concept of “Alternate History” well enough. I also think the characterization was a bit off. I’m rewriting it in hopes that the new character that I created is strong enough to carry the story through to the end. I only started thinking about/working on the rewrite in late February/early March, so this has a way to go.

Scholarly Writing: Dissertation (Afrofuturism–In Progress): This is where most of my focus has been during this semester. I’ve been working on it on my “off days” from teaching and really trying to get it “finished” before summer, so that I can use the rest of the summer for editing, addressing any feedback, and defending the dissertation.

Scholarly Writing: Blood on the Shield: African American Trauma in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (Conference Paper–Completed): This is a 10-11 page paper written for the 2022 TPA Conference. It has some good ideas that I’d like to expand out into a longer article, but I’m not sure that I have the time as I’m focused on the dissertation.

Scholarly Writing: Afrofuturism: The Power and Promise of Black Science Fiction (Presentation–Upcoming): This is a 90 minute talk that I’ve been asked to give at my current school for the university. I plan on discussing Afrofuturism and the ways in which it helps to have diverse voices in a traditionally non-diverse genre. This is coming up in the middle of April and is something that I hope will help me as I work on my dissertation.

In Closing

So that’s what I’m working on in terms of my writing this semester. While there might be other things/projects, they are pretty much on the back burner as these are the ones that I’m currently devoting my energy towards this semester. I’ll be back in a few weeks with a follow-up update at the end of the semester to see how well I’ve done with these projects. I intend to do another post shortly after to set my “goals” for writing for Summer 2022.

Have a great weekend!

Sidney

Please consider supporting these fine small press publishers where my work has appeared:

Read Skin Deep for Free at Aurora WolfRead Childe Roland for Free at Electric SpecPurchase  HawkeMoon  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or eBookPurchase  Dragonhawk  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  WarLight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Ship of Shadows  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindlePurchase  Faerie Knight  on Amazon.com (Paperback) or KindleCurrently Working On (March 2022):The Runner (Fantasy Story–4000 words)
2022 Revision; Out to Market.Unhallowed (Weird Western Story–4100 words)
2022 Revision: Completed; Out to Market.The Independent (Science Fiction Story–4800 words)
2021 Revision:  ACCEPTED   FOR PUBLICATION  ( Mythic Magazine )