A different kind of March Madness

As much as I love the sport of basketball, "March Madness" in my home has nothing to do with it. March is usually a pretty busy month, and not just because of spring cleaning. This year, March has extra things going on -- particularly, writing-related things.

My plan was to submit the Revisions manuscript to the publisher this month. I didn't have an exact date, so I just decided on the 25th, since that is often the date I choose for a month a book is due. (Though with one book I turned in, that date was the 29th.) Maybe this is because my birthday (and my son's birthday) are both on the 25th of our birthday months. Nevertheless, it looks like I won't make it to the 25th this time, mainly because one of my sources needs extra time for the interview questions. (That is definitely worth waiting for!) So, March 31st it will be, then. No harm done.

I have been working on finalizing the manuscript. Editing it, formatting it, revising where needed and just making sure it has everything it's supposed to have. If I work on 25 pages a day every day, then the manuscript will be ready to go by the end of the month. (Still, I will try to work on more than 25 pages when possible. Say, on the weekends or if I have some free time should my husband take the children out for a while.)

I will be sad when this book project for the Revisions book will come to an end. Because of this book, I have "met" so many wonderful and knowledgeable people, and almost daily my inbox had new e-mails from them. It has been a great experience getting to know so many fellow writers and authors out there and I cherish this experience. I only hope that we will stay connected or at least in touch from time to time after this comes to an end.

I definitely want to get this project wrapped up, though, and not just because I want it to be ready in time for a spring release (in 2011). We are planning to move next month, and everyone who has experience with moving knows just how hectic and exhausting that can be. So I want to get this done before then so that I won't have to worry about it.

There is one more reason why I want to wrap this up by month's end. Next month, I will be participating in a fundraising campaign, for a charity helping women who have breast cancer. The fundraising campaign is to promote early detection of cancer, so I will be pretty busy with that, as well.

Which brings me to my next point. I am also going to try to finish editing and fixing up the deaf parenting book so that I can send this book off this month, as well.

And, finally, this month I'm submitting my children's book manuscript to another publisher.

So you can see how March has brought a little "madness" into my life. I do like to stay busy, however, and I hope I will be able to meet my goals for March so that I can work on other things. These projects have kept me away from the freelancing thing and the editing thing. And I feel bad I'm not bringing in as much extra money for the family that I would like to bring in. Lord knows we need it! (And, as it is, I am STILL trying to get paid for an old job that I did.) But as with many things, this, too, shall pass. After I'm done with these projects, I can focus on other things and hopefully start bringing that extra income in again. At least I did sell an article to SIGNews this month, and that's something.