CM Simpson: Writer & Gamer

Last December, I undertook two challenges: The Story-A-Week and Holiday Extension Challenges . The criteria for these Challenges were as follows: The Story-A-Week Challenge: Write and submit one short story (of between 1,500 and 12,000 words), each week for the next twelve months (the 55 weeks from December 13, 2015 through December 31, 2016). (55 short stories) The Holiday Extension Challenge: During the summer break, and the mid-semester break next year, write one Carlie Simonsen chapter book each week, and have it uploaded for pre-ordering within six weeks from completion. The periods for this challenge were as follows: Summer Holidays (7 weeks from December 13, 2015 through February 15, 2016); the Mid-Semester Holidays (7 weeks from May 28, 2016 through July 16, 2016); and the End-of-Year Holidays (6 weeks from November 20, 2016 through December 31, 2016). (20 chapter books) An Untimely End and Results In February, when university kicked in, again, I re...

This year, in spite of knowing I had exams in the first part of November, I entered NaNoWriMo. Now, usually, I bomb out and don’t complete my 50,000 words, and this year, I wanted to get started on a 90,000-word novel, but I was busy with study and kids and housework, so, when November 1 came around, I had nothing in my head… and I started writing anyway—and I’m very glad I did. For a year now, I’ve been toying with the idea of going full-time with my writing, and I had no idea of what that might entail, or how I might go about it, or even if I could. I knew it was something I wanted, but I’d planned it for my retirement. With events last year culminating in my then supervisor forcing me to choose between completing the degree I had work permission to start, or working while being denied the working conditions I was entitled to, and which would enable me to complete my degree. I’m still doing my degree, and that’s been hard, and I’ve been lucky to have my family’s support, fo...

This quarter I did not place, so we'll just have to wait and see how we go in Quarter 1 next year. You can check out the Writers of the Future Contest website HERE .