A Season of Writing IV Update
A progress report...on my writing, and my app.
Three months ago today, I previewed my fourth season of writing. I would try short stories, I wrote. I set what I characterized as a "modest" goal to share one short story by the end of August 2023.
Friends, I'm writing today to tell you that I will not be meeting this goal — at least not by that deadline.
Indeed I've been trying to write short stories, and there's a particular one I'm focusing on at the moment. Nobody has read it yet, and I'm under no illusion that it's anything exceptional. But I'm having fun with it, and I intend to finish it and submit it somewhere.
I read a quote from John Mayer recently that's really resonating with me as a writer and creator. He said that when he tries to write a "universal" song, he fails. “But if I write a song about something the size of a cup of water, I sometimes notice a week later that it’s got the universe in it."
I'm finding that the short story is a good form for that premise. It turns out that iPhone apps can be, too. For years, I tinkered with "big" app ideas. This summer, Swipewipe, a small app that I launched with a partner about a year ago, has picked up some real momentum. And it's the simplest, smallest thing I've ever made. But I have a million ideas for it.
My updated goal for this season of writing is to write and submit two short stories for publication. I'm not sure when I'll post them here. Realistically, I’ll probably start a new season of writing before I'm able to share those stories in this newsletter. But I will, ultimately, give an update when I hit my new goal for this fourth season of writing.
In the meantime, I'll be writing, revising, resting, and submitting. Oh, and reading. (Inputs matter.) Will share my short story reading list the next time around, too.
Thank you for reading and following along. Every view, every email, and every comment means a lot. The engagement we’ve gotten with Swipewipe reminds me how feedback can breathe oxygen into a creator’s efforts. I hope it’s been a lovely summer and that you’re ready for the turn to fall. Talk soon!