Autumn: New Beginnings

Labor Day has come and gone. In my town, that means that the children will be starting school this week, Halloween candy and decorations will be on display in full force, and anyone wearing white shoes will be frowned upon by The Fashion Police. Summer is over. Thankfully, it wasn't too brutal for us here in The Garden State, but I'm still looking forward to hoodies, fall colors, and cooler nights.

As you may know, Autumn is when I feel more productive. Maybe it harkens back to my school days. Every September meant new notebooks, pens, and pencils, a new book bag and pencil case, and of course, new clothes. For me, September was more significant than the New Year. It was a chance to be more organized, to be a better student than the previous year, to make a new beginning.

Not wanting to waste a moment, I smuggled time during the past week to write and submit a short story to a contest. I decided to go all out and spend $10 for the entry fee and an additional $10 for a critique. I haven't written anything since April. To be perfectly honest, I'll be surprised if my story is good enough to earn an honorable mention. So then why did I do it? Because I needed to do SOMETHING. I needed to get back to putting words on a page, and most importantly, I really want the critique. I want to know how I'm doing--whether or not I'm growing as a writer. Unfortunately, I'll have to wait 2 whole months for the list of winners and the judge's notes on my story.

In the meantime, I don't intend to sit on my laurels. (What the heck are laurels, anyway?) I'm going to finish my second novel, dust off my first novel to send to publishers, and write 6 short stories. All before December 31, 2014. It sounds like a lot of work. Considering our repair shop has been steadily busy and leaves no time for writing during the day, it IS a lot of work! I'm prepared to make some changes in how I spend my time at home. I'm up for the challenge.

By the way, I HAD to research the 'laurels' thing. If you're curious, I found this explanation:
Rest on one's laurels

So tell me--do you find that you're more productive during a certain time of year?