I've committed to writing at least 500 words a day as well as reading daily. I finished two books this month. Thats kind of the most I've read in a minute. I read the excellent MetaHorror short story anthology and I would recommend it to anyone interested in horror. I've also set aside Aralise for a moment. It's going to need massive rewrites and I don't have it in me at the moment so I'm honing myself on some short fiction. I wrote a story about a superheroine who loses her powers and ends up in poverty that I'm hoping to submit soon. I've also written a few first chapters for stories that I will eventually turn into novels.
There is a writing space near me that has a queer critique group and is a space for dedicated, engaged, and active writers. I've done the tour and am very excited to become a member. I really feel like part of improving is surrounding myself with people better than me and using their knowledge to help me grow as a writer. I'm frustrated with myself because I know I'm a skilled writer and that I have potential, but I want to achieve that full potential and my ADHD makes it feel impossible to do outside of a structured environment. Wish me luck, still planning on applying for an MFA at the end of the year.
I've been quiet about this but I've been a member of a child welfare taskforce for a year as well. Really, what I see with that stuff is so heartbreaking and it's hardened me as a person in the sense that I really don't have any sympathy for the people cutting funding to social services. A lot of my horror recently has drawn from that experience because what happens to those kids is honestly more horrifying than anything I could come up with and I just hope that my writing makes people realize that this is happening.