Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #18
Well, will you look at that! A blog post? On time? Last Week Write at least 1k words of the novel Send Newsletter Edit and Schedule Podcast Timberline Review Edits How’d I Do? Write at least 1k words of the novel Lol, no. Send Newsletter Yes! The April Newsletter is in your inbox! Unless… I mean. You’re signed up, right? Edit and Schedule Podcast Yep! The newest episode of Top Shelf Librarians is out now! Timberline Review Edits Yep! Weekly Word Count: 455 Considering that I didn’t even set my goals until Thursday, I am not mad about this. Operating amid renovation chaos is a new, not-so-fun challenge, but I think I’m beginning to adapt. The good news is that there is power in my office once again! Because, lemme tell ya, it is damn near impossible to get any work done in the dark. So, What’s Next? Write at least 2x…
The Recap – April 2023
Hi. This is a little later than I’d like, but not as late as last months’ Recap so… Improvement? Last Month Reestablish Routines Read Short Fiction Write 3x/week Finish the book? How’d I Do? *yeets self into the sun* Total Word Count: 1,150 Okay, in all seriousness, I realize now that I had no business setting any sort of goals last month. The fact that I wrote any words at all (and on the novel to boot!) feels like a miracle. I kinda sorta re-established some routines, but then they got immediately screwed over again by a terrible migraine (hence why this post is so late). So, I guess, I’m just like, happy I made it through? Before I move on though, let me yell about something really quick: Life Beyond Us is OUT NOW! The reviews are coming in (from Grimdark Magazine, Publisher’s Weekly, Foreword Reviews and more!) and…
On Querying
I figured it was time to shut up about this post and actually write it. Before we hoark down this meat and potatoes, allow me a few disclaimers/caveats: This is not your usual querying advice blog post. I’m here in the trenches with you. I have no tips and tricks for success, because I have yet to succeed in signing with an agent. That’ll be a different post someday. I’m not going to tell you how to write a query letter – there is an abundance of resources available online, all of them more legitmate than anything I might suggest. A quick google search will set you on the path. What I will tell you about is my experience querying in this odd post-pandemic, over-saturated landscape. Because it’s a different game than it was even in 2019, and a lot of the authors talking about signing and debuting got their…
The Recap – February 2023
February’s come and gone in a flurry of snow days and frozen cul-de-sacs. I spent the dreariest of months consuming television and movies, reading an insane amount of all kinds of books, and writing. An actually decent amount of writing. But don’t just take my introduction as proof! Let’s look at the stats! Last Month Write at least 3x/week Read 4 books Keep on schedule How’d I Do? Write at least 3x/week Nope. I wrote two times a week, every week in February though! Read 4 books Yep! Actually, I doubled it – I read EIGHT books in February! Keep on schedule Yes? Aside from not writing the three times I week I wanted to, having a set schedule for writing, blogging, and marketing has been critical to my consistent output this month. Total Word Count: 11,787 In true February fashion, the month went by in a blur of snow…
Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #6
As the Steve Miller Band said, “time keeps on slipping (slipping, slipping) into the future.” We are nearly halfway through February, another week bites the dust, and “the years start coming and they don’t stop coming (Smash Mouth, 1999).” Point is, there’s another week gone and goals to discuss. Last Week Write at least 3x Finish reading at least 1 book How’d I Do? Write at least 3x Nope. I wrote twice, though! Finish reading at least 1 book Yep! There was a LOT of reading this week! Weekly Word Count: 2,142 I’ll admit that it’s a little disappointing to only have two goals and not be able to say I accomplished them both. Did I have a good reason? Sure, I had a migraine on Tuesday, one of my scheduled writing days. I’m also grappling with the realization that I’ve taken on a bit too much at work, and…
The Recap – January 2023
Well, a little late is better than never. Let’s get right to it, folks! Last Month Write 2x/week Social Media Routine Return of Outings! post series Get submissions/queries back on track How’d I Do? Write 2x/week Yes! Sometimes even more! Social Media Routine Yes? I’ll admit that this goal wasn’t super clear to me when I set it. Did I mean a posting schedule? Automated sharing? I’m not certain what I meant, but I know that I’ve built a little routine that seems to be working? So, a win! Return of Outings! post series Oh, yeah, babeyyyy! You can find them all here. Get submissions/queries back on track Yes! It took a pretty healthy chunk of time at the start of the month, but things are rocking steady now. Monthly Word Count: 12,043 Y’all… I’m good with this. Just like so many of the weeks, January felt good. Consistent. Like I was just chugging…
Goals Summary 2023 – Wk #3
I haven’t had any ADHD meds since Thursday and I am in full-blown inattentive mode, so let’s get to this while I can still (sorta) focus! Last Week Write 3x this week Edit and post podcast episode Read a book Queries How’d I Do? Write 3x this week No, but I did write twice. Which is nice. Edit and post podcast episode Yes! The new episode is out now, have you listened in yet? Read a book Yes. Actually I read three books this week… Queries Yep! I had submitted to some agents with quick turnaround times, so I had some housekeeping to keep up on this week. Weekly Word Count: 2,034 Looking at these bullet points, I’d say this was a productive week. I did a LOT of reading, finishing Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell, and then starting (and finishing) both The…
The Recap – October 2022
Goodbye, Spooky Season. I’m sorry I didn’t give you the attention you deserve. I promise I’ll try to do better next year… October Goals Nanowimo prep + research Submit Victoria to Neon Hemlock Read and/or Workout 30 minutes a day How’d I Do? Nanowimo prep + research Yep. A little last minute but, yes. Submit Victoria to Neon Hemlock Yes! The book is done and gone and I am so relieved about that. Read and/or Workout 30 minutes a day Yes? I didn’ workout while I had a migraine, but I did listen to an audio book. And I don’t feel like I should punish myself for something as out of my control as my migraine attacks. So, yes. Total Word Count: 4,839 Well, hot damn! That was a successful month despite work obligations and a killer migraine. I got it all done and even wrote a short story somewhere in there, which I…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #42
The weather finally broke! Summer is over and Fall is here with a vengeance. Today’s walk was a bit frigid and windy and the fall colors are everywhere. And, best of all? It RAINED! It’s finally autumn and just in time for Halloween! Hurray! Last Week Finish Ramona Rough Draft Continue Research for Nanowrimo Project Workout/Read 30 minutes a day How’d I Do? Finish Ramona Rough Draft Yep! And then some, actually. The story is complete and off to the anthology for which I wrote it. Continue Research for Nanowrimo Project Yes! I spent another three hours in Portland this weekend at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Workout/Read 30 minutes a day Yes! I worked out five days this week and spent a good chunk of time reading on the two days I didn’t workout. I’m feeling very good about this routine I’ve built. Weekly Word Count: 1,686 Sooooo yeah. It was a…
The Recap – September 2022
I gotta say, the view from my desk does NOT look like October. Like, at all. It’s blue skies, a lovely 74 degrees, and the trees are still entirely too green. It feels like the end of summer, not the first, fledgling days of Fall. But how things look and feel ultimately have little impact here. Time trudges on, and the goals go with. So let’s get to the good stuff! September Goals Write Victoria Query Package Rough Draft Read 20 minutes/day Finish Victoria Revision #2 How’d I Do? Write Victoria Query Package Rough Draft Yep! I actually got this to a point where I think it’s closer to a final draft. I’m comfortable sending it out to an editor in the shape its in. Read 20 minutes/day Yes! More on that in a bit. Finish Victoria Revision #2 Close! I am very very close to getting this revision done (3/5 goals completed!). Total Word Count: 3,997 September…