Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #44
This one’s gonna be quick, Blogland. I’m not at home, I don’t have access to my whiteboard, and as of this writing it is WAY past my bedtime. Let’s get to it! Last Week Nanowrimo Prep Weekly Nano Word Count Goal (8,335 words) Record Podcast Workout/Read 30 minutes a day How’d I Do? Nanowrimo Prep Yes? Yes! I’m prepped and things are progressing. Weekly Nano Word Count Goal (8,335 words) Lol. No. Record Podcast Yes! Workout/Read 30 minutes a day No, but not like, totally horrible either. Weekly Word Count: 5,258 So, here’s the deal. The first week of November is a shitshow, okay? I’m currently writing this from a hotel room I’m sharing with a coworker while it dumps freezing rain beyond the window. And it’s 11 o’clock at night, after a long day of driving, socializing, and wrangling 22 teenagers. Phew. Add to that the PDX Book Fest…
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 #43
Remember last week, when I said I was feeling good? Prepared? *sobs* Last Week Prep Newsletter Nanowrimo Prep Record Podcast Workout/Read 30 minutes a day How’d I Do? Prep Newsletter Nope. Nanowrimo Prep No. Record Podcast No. Workout/Read 30 minutes a day Nope. Weekly Word Count: 0 If you’re looking at this and thinking, “damn B., what the hell happened?” That’s fair. i’ll tell you what happened… one of the worst migraines I’ve had in a long time. It struck Wednesday night after I got my hair done for the first time in months. I don’t know exactly what caused it, but I’m guessing a perfect storm of triggers: strong scents from the hair salon Long period of time without my glasses while getting hair colored and cut change in barometric pressure as Fall weather looms in the valley probably not enough water that day I hadn’t had a migraine…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #40
Okay. Look. This post is late, and I’m also running late on my final proof for Victoria, so I’m gonna keep this brief. Last Week Victoria Revision #2 Read/workout 30 minutes a day Edit + post podcast Survive Homecoming Week How’d I Do? Victoria Revision #2 Yes! All the substantial edits are done, and now I’m in the proofing process. Wooo! Read/workout 30 minutes a day Yes! It was a very active and busy week, and I definitely burned some serious calories. Edit + post podcast Yep and yep. The new episode is out now! Have you listened in yet? Survive Homecoming Week I’m here, typing, so I guess I survived? I’m still exhausted and vaguely sore (from dancing for 3 hours straight), but it’s over. I made it! Weekly Word Count: 0 Honestly? The week was such a blur, I have basically nothing to say by way of reflection. Last week…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #39
Look, I’m keeping this brief because I’m sleepy and stressed about the week ahead, for reasons that will become all too clear as you read on. Enjoy my impending nervous breakdown! Last Week Victoria Revision #2 Read 20 minutes a day Write 1500 words Record podcast How’d I Do? Victoria Revision #2 I made good progress, but did not finish it. There’s still a bit of work to do. Read 20 minutes a day Yep! You can read about how the Trevor Project reading challenge went in my September Recap. Write 1500 words Nope. Record podcast Yes! It will be out on schedule, this Friday! You can catch up on the most recent episode here. Weekly Word Count: 381 Hey man, it ain’t zero, which is about all I care about when it comes to word count right now. When it comes to revision, word count just isn’t a good metric by…
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…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #37
It’s Monday, y’all. You know the drill. Last Week Victoria Query package Rough Draft Read 20 minutes a day Write 1,500 words Writing Admin How’d I Do? Victoria Query package Rough Draft Yes! This was one of those things that you dread and put of because you think it’s difficult, and then you sit down to do it and it’s cake. Read 20 minutes a day Yep! I’m making slow and steady progress on The Story of the Hundred Promises, and I also read a graphic novel, The Crossroads at Midnight. Write 1,500 words Not quite. Writing Admin Yep! There was a bit of time spent last week on short story submissions, revisions, and querying. I’d fallen behind on a lot of it because school started and I’ve just been so wiped when I get home. But I’m all caught up now! Weekly Word Count: 1,216 Honorable Mentions There were a handful…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #36
Well, as anticipated, the start of school threw me for a loop. Y’all. Kids are a lot. And add to it that I had to checkout a chromebook to every single student in three days? I’m exhausted. Or, at least, I was by Friday. Luckily, this weekend was very relaxing and I’m feeling fairly high energy as I write this. I promise that isn’t just the Cold Brew talking. Let’s take a look at what happened last week: Last Week Victoria Query Package Rough Draft Read 20 minutes/day Write some fanfic? How’d I Do? Victoria Query Package Rough Draft Nope. One might even argue that I actively avoided this. Read 20 minutes/day YES! And yes, I’m counting fanfic. If I tell students it counts as reading, then it counts for me too. I read A LOT of fanfic this past week (was it mine? Maybe….) Write some fanfic? Yes! I FINALLY returned to…
Goals Summary 2022 – Wk #35
I’m having trouble pinning down all the things I did last week. What did I plan to do? What did I actually manage to accomplish? Thank goodness for planners and whiteboards, or else I’d never be able to tell you! Last Week Finish Victoria Revision #1 Query Package Rough Draft (Letter + Synopsis) Read a book Edit + post new episode of Top Shelf Librarians How’d I Do? Finish Victoria Revision #1 YEP! And boy does it feel good! Query Package Rough Draft (Letter + Synopsis) Lol, nope. Read a book Yep! I finished reading Gallant on Saturday and I loved it very much. Edit + post new episode of Top Shelf Librarians Yep! The new episode is out now! So give it a listen if you haven’t yet. Weekly Word Count: 606 Not too shabby, methinks. Especially considering how busy my work week was. God, it was so busy. Busy enough to leave me…
Top Shelf Librarians – August Episode OUT NOW!
This month we have a very special episode of Top Shelf Librarians. Not only did we launch our first ever poll (listen on Spotify to vote) but we’re also taking part in a bit of a challenge. September is The Trevor Project’s Back to School Reading Challenge fundraiser! Basically, Top Shelf Librarians have teamed up to take on the challenge to read 20 minutes a day, every day in September in order raise funds for the world’s largest suicide prevention and mental health organizations for LGBTQ+ youth. Now, as much as we love Trader Joe’s and Taco Bell, they aren’t ACTUALLY sponsors (sorry to burst your bubble). We don’t read ads and haven’t monetized the show in any way in almost two years! We make the show as a way to hang out and share a glimpse of the library life with anyone who will listen – we make absolutely…