A week into the new year and I’m home in bed with a stomach bug. But the nasty pains have subsided momentarily enough for me to think. Must greet this new writing year with my goals. But first a shout out to Becky Lang. Her first novel is at Amazon: The Changelings. Congratulations, Becky!
2015 GOALS, DREAMS & RESOLUTIONS
- Write Book In A Year (RWA challenge) – will write 2 actually: Runaway Heart, a contemporary romance, and Tempting Fate, a fantasy romance
- Rewrite A Useful Blind
- Participate in Nanowrimo – November Novel 2015
- Research and write next vampire essay
- Finish short story, Dust
- Write one blog post a month
- Danube River Cruise – June 2015
DREAMS
- Establish Penpanther Publishing
RESOLUTIONS
- I resolve to make weekly writing goals.
- I resolve to write every day except Friday: Saturday and Sunday – writing days and Monday – Thursday – write for 30 minutes each evening after work
OTHER AGENDA ITEMS
- Renew RWA membership
- Writing Saturday meeting – First Saturday of the month
- Little Fictionaires meetings
- Attend 2015 Literary Orange Writers Conference
Projected Quarterly Goals for 2015
January, February, March 2015 – 1st Quarter
- Finish writing Runaway Heart as soon as possible
- Continue with Tempting Fate
April, May, June 2015 – 2nd Quarter5
- Write Tempting Fate
- Attend Literary Orange 2015
- Danube River Cruise
- Plan vampire essay
July, August, September 2015 – 3rd Quarter
- Rewrite A Useful Blind
- Finish writing short story, Dust
October, November, December 2015 – 4th Quarter
- Plan November Novel – October
- Write November Novel – Nano 2015 – November
- 2016 agenda – December
2014 ASSESSMENT
It was a raggedy year writing-wise; didn’t get much done at all, most of my plans remained on paper, but there were a few successes. I was especially happy with writing The Dark Angel’s Dilemma, the kick-off essay of a series of vampire essays I pan to do. It was good to finish another draft of A Useful Blind (formerly Sleight of Hand).
JANUARY
- Began the year with A Fall of Diamonds, a fantasy historical. Story planning and development. Recorded total of 14 hours work time, although I did much more, forgot to keep track. Wrote 4,936 words. Total ms. @ 26,297.
- Finished discovery draft of Sleight of Hand, a mystery short story, 14,190
FEBRUARY
- Edited and revised Sleight of Hand, Word count: 14,725.
- Organization work on A Lamentation of Swans
- Romancing the Night. Manuscript total: 2,499 words
- Worked on Chained, story notes. Revised Manuscript total: 20,712. (2008 NANO)
- Attended Publishing and Marketing Your Book, Sonia Marsh, El Toro Library
MARCH
- 2-day self-designed writing workshop on Chained. 8,431 words.
- Began drafting “Soul-less Perhaps” for pendrifter. Vampire essay.
- Expanded Romancing the Night. 2,392 words.
- Sleight of Hand 2nd round edits/revision
- Wrote review of Indelible Beats
- Signed up for Camp Nano, for 4/1. Project: Romancing the Night
- Attended Little Fict meeting
APRIL
- Attended Literary Orange Conference, 4/5/14
- Dropped Camp Nano but continued writing Romancing the Night
- Sleight of Hand edits, 14,717 words
- Placed Romancing the Night on hold
MAY
- Sleight of Hand retitled A Useful Blind, 14,600 words. Finished.
- Indio Retreat. Worked on A Useful Blind edits
- Dust, 2836 words
- Submitted Parting Gift short to Everyday Fiction
- Chained, 19,418 words
- Lake of the Rose story notes
- Worked on The Foreigner
- RWA meeting, 5/10
- Huntington Library meeting w/Michelle, Quarterly Progress Report
JUNE
- Finished A Useful Blind edits
- Story notes: Chained
- Writing Retreat: Los Angeles Public Library. Worked on Chained
JULY
- Published blog, vampire essay, The Dark Angel’s Dilemma
- A Useful Blind edits
- Completed insurance study and took California Insurance Licensing exam. Passed.
- RWA meeting
- Completed editing Ch. 11, 12, 13 of Becky Lang’s The Changelings
AUGUST
- Worked on Lake of the Rose
SEPTEMBER
- Retitled Lake of the Rose to The Friendship Killers. 17,729 ms. Total.
- Rewriting A Useful Blind
NOVEMBER
- NaNo: A Useful Blind, 50454 words.
- Continued writing short horror story: Dust
DECEMBER
- Writing Dust. 7312 words
- Blog posts: 34
- Monthly accountability meetings w/Michelle
- Little Fictionaires meetings
- RWA meetings