Some months I feel like I’m on top of the world, others I feel like things are lacking. July started off strong, then started to spiral toward the middle as things got more hectic. I started working more, school became a bit more involved. Everything seemed to come all at once.
Here’s how I did in July:
July Results
NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Contest Round One
This year, writing for the NYC Flash fiction contest was a little different. I struggled to get motivated to even start and since my genre was historical fiction (for the second contest this year— the first being the Microfiction contest in May), I had some research to do. Overall, I was able to get the words out in an afternoon and make sure it was submitted on time after at least four rounds of edits. I had fun and this is one of those contests where I always feel like I gain something, even if I’m not totally enthused to do it. Another plus is I started and finished a new project in the same day, which never really happens.
NYC Midnight’s Microfiction Contest Round Two
Unfortunately, I didn’t place in round one so did not continue in round two. Thankfully, it does mean I’m getting some work out there and getting feedback on projects. I would have liked to continue, but there’s always next year.
Camp NaNoWriMo
This Camp NaNoWriMo I was supposed to be editing, but in reality it became a bit of writing and editing. The first few days of the month went quite well, with at least some words added to several open projects I’ve had open for quite a while. With editing, it was quite hard to calculate words and before the month was even halfway done, I had passed my goals from previous months. I started with the goal of 30K, but changed it to 50K around the 10th of the month.
As with life, everything began to blow up toward the middle and the end of the month and I ended up passing my original goal, but not the augmented goal. Either way, I’m still counting it as a win, even if it is unofficial.
Send Something out for Publishing
So, I technically reached the goal of sending something out for publishing. It wasn’t a short story, and it wasn’t anything that will make me money, but I did finish a piece of fan fiction and I did post at least the first chapter to popular fan fiction sites. It’s not exactly how I imagined it, but it is a win and a bit of an ego booster too. Maybe sometime soon I will send something original out for publishing, but I’m happy with my progress for now.
Word Count: 31,664
July had some pretty hefty goals, and I did my best to reach most of them, at least the ones I could reach. I wrote more than I edited, but I made some decent progress in a lot of works. I even finished a project I’ve been working on for years. It’s a piece of Fanfiction, but I will still take pride in finishing something. I managed to write something every day this month, and that is something I am quite proud of.
In other news, I’ve been working more and adulting more, so the blog suffered just a bit here and there. Over the next couple of months I’m hoping to start posting with more regularity again.
July was a month to focus on my health as well. I finally took control of my eye health and wellbeing and underwent LASIK on the 30th. Before, my prescription was strong, and having to deal with glasses and contacts was starting to get frustrating. To have the gift of full sight back, and to have it only get better over the next few weeks, is a wonderful thing. It’s something I can’t even put into words, but having full vision back for the first time since I was ten years old is absolutely wonderful!
August Goals
Finish More Projects
After finishing a project in July (finally!), I’ve got a taste for finishing more projects. I have several that are slowly wrapping up, and I’m hoping to get them at least closer to finished if not fully finished.
Read One Book
After starting several books in several mediums (audio, kindle and physical), I would really like to finish another book. It’s been a couple months since I sat down and enjoyed a good book. I’m looking forward to getting back to it.
Edit More
During July, I got a good amount of editing done, but not nearly as much as I wanted. Editing is a different animal than writing, and uses a different part of the brain and more time. I’m hoping to make it through at least five sections in August, and hopefully more.
Write More, Spend Time on Social Media Less
I managed to write a lot in June and July when I focused more on getting some writing down and built up a habit. In July, I started to spend less time on social media and flash games, but then it came back with a vengeance and writing was like pulling teeth. Social media has started to affect my mental health in ways that are not healthy, so I’m going to reduce the time I spend there and focus more on my writing. Hopefully great things will come from it.
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