Tag: editing

March Results and April Goals

March was a month of ups and downs. There were a lot of successes this month, but also a lot of losses and hardships. There were several events that were more important than writing and creating and that was ok. My goals this month were hit and miss in several ways, but I did what I could and I’m pleased with that.

March Results

Writing

Finish Edits on MAC

I had a plan this month. A new chapter edited every 3 days to get through the 9 chapters (or so) I needed to get done. The first chapter was a breeze. The next few weren’t so easy, with chapters splitting and new chapters being written. I have reached the part of the book that need the most rewrites. This section is a lot more work than I had originally expected. I was able to keep up a pretty decent pace for most of the month, but the edits were more extensive than I realized.I still have about 4 chapters or so to go, but I’m going to work on them in April and pace myself to prevent burnout or worse.

Outline a Project (or Two)

Outlining has been quite fun this month. I’ve been pulling out older projects to repurpose them (possibly for publishing). I’m planning on expanding a few of my old short stories that need more plot, and so this month I’ve taken a few and worked them out to be longer pieces (or at least novellas). So far, one was easy and quick and the other requires more thought. Yet another is a novel that needs an extra 30-50K to be truly novel length. There are several short stories and projects that are pulling at my brain to be written and rewritten and created, which created a little bit of overwhelm, but I’m getting it under control. I’m excited to start planning and working on something new.

Attend a Writing Conference

Yet again, for the third year in a row, I missed attending the conference in person. Thankfully, this conference records the seminars and makes them available for quite a while after the conference is over. Now, I have an excuse to watch all the recordings and take what I need from them. I really enjoy writing in the digital era where I can access conferences from the comfort of my own home (or even on the go) anytime that works for me.

I’ve started to watch a few of the recordings and taking things from them I feel I need. Taking notes is a must, and so far, I have yet to be disappointed by a speaker.

Finish a Book

This month was not quite the reading month I had wanted. I had good intentions to finish reading a book, but edits, other projects, and my mental health took a higher priority. I did not get to read as much as I wanted. Hopefully in the next month or two I can get back on the reading train and start finishing more books.

Personal Goals

Yoga 2-3x a week

For the first few weeks of the month, there was no exercise. The construction is still going on on the sidewalk and street, I was helping my husband recover from surgery, and everything was just busy, busy, busy. Finally around mid month, I did get back into doing yoga at least once. It wasn’t as often as I would have liked, but I did put forth a solid attempt, so I’m happy with that. There have been a lot of changes this month, but hopefully next month will be better.

Drink more water

Drinking more water this month was a little bit easier. I often forgot to track my water intake, but I do know I did make a solid attempt to drink more and keep drinking water once I started. Thankfully, I’m becoming more mindful of it now and attempting to drink more water when I really feel I need it.

Other

The month of March was interesting. The first few weeks I was helping my husband recover from surgery and working and attempting all my creative goals.

I started exploring new places to publish and ways to increase traffic to the blog and other ways to hopefully start making money from my writing.

On the same day, I got accepted into an MFA Program and found out my grandfather passed away.

So far 2024 has been a brutal year of heartache and pain with several family members and family friends passing away.

On top of that, April has arrived, and April is a month of hard anniversaries for both my husband and me.

Word Count: 20,415

Still, here’s what I’m hoping to accomplish in April.

April Goals

Finish Edits on MAC

I have a goal and a plan to finish MAC this month. I’m hoping I can get it done by working on one chapter a week. Editing is quite different than writing, it’s more chaotic and wild, and yet structured in a way I don’t like. Still, I’m pushing through and improving my craft. Not all growth has to be comfortable. The edits will get done whether it’s this month or the next.

Gain Consistency with Online Posting

I’ve been really trying to find the consistency I had in November and December to work on posting in several places online. I’m attempting to make a schedule that would work best for me and work toward more consistency and then ultimately gaining readers. Writing and a full time job (and school starting soon) do not make a consistent schedule, but I am attempting to get myself organized to better create and distribute.

Outline More Projects and Make a plan for 2024

I had a lot of fun outlining the few projects I did in March. I’m excited to go through and outline more so I can eventually finish more projects and hopefully publish them.

So far, 2024 has been a horrible year for business growth and writing growth. I’m hoping the second quarter and beyond are better. I would like to make a plan of what I want to be working on, when I want to post it and how to have the most impact. To start, I’ll make a quarterly plan of things I want to have finished by the time July rolls around.

Finish reading a book

March was not good for reading. March was not good for much of anything active in the writing or reading hobbies I have. I would like to pick up reading again and start balancing the reading and writing and creating aspects of my life again. I have a book in mind I’d like to finish so I can move on to the rest of the series, so I plan to focus on that this month.

Personal Goals

Yoga or Exercise 2-3x a week

This is one of my yearly goals, to exercise and take better care of myself. March wasn’t the month to do that. Hopefully April will be with the weather getting warmer and the sun staying up longer. I hope the roadwork near my house on my normal walk also improves, but I have a plan in place if it doesn’t.

Drink more water

This month, I really have to focus on my water intake. With some recent health changes, I’ve noticed I have more dry mouth. I’ve also noticed if I keep my water bottle close by and filled with nice cold ice water it’s much easier to drink. Here’s hoping I can get more water intake in April.

Here’s to hoping April is a better month!

 

February Results and March Goals

February is over and gone (with an extra day even!). Thankfully, February was better than January as far as writing and creating and getting back into a routine, but not by much.

There were still family and friend health issues and the usual distractions and set backs, but overall, I think February went pretty well.

Here’s how I did in February:

February Results

Writing Goals

Choose and make progress on an editing project for the month

So I set this goal and in my brain that meant wanting to write a new aspect of the fantasy series I’d been working on for nearly 10 years, but finished a few years ago. I migrated everything from one writing platform to another and formatting was a pain in the butt, so I spent the first week of February doing admin stuff like reorganizing works and writing posts for the blog, Medium and Substack (I’m learning and trying new things!)

After that, I outlined edits for one of the projects where I’m about 10 or so chapters away from completing edits. I’ve started to work on that, and once I started that, the other book in the series (from 2022 that I still haven’t finished) decided it wanted to be picked back up again this year.

Even better, the novel I just finished in 2023 has a great scene I wanted to use for a writing sample into an MFA program, so I edited the living daylights out of that too.

The editing mojo has returned!

Get back to posting regularly on the blog, Medium and Subtack

As much as I wanted this goal to happen, I couldn’t get into the rhythm of posting regularly. However, I do have a lot of ideas brewing and a backlog of posts to work on, so hopefully, over the next few weeks of March and possibly into April I’ll find the mojo again. Or perhaps I’ll simply take a little break and see how far I can get into editing and getting a few projects to the next steps in the creative process.

Personal Goals

Exercise 4x/week

Once again, exercise did not happen. February has been busy with everything else but exercise. I want to get back to it, I’m itching to get back to it, but time has not been my friend this month. Soon enough I will return to exercise and my proper routine (and hopefully all the roadwork on my usual walking path will be done soon too!)

Drink Enough Water daily

I’ve definitely been attempting to drink more water, but it doesn’t always end up making it into the app. Some days, I drink a lot, and other days it’s an “Oops! Did I drink any water today?”

Other

February has been an interesting month with even more family and friend health issues, but there was writing and editing included.

I submitted a personal statement and writing sample for an MFA program and I’m working on getting things ready for that coming up in May. I also finished a piece of fan fiction in 10 days on the last day of the month.

Things are moving in the right direction and I couldn’t be more excited.

I also applied for a writing job (as a side gig to nursing) and I’m excited to see where that takes me.

Word Count: 25,408

Here’s what I hope to accomplish in March:

March Goals

Writing

Finish Edits on MAC

I’m on the last stretch of edits and so far through February, the edits are going well. I would like to finish them this month (and hopefully not get too much in my head that I freak myself out). Then, once again, it’s ready to sit and stew for a bit. If I finish the first round of edits, I plan on moving on to another project and start editing that.

It’s time to start working on the backlog.

Outline a Project (or Two)

Being a writer and having a full-time job (and life) means starting to plan projects more efficiently. I have several plans for upcoming projects, including editing, publishing, marketing and a lot of other things that will go into the publishing process. While I have several projects on the back burner for editing, I also have several half finished ideas and other plans for some finished works.

Attend a Writing Conference

Every year in March, the Women in Publishing Conference takes place online. This will be my third year attending, and hopefully I can actually attend a few live sessions rather than enjoying the recorded sessions later. I’m looking forward to spending more time doing events and conferences centered around writing and learning and enjoying all I can.

Finish a Book

I read two books in January and then promptly fell into a reading slump in February. I’m hoping to finish a book (possibly two) in March, depending on if I don’t get too distracted. I would like to finish the book I’m currently in the middle of and get back to the series and finish that over the next few months. Just like a backlog of writing projects, I also have a backlog of books to read.

Personal Goals

Yoga 2-3x a week

Part of the issue with exercise and not doing it was the construction on my usual walking path. To remedy that, I would like to do yoga (from apple fitness) 2-3 times a week. My husband will be recovering from surgery for the first part of the month, hence the 2-3x a week. Hopefully it will get me exercising more this month.

Drink more water

I’ve been starting to drink more water, which has been great and makes me feel so much better, but now it’s time to keep better track of it and make it more consistent. What worked really well back in October/November was some of the challenges from WaterMinder. So starting today, I’m going to do the 21 day hydration challenge once again.

March will be a busy month, but I’m looking forward to getting back into the routine of writing and editing and kicking butt on projects.

2024 Goals

Here we are in 2024! A new year, with 366 (Leap Year!) new days to make things happen and reach some goals.

2023 was super productive and very successful. I hope to repeat the trend in 2024, only better because I’m taking what I learned in 2023 and refining it to better hit my goals.

Writing Goals

Write 1.5K-2K (Or 1 hour of time) daily one project at a time until Completed

Over the last few months of 2023, I changed my writing practices in an effort to be more efficient and not over do it. I overdid it, with massive word counts, but I did learn how to make my writing more efficient. I found I could consistently get anywhere between 1.5-2K words in about an hour, so I would like to make that a daily practice so I can finish some projects this year.

Finish 5-6 Writing Projects

This goal is a huge goal, but I have done that on purpose. If I continue at the pace I did at the end of last year (and with consistency rather than a crazy race to the finish), I can finish several projects. I’m leaving the projects open, not setting anything crazy, seeing what come along when it comes along.

Finish 2 Editing Projects

There are two projects I want to get through edits this year. The first is the edits from last year I didn’t quite get finished and the second is the novel I finished in December. I can’t quite edit as fast as I write (yet), but I’m hoping to improve this year.

Read 15 Books

Reading is one of the goals I definitely overshot last year. I started with 6 and then increased to 12, but read 19. This year, I want to split the difference and read 15 books. I have a few books left over from 2023, but I’ve been itching to get reading and improve my craft.

Publish Consistently Online

Over the last few months, I’ve upped my online publishing game and I’ve seen the results. I want to publish online consistently and get more exposure. I’ve got three places I publish and I want to stay as consistent as possible throughout this new year.

Publish a Long Work

This year, I would like to publish a novel. I’ve been saying that for years, but with years of practice behind me and the hope of more consistency this year, 2024 will be my year to publish. Whether indie published or traditional, I hope to have something published in the next 366 days.

Personal Goals

Exercise/Get in Better Shape

I make this goal every year, and every year I get fed up and give up somewhere in the first few months. I want to exercise (or at least walk) four times a week. I have a very important big party in September and I want to be my best physically for that and continue the habit for the rest of my life. I haven’t always been the healthiest, but now it’s time to change that.

Hydrate

In November, I started a water drinking challenge and it worked very well. I felt better, I wasn’t as fatigued and I didn’t have as many little aches and pains. I didn’t do the greatest in December (still drinking way too much coffee), but I want to continue tracking my water and hydration goals throughout the year.

January Goals

Writing Goals

Outline Open Projects

I have a lot of open projects from the last few years. I’ve learned I do better with an outline, so I want to outline the open projects I have and decide if they are worth continuing or if they should be put on hiatus so I can work on other things. From there, I will pick the project I want to work on for the next few months or so (depending on how long it takes to finish).

Update Blog and other Platforms

I’ve had the blog for a while and I’m branching out into other platforms. I want to create a cohesive experience where all my bios are inter-connected and easier to navigate. I want to update some things here on the blog and make the navigation more user friendly. Stay tuned for updates!

Publish consistently on the Blog, Medium and Substack

Publishing online has been a positive experience for me so far, now that I have been able to make a consistent publishing schedule. I want to continue to publish and build a routine and challenge myself to improve.

Submit a Short Story to a magazine

This goal, I’ve been thinking about for a few months now. I want to attempt to publish something through a magazine and when I last looked submissions weren’t open yet. They open this month, so I’m going to do something scary and submit.

Personal Goals

Exercise 4x/week

I want to walk and get outside for at least 30 minutes a day four times a week. It shouldn’t be too difficult if I stick to a schedule and make it happen consistently. Part of the battle is motivating myself to get it done. I’m hoping with a decent audiobook, podcast or album to listen to, I’ll be able to be more consistent.

Drink Enough Water daily (with the help of Waterminder)

Drinking water and staying hydrated has helped me feel so much better in the long run. I want to keep it up and drink more water consistently and improve my body from the inside out. Waterminder, an app I’ve had since 2020, is very helpful in tracking my water, and it’s really nice to see the pretty colors of all the different liquids I drink.

Overall, I’m excited for 2024 and all the new opportunities it will bring!

 

December Results and 2023 Year End Wrap Up

December Results

Finish To Have A Heart

I finished the first draft of the novel in December! I finished a day early too!

Now, it’s time to figure out what my next project is!

Publish more online

I have published a lot online this month. I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished over the last few weeks. I took a week off between Christmas and New Years (to write the rest of my novel), but I am excited to get it going again.

Looking forward to more opportunities in 2024!

Publish something

This year, one of my goals was to publish something. Technically, I do have something published (a poetry book that never took off or ended up on Amazon). It’s been a year of learning and growing, but no true publishing yet.

Next year is my year to publish!

Year End Round Up

Write Every Day of 2023

I managed to write every single day of 2023! 365 days of some kind of writing (and a lot of days it was a lot of words!)

I could not be happier and more proud of myself. I thought 2023 was going to be the year of edits, but it was still the year of writing too. I wrote and edited a lot this year. This is the year I truly felt like a writer who had my life together. I can only hope it continues.

Edit Three Novels

2023 was supposed to be the year of edits, and I gave it a good shot, but didn’t quite get 3 novel edited.

-Book of Poetry (edited in March/April)

-MAC/Book 1 (About 10 chapters left to edit)

Thankfully, I got a taste for editing over the year and now I know how to improve my craft over the next year.

Edit Twelve short stories

  • Congratulations- Written Jan 2015; Edited Jan 2023
  • H-E- Double Hockey Sticks- Written and Edited Jan 2023
  • Samson- Written 2014; Edited Feb 2023
  • Thanks For the Hand- Written and Edited April 2023
  • Mad With The Moon-written Feb 2021; edited June 2023
  • Love Lines- written Jan 2014; edited June 2023
  • The Way Out-Written August 2022; Edited June 2023
  • Room 1134- Written and edited July 2023
  • Honeydew- Written June 2020; Edited August 2023 and September 2023

9/12 short stories edited this year. I made an effort, and made some progress. I have plans in 2024 to take the next step with a few of the stories. Stay tuned for exciting updates in 2024!

Read Twelve Books

  • Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olsen- finished January 2023
  • All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban- Finished January 2023
  • The Will and The Wild by Charlie N. Holmberg- Finished February 2023
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas- Finished March 2023
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas- Finished March 2023
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Mass- finished March 2023
  • Queen of Ruin by K.F. Breene- finished June 2023
  • Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid -finished June 2023
  • A Writer’s Guide to Persistence by Jordan Rosenfeld- finished July 2023
  • Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery- Finished August 2023
  • Soul of Smoke by Caitlyn McFarland-Finished August 2023
  • Anne of the Island by Lucy Maud Montgomery-finished August 2023
  • Anne of Avonlea by Lucy Maud Montgomery-Finished August 2023
  • Shadow of Flame by Caitlyn McFarland- finished August 2023
  • Anne of Windy Poplars by Lucy Maud Montgomery- Finished September 2023
  • Truth of Embers by Caitlyn McFarland- Finished September 2023
  • Writer to Writer: From Think to Ink by Gail Carson Levine- Finished September 2023
  • Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery-Finished October 2023
  • Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones- Finished October 2023

19/12 books. I overshot this goal and I am so glad I did. I’ve read a lot of series this year and finished a few I started in 2022 or earlier. The joy of reading has returned after years. I feel such delight when I read a good plot twist or learn something new from reading. I only hope to produce the same in my readers some day.

Publish Something (Either Traditional or Indie)

When I created this goal, I wanted to publish a book, a novel, but that didn’t quite happen this year. Instead, I decided I would put out a short story on Amazon (self published) but I rushed it, so I ended up pulling it back down.

  • Love Lines- Short Story- Published June 2023 (And deleted October 2023)

While I didn’t publish a novel, and I pulled down the short story, I did start a substack (Music That Shaped Me) and I’ve been more consistent writing on Medium and here on the blog. While it isn’t exactly what I had planned for the publishing goal, it technically is publishing. I’m really proud of the consistency I’ve found in 2023.

Participate in Most (If not all) NYC Midnight Writing Contests.

  • Short Story Challenge
    This one was not that bad. 8 days was not enough time because I procrastinated and had to push to write and edit in the last few days to make sure it was submitted on time.
    RESULTS: 5th place. Moved to round 2.
    Round 2: I had so much fun in round 2, and I fully laughed at myself and was able to have fun despite the silliness surrounding it.
    RESULTS: Did not place in round 2.
  • Screenwriting Challenge
    This one, I skipped. I signed up for it with high hopes, but screenwriting and scripts aren’t really my thing under a deadline.
  • Microfiction (100 words)
    I’ve always really liked this one, and not only because it’s short. 100 words is extremely hard to tell a story in, but that’s what makes it fun. I really enjoyed having to write a suspense/thriller in 100 words or less.
    RESULTS: Placed 1st! 🎉 Moved on to second round.
    RESULTS: Did not place in round 2.
  • Flash Fiction
    This is the NYC Midnight challenge that started it all. I have such a fond enjoyment of this challenge and each and every prompt teaches me something new. This time was a genre I have never actually tried to write, so it was fantastic.
    RESULTS: Did not place in round 1
    RESULTS: Did not place in round 2
  • Microfiction (500 Word)
    This challenge I unfortunately did not take part in because I lost track of my days. There’s always next year (I hope)
  • Microfiction (250 word)
    Passed on this one. It was right after November and I was so excited about my novel still and didn’t want to break the excitement. I wanted to finish the novel and not start something new. I also forgot to sign up for it until it had passed, so oops!

    Finished Projects

  • Little Earthquakes- a novel based off of a Tori Amos album of the same name
  • Short Stories
    -Rocketman
    -Luka
  • Through the Walls- A short story and Poetry Collection (schoolwork)
  • Honeydew- A short play (Schoolwork)
  • Various Fanfictions of popular book and TV series.
    1. The Names That Bind- ACOTAR
    2. You Don’t Need to Love Me- ACOTAR
    3. Hidge Week 2018- Voltron Legendary Defender
    4. Shave and a Haircut and Two Bits of Advice- Anne of Green Gables
    5. Carried Away By Love- Miraculous Ladybug
    6. Futures- A Captain Planet Fanfiction
  • To Have a Heart- A 2023 NaNoWriMo Novel

Yearly Word Count: 483,720

2023 has been one of my best years yet. A lot of amazing things have happened, both writing and non-writing related and I am so happy with where I’m ending this year and starting the next.

Happy New Year!

See you in 2024! 

 

 

 

August Results and September Goals

August has been a whirlwind of great things. My writing mojo is back, I’m finishing projects and chapters of projects through hard work and dedication (even if it is 5 paragraphs at a time). August has been very productive and I couldn’t be happier.

August Results

Writing

NYC Midnight’s 500 word Microfiction Challenge

As excited as I was for this challenge, once again, everything outside of writing got in the way. Somehow, I lost a day and when I remembered to do it, it was already past due. I did not give the challenge the time, nor the mental energy it deserved. I suppose there’s always next year. I was really looking forward to it too, but sometimes things aren’t meant to work out. I still have a pretty cool prompt to write though, so there is one positive.

Edits on Book 1

This month, I made decent progress on edits. I got through 4 chapters, but the most important part is that I have a detailed plan to reach the end by October 31st. I have a direction, and I have time to put into it so I’m going to make it happen.

Edit One Short Story

For this month, I had the plan to edit a short story, but more than that, I wanted to get the story ready for publication. That meant breaking the goal up into even smaller goals.

Writing the first draft:

This story is an idea I’ve had for a while, and the same idea I used to write a play for my playwriting course. New developments appeared when I wrote it as a play, so I adapted it back to a short story. I was able to get this goal done in a little over a week. Completed 8/9

Creating a Cover:

This is something I’ve been playing around with for the last few months. I’ve really had a fun time creating covers for my works. It worked out perfectly that a few days to create the cover was enough to let the first draft sit. Completed 8/31

Editing the draft:

This month was the fastest I have ever written something and immediately edited it (except the NYC Midnight challenges). Giving it a little time was exactly what was needed and it really helped to come at the piece from multiple angles before this “final” draft. Completed 8/31

Coming up with keywords and writing the back summary:

This is something I’m not used to doing. It’s a whole new ballpark when trying to find the niche the story will fit best, but it’s also exciting too, because that means I’m growing and learning as an author. To be completed in September

Stay tuned next month for the full results.

Finish my last class of my Bachelor’s Program

After just over 2 years of school, I submitted my last essay and discussion board. It took a while, I liked every class or at least a part of a class, but this one I just couldn’t get into or enjoy. I expected it to be something it wasn’t, and with everything else crazy, I honestly got a little senioritis in the last class. Now all that’s left is to find out my grades and get my diploma and definitely take a break from any schoolwork for a few months. Hopefully, I’ll start my MFA next year.

Personal

Exercise

This month, exercise was definitely great stress relief. With everything else more organized, and building a routine, I started the month off strong and started exercising at least a few days a week. It really helped my mental health to take a break between writing projects and go for a walk or do some stretches. As the month wound down, I didn’t exercise as much as I wanted, but slowly, I’m getting back into it.

Journal

Journaling was very effective this month. I added a few more journals and techniques to my routine, and they seem to be helping. It helps to start my morning with journaling and reading and avoiding my screens for the first hour of my morning. I only missed one day this month, which was unfortunate, but does occasionally happen.

Hydrate

This month, I wasn’t the best at staying hydrated. I did pay more attention to my water bottle and how full it was, but I still drank mostly coffee and tea. Still, I’m making small attempts to be better and doing my best to find more ways to stay hydrated.

Other

In August, I finished my last class in my Creative Writing Bachelor’s Program. I’m currently waiting on my diploma, so not officially graduated yet, but patiently waiting. In addition to finishing my last class, I was quite productive and finished 23 chapters or parts of open projects. A little bit of writing every day helped to get chapters finished, projects finished and new parts started. I’ve also picked up a few other habits outside of writing that I’m not quite ready to share yet, but they are quite relaxing.

In addition to writing like crazy, I read five books in August, in two series I read concurrently. Three I’ve read before (a few times, but have never finished the series) and a new series I haven’t read yet, but that I have enjoyed so far. Keep an eye out for more book reviews hopefully, and more fun content on the blog.

Word Count: 68,627

September Goals

Writing

Edits on Book 1

The deadline is set for October 31st and I plan to get as much done as I can in the time I have left. It means getting a lot of edits done, and spending a lot of time in the world of story, but I am so excited to keep pushing forward.

Publish Something

This month, I would like to put something out into the world for publishing. I’ve been playing around with several avenues over the last few months and I’m getting closer to making things happen. With any luck, it will be this month.

Finish Chapters and Sections of Open Works

In August, I started working a little bit in each project, a big reason why my word count was so high in August and how I got several parts of projects finished. I would like to keep that up in September, and hopefully for the rest of the year. This has been my best writing year yet, and I want to keep it that way and keep pushing forward. Perhaps I’ll even finish more projects than I intended. We’ll see!

Personal

Exercise

As for the rest of this year, I would like to build an exercise routine. I’ve been attempting for several months, and making positive changes in the right direction, but this month I would like to get out and exercise at least 2-3 times a week. It won’t always be possible, but that’s the goal I am going to attempt this month.

Journal

Journaling has been a big help over the last few months. I want to keep it up and expand it even further than I have. There’s something about putting my thoughts on paper and writing through several gel pens that helps me sort my priorities for the day. Hopefully I’ll look back and laugh as I have with previous journals, or find more ideas, as I have in the past when I read them in the future.

Hydrate

Last month, I tried to hydrate more, and wasn’t the most successful. I am more aware of my water intake, which helps, but I would like to keep it up and drink more than coffee, tea and soda. I want to at least try to drink one of my water bottles (22 oz) a day of just water, if not more. It doesn’t seem like much, but it is a start.

I’m looking forward to a lot of things in September, creative and otherwise.

 

July Results and August Goals

July has been hectic for all the wrong reasons. From a class in school I do not like at all, to a whole host of medical and dental distractions, July has not been the month I hoped it would be. Still, I did what I could when I could. I did not hit the goals I truly wanted for Camp NaNoWriMo or editing, but I do have more progress than I had when the month started.

It’s not quite the win I wanted, but it is better than what I had at the beginning of the month.

July Results

Writing

Camp NaNoWriMo

Nothing seemed to go the way I intended this month writing wise. Camp NaNoWriMo gave way to school essays and work and anything else but getting words on a page. I did manage a few things, but this month definitely wasn’t my best writing month.

Edit 500 words of Book 1 Daily

Similar to my goals for Camp NaNoWriMo, my goals of editing didn’t seem to go well either. A little here and there daily, with only a few days of actually reaching my goal. As much as I would have liked to be successful (wouldn’t we all?), July simply wasn’t the month to be successful. I do have more words and did make progress, but it wasn’t every day this month as I had hoped.

Edit One Short Story

Editing a short story came at a surprising time at the end of the month in connection with the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction second round. While it wasn’t exactly the short story I had hoped to edit, it did get done. This month, I’m taking the wins where I can.

NYC Flash Fiction Round 2

This challenge is always fun for me despite the looming feeling of a deadline. This year, this challenge actually helped save my word count for the month. Between not feeling well due to multiple health issues that popped up, work being hectic and busy, and navigating negotiations for time off, not to mention how many project I’ve stalled on in the middle, this challenge helped renew my excitement in writing. While I struggled to get started, I did manage to write something decent and submit it before the deadline.

Personal

Exercise

The health issues (temporary, thankfully) did not help my will to exercise. There were a few days, mostly lake days where I exercised without issue, but while at home, I simply couldn’t find the motivation to exercise. Plus when you have all over body aches and just a general yucky feeling, exercise is the last thing on your mind. I hope the next few months are better, especially now that I know what the culprit is.

Journal

Journaling has been my saving grace this month. Sitting down every morning and getting my morning pages down before I truly start my day has helped me make plans and strive for goals. Journaling has helped me get my stresses and successes down on the page and I couldn’t be happier with the results. I started my 4th journal of 2023 and more will follow.

OTHER NEWS

In July, temporary health issues sidelined a lot of what I wanted to get done. Still, I did what I could when I could and while it wasn’t the perfect month, I did make progress. I got the start or orthodontic work, with braces on 6 teeth for a few months and man are the headaches with those intense sometimes!

I went to two amazing concerts: Train and Tori Amos and neither disappointed. I love live music and the concerts were a much needed mental and emotional reset.

I also made it through the halfway point of my LAST CLASS in my bachelor’s degree. A few more weeks to go and then I work through the graduation process. I am so excited to be done, but I am more excited for what is to come next!

Word Count: 23,175

August Goals

Writing

NYC Midnight’s 500 word Microfiction Challenge

I’m always really excited for these short challenges that inspire me to work on something new and finish it all in one go. This will be the first year I do the 500 word Microfiction because this is the inaugural challenge. The 100 and 250 word challenges are fun, so I can’t wait to see how the 500 word challenge goes.

Edits on Book 1

I need to make progress on book one, that has been dragging on for most of the year. I have a true deadline for the end of October and I’m going to stick to it. Even if it means that’s the only project I work on for a few weeks.

Edit One Short Story

I have a story I wanted to edit in July, but it simply didn’t happen. I hope to make progress on the story and hopefully finish it for the next step.

Finish my last class of my Bachelor’s Program

3 more weeks to go and I am already looking forward to the end of this class. It has not been my favorite, but it is the last, so after that I am going to relax and feel waaaay less stressed.

Personal

Exercise

I would really like to get back into exercising in August if my body will let me. Pain more days than not kept me from exercising, but I desperately want to get back into it, so I can feel healthier again and hopefully less stressed.

Journal

Journaling has been very helpful this year. Some days it feels monotonous, especially on the days I simply wake up and go to work for most of the day. Still, journaling helps me realize my goals and put them on paper.

Hydrate

I’ve been really bad at staying hydrated, especially as the months get hotter. I would like to drink more water and hydrating drinks than just coffee throughout the day with a sip of water here or there. With the headaches I’ve been getting from the braces and the fun of relearning how to eat certain foods, it’s been a goal to hydrate more.

Here’s to kicking butt in August!

 

June Results, Halfway Check-In, and July Goals

And just like that, we have now reached the halfway point of the year. Where has the time gone?! June was a month of ups and downs, but thankfully mostly ups. Here’s how I did.

Writing

Edit One Arc of Book 1

I didn’t quite edit a whole arc of book 1 like I wanted, but I did make some decent progress. I managed to finish 2 chapters this month and I have a solid plan for next month to keep the edits moving. Editing is different from writing, and I am giving the project the time it needs to be the best version of itself.

1000 Words of Summer

I wanted 1000 Words of Summer to be successful for the whole two weeks, but I fell off the productivity wagon toward the last few days. I did manage to finish one project I’ve been working on for the last 8 or so years, so that was a win. Attempting to get 1000 words a day in another project after finishing the other project was like pulling teeth. I do still plan on shooting for 1000 words a day in July. I guess it wasn’t a complete failure.

NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge

The NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge, the challenge that started it all in 2020, went well this year. I worked on a brand new project of 1000 words or less in a genre I don’t normally write in. I got to flex my writing muscles and get used to putting more work out there. I had fun doing it, especially because I got to subvert a fairytale in the best ways. Results come out at the end of next month, and I am already excited for round 2.

BONUS: NYC Midnight’s 100 Word Microfiction Contest

This goal is one I totally forgot about. The results came out for round 1 and I placed 1st!!! I went onto the next round, which was difficult with so few words, but I made a solid attempt. I’m not entirely sure when results come out for this round, but hopefully I will be more prepared if I go for the next round.

Personal

Exercise

Exercise in June has been hit or miss. Some weeks I’ve been on it and kicking butt. Others I barely exercised at all. I need to get back to it and be more consistent, if not to look better than to feel better mentally. I started an exercise regimen that I thought would be nice, but it was unorganized and messy. Hopefully I’ll get back into Yoga and walking again.

Journal

Journaling in June was fantastic. There was a day where I almost didn’t make it, because I left my journal at home. Instead of letting the habit go, I journaled on my computer. It wasn’t totally ideal, and I want to keep it all on paper if I can, but it works in a pinch. I hope to keep up the habit for as long as I can.

Word Count: 41,959

Whoa! Halfway Point Check-In!

Write Every Day of 2023

January: 100%

February: 100%

March: 100%

April: 100%

May: 100%

June: 100%

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep up the progress and keep writing something every day.

Edit Three Novels

Slowly making my way through edits on Book 1. At this point, I might not make 3 novels by the end of the year, but I am going to do the best I can.

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep editing and moving forward.

Edit Six short stories

  • Congratulations- Written Jan 2015; Edited Jan 2023
  • H-E- Double Hockey Sticks- Written and Edited Jan 2023
  • Samson- Written 2014; Edited Feb 2023
  • Thanks For the Hand- Written and Edited April 2023
  • Mad With The Moon-written Feb 2021; edited June 2023
  • Love Lines- written Jan 2014; edited June 2023
  • The Way Out- Written August 2022; edited June 2023

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Goal update to 12 short stories this year. 5 to go!

Read Twelve Books

  • Sing Me Forgotten by Jessica S. Olsen- finished January 2023
  • All Your Twisted Secrets by Diana Urban- Finished January 2023
  • The Will and The Wild by Charlie N. Holmberg- Finished February 2023
  • A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas- Finished March 2023
  • A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas- Finished March 2023
  • A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Mass- finished March 2023
  • Queen of Ruin by K.F. Breene- finished June 2023
  • Daisy Jones and the Six -finished June 2023

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep Reading. 4 to go!

Publish Something (Either Traditional or Indie)

EXCITING THINGS ARE COMING!

Participate in Most (If not all) NYC Midnight Writing Contests.

Short Story Challenge

Round 1: 5th place. Moved to round 2.

Round 2: Did not place in round 2.

Screenwriting Challenge

SKIPPED

Microfiction (100 words)

Round 1: Placed 1st! 🎉 Moved on to second round.

Round 2: Results pending

Flash Fiction

Round 1: Results pending

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Keep participating and enjoying the process.

Finished Projects

  • Little Earthquakes 2016-2023
  • Short Stories
    Rocketman 2022-2023
    Luka 2022-2023
  • Various Fanfictions
    Names That Bind 2023
    You Don’t Need to Love Me 2023
    Hidge Week 2018-2023
  • Futures– 2015-2023

FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR: Finish more projects as able.

Word Count: 217,132

July Goals

Camp NaNoWriMo

Once again it is time for Camp NaNoWriMo. This month, I hope to finish a project or two that have been languishing in my folders. For my goal, I would like to hit 40K. Realistically, I would like to get around 1000 words a day to keep the momentum up, in this project and a few odds and ends in other projects.

Edit 500 words of Book 1 Daily

For the last few weeks of June, with the 1000 word goal a fay, I attempted to get 500 words of edits. For the few days I was successful, it really helped move the novel along, especially through the boring middle bits. I hope with luck and practice and dedication, I can get through the edits with a bit more speed.

Edit One Short Story

I’ve had a lot of good luck editing short stories in June. I would like to keep the momentum up in July and keep getting short stories ready for the world.

NYC Flash Fiction Round 2

I enjoy this challenge as much as I do because there is an automatic second round. I’m excited to see how I do in round 1, and I’m excited to see the new prompt for round 2. 1000 words is the perfect amount to play with to write a short piece. I do enjoy long pieces, but a short piece now and then really helps me build my writing muscles.

Personal

Exercise

Exercising has been one of my wishy-washy habits over the last few months. I would like to make it a more steady habit and feel better about doing it. One of the first things that disappears when I’m stressed is exercise, as counterintuitive as that sounds. I would like to make it more permanent in July.

Journal

Journaling has really helped me over the last 6 months and I hope it continues to help me over the rest of the year and far beyond that. I’ve had to get creative with how I journal a few times over the last few months, with some days feeling like pulling teeth, but I still continue to make progress.

What about you? Any fun goals planned?

 

May Results and June Goals

May has definitely been a month of highs and lows in several areas. For the first few weeks, writing and editing were not my priority. But I picked it up toward the end of the month and managed to be rather successful in my goals.

May Results

Writing

Edit One Short Story

Unfortunately, during the month of May, I did not edit a short story. This month was a strange month, with very little motivation until nearly halfway though the month. Time got a way from me this month with all the other projects I had to complete, such as homework and work. While it wasn’t a short story, I did manage to edit a few poems for a school project.

Edit An Arc of Book 1

This month, I was not able to edit a whole arc in the novel, but I did get two chapters done. I made some decent progress and now I have a plan for June. Not every month has to be an entire arc, and I am pleased I’m getting back into it and making positive changes again. Even if the editing is going a little slower than usual.

Finish A Project (of any kind)

This goal was easier than I expected. I finished a short story rather unexpectedly in the first few days of May. With the completion of the short story from December 2022, my monthly short stories for 2022 are now completed. Thankfully, I didn’t finish just one project this month, but multiple. I finished a few shorter pieces as well.

2023 is the year of finishing things and edits.

Personal

Exercise

Exercise over the past few months has been hit or miss, mostly miss. This month was no exception. This month, it was easy to feel like time got away from me. The first thing to go when time gets away from me is exercise. This wasn’t the best month for exercise. With any luck, June will be better, or at least I can start a better routine.

Journal

Journaling in May was a little different than the past few months. I managed to journal every single day, per my goal. I also added reading a few pages of my older journals to the mix as well. I got some news regarding work that put me into a foul mood and I had a similar situation in the past, so I made it through most of my previous journals from 2019/2020 and compiled some data that might come in handy later.

Other

In May, on the weekends I wasn’t working, I did a lot of traveling. It’s always nice to take mini vacations when I can get them.

I also have several new ideas. I’m itching to work on them, but I want to give them the time they deserve. Instead of jumping right in like I usually do, I am letting them sit in my idea folder for now. Hopefully soon, I’ll be able to work on a few new projects. For now, it’s edits and finishing the projects I have.

Speaking of finishing things, I am a class and a half away from graduating with my Bachelor’s degree. I honestly never thought I would get here. I attempted 2017-2019, but it was a program I detested. Now I love it.

I am excited for what comes next!

Word Count: 37,134

June Goals

Writing

Edit One Arc of Book 1

Now that I am back into the swing of edits, I would like to get some chapters completed in June. With any luck, I will be able to get an arc done or at least 4 chapters, but June will be quite a busy month, so we’ll see how far I get in edits.

1000 Words of Summer

1000 Words of Summer is returning for 2023. Jami Attenburg of Craft Talk started the project 6 years ago. For two weeks, I attempt to get 1000 words with a ton of other writers. In a way, it’s like a shortened version of NaNoWriMo in June. I’m stoked for another challenge and a deadline.

NYC Midnight Flash Fiction Challenge

The NYC Midnight Challenge that started my patronage of NYC Midnight has returned. This is the third year I am participating. I could not be more excited! As an added bonus, it takes place during 1000 words of Summer, so I have at least one project to work on during that time. This is my favorite challenge of theirs so far, 1000 words is the perfect amount of words to get a story down, but not make it too verbose. I am excited for more challenges.

Personal

Exercise

I have been working to find why exercising has become so challenging. Mainly it’s been time and weather. Hopefully with the changing weather as we get closer to Summer and maybe a bit more time management, I’ll be able to get more exercise. Walking outside is my favorite form and I would love to get more of it when I can.

Journal

Journaling has been one of my most consistent habits of 2023 and I feel so much better for it. It’s been fantastic to get my thoughts down on the page and not have them floating around in my head wreaking havoc. I have found I’m excited to journal every morning and I look forward to it instead of dreading it like I did a year or two ago. I’m steadily making it through notebooks. The goal is the same, I would like to journal every day in June.

Thoughts on The Writing Process: Fun

Writing can be a strange hobby to have sometimes. With all the talk of “publishing” and “editing” and “making money from your hobby”, it can easily become like a job.

Over the past year or so, writing felt like a chore. I got wrapped up in the expectation that I need to be making money from my writing. I got wrapped up in school and figuring out what to do with my degree. I got wrapped up in the perfection bubble and it paralyzed me for a while.

I used to be able to put out first drafts in months, but for a long time my writing has been stagnant. I even posted on TikTok a few months ago when I finished a project that it didn’t feel the same, that it felt hollow. Still, I’ve been chugging along, hoping the inspiration will come back.

In the last few months I’ve made writing a daily habit and it no longer feels like as much of a chore. But that’s not what this post is about. Habits are important, but there’s something more important than habits.

A few days ago, something clicked. Most of the pieces I’m working on are still first drafts. First drafts are supposed to be fun, they’re supposed to be quick and ugly and hastily written garbage, but most of all FUN!

Even the edits I’m currently working on can still be fun. So far, I’ve added a few songs, and a few more prophecies. It’s been an enjoyable process, because I finally realized I’m making it fun.

I can’t believe it took me that long to realize I wasn’t having fun, or letting fun in. Writing is a hobby before it’s a business. Writing is something I do for fun, and if it makes me money eventually, that’s fantastic.

I will be an author some day, but I am still allowed to have fun with my hobby. I’m allowed to not take myself seriously sometimes.

Here’s to more fun and more silliness.

Stay tuned!

April Results and May Goals

This year, April wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be. Usually April is my worst writing and creating month, but not this year.

This year, I decided to embrace the mantra of “Fun!”. I often stress too much about little things and things that don’t matter. Thinking like that has made me regret a lot of things and miss out on opportunities, so now I have decided to change my outlook and find the fun in what I can.

Here’s how I did in April.

April Results

Writing

Edit Another Arc of Book 1

April simply wasn’t the month for editing. Not because of the usual reasons of April being filled with grief, but because other projects demanded my attention and seemed more fun. I did as much as I could, but I needed a break from editing. With any luck, in May I’ll return to it with more gusto.

Camp NaNoWriMo/35K in book 3.

While I didn’t do really any work in the book I was supposed to be working on for Camp NaNoWriMo, I did manage to get more than 35K in all the projects I’ve been working on. I’m still counting it as a goal reached, because 35K+ spread through everything I’ve been working through this month has been spectacular.

Poetry

Poetry as a goal was hit and miss. I did finish my poetry class for my bachelor’s program and did write/edit a good grip of poems. I did work on a few poems at the beginning of the month and make decent progress, but in no way did I work on Poetry every day like I had planned. Still, some progress is better than none.

NYC Midnight

This goal is a double add on goal. I had the NYC Midnight 100 word Micro-fiction contest planned, but forgot to put it as a goal. That went well, with only 24 hours to write and edit 100 words and tell a story. Another competition that came back as a surprise was the NYC Midnight Short Story Competition. My submission from January got 5th place which meant I got to go onto Round Two. I submitted that story and had so much fun with it. Things are starting to get exciting in the writing world for me.

Personal

Exercise

Exercise was a little better in April. I started making a conscious effort to go out for a walk when I could and get some kind of exercise in. It was nowhere perfect and nowhere where I wanted to be, especially as the month wound down. When I did exercise, I did pick up the pace more and added a little jogging to my usual walks. It makes me feel a little better and so far it has seemed to help me reach my goals quicker. I used to hate running, and I still do, but not as much.

Journal

As much as I wanted to make this a perfect month, it didn’t happen. There were days where it was impossible to make it to the page for one reason or another. A few were travel related, another was work related. Overall, in April I missed 4 days. Hopefully, in May I won’t miss any.

OTHER NEWS

In other news, as I mentioned, I finished another class for my bachelor’s program. This effectively means I have two left. I’m getting closer to my dream and I couldn’t be more excited. I am looking forward to what the next few classes hold and possibly what might be coming after that.

I have a creative project in the works that is getting closer and closer to being done and being out in the world. I can’t say much right now, but once I can I will be shouting it from the rooftops and blasting it all over wherever I can.

My dental work is finally done, with the permanent implant in, so no more horrible plastic whole mouth fake tooth retainer. I could not be happier, even though my mouth still feels “naked” after weeks without the retainer. I’ll eventually get used to it.

I have picked up another creative hobby in singing and while I’m not as good as I was in high school with daily practice in the choir room, I do feel like I’m finally finding my voice and not trying to imitate others. That’s a big milestone for me. While no one may hear me for a while, I do enjoy singing in the car as I drive to and from work.

Word Count: 45,696

May Goals

Writing

Edit One Short Story

I have a massive list of short stories to be edited, even though I have done more than I thought with the last few NYC Midnight competitions. I would like to work through another one this month and add it to my list of completed works for the year. 2023 is the year of editing, even if I didn’t do much of it in April.

Edit An Arc of Book 1

May means it’s time to get back to the serious work of editing. I didn’t do much in April, for a lot of reasons, but now I’m ready to get back to it and keep the progress moving forward. With any luck I’ll be able to make it through a few chapters in May.

Finish A Project (of any kind)

I have a lot of open projects that I’ve had for a long time. I think the oldest project I’m working on right now I’ve been working on, on and off since 2015. I would like to get some of my older projects done and out of the way so I can start something new. Knowing my luck and the class I am currently in, the project I finish might be related to school, but I’m ok with that. It will be some kind of fiction. Perhaps I’ll even finish two or three projects.

Personal

Exercise

I feel like now almost halfway into the year, I am starting to build a better routine. While I haven’t been able to get out every day and exercise, I at least think about it and make a plan. I don’t always stick to the plan, but I’m hoping in May I’ll get out more and notice more positive changes in my body.

Journal

April was not the best month for journaling, but I hope May is better. I feel so much better when I get my thoughts out of my head and down on paper. There are several days when it gets repetitive, but the journaling still does help. I would like to not miss any days during May and then keep the trend going for the rest of the year.

March Results and April Goals

As I head into the hardest month of every year, I’m thankful March was so productive. It flew by in a blur of homework, work, and writing, but I’m glad I was able to accomplish as much as I did.

March Results

Writing

Edit One Short Story

I didn’t quite edit a short story in the way I wanted to. Another project landed in my lap to edit, and I couldn’t help it. I actually had a deadline for this project and the edits involved with it. I can’t say much about it at the moment, but stay tuned for more updates!

Edit 4 chapters or finish the current Story Arc

This goal took up my whole month. March was definitely the month for editing the novel and the story arc and it did not disappoint. The arc took me the whole month, and five chapters instead of four, but that means I have edited half of the proposed chapters for the current project I’m editing.

NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge

This challenge goes into April too so I’ll talk about it then. So far, working on other projects has taken precedence, but tune in next month for a better update.

Finish a Short Story from 2022

This month, writing didn’t really come as easy as reading or editing. As much as I wanted to finish this short story, it will have to be at another time. I have a direction now at least, which is always better than no direction.

Personal

Exercise

Exercising wasn’t really my top priority this month. With the rain and the strange weather throughout March, I spent more time wishing I could exercise, rather than actually doing the work and exercising. Next month, I am really hoping to get back to a decent routine and stick to it.

Journal

I journaled every day but two in March. Things have started to move forward with certain aspects of my life and my health. A few days I got too swept up in it and completely forgot to journal. I’m hoping to keep up my streak next month and do a full month and full pages for my mental health.

Other

Reading a book series, or I suppose re-reading, sucked up a lot of my time in March. I can’t help it, I get sucked into a good book and it’s hard to claw my way out and write original things. I managed to read three books in the main series this month, which means once again, I will reach my reading goal waaaayyy before the end of the year. Now it’s time to read another trilogy I’ve been trying to read for a long time, but have always been distracted. That also means I need to update my reading goal for the year. Nothing too crazy, but I do like to have goals.

I also have good news coming, with any luck sooner rather than later now that the momentum is moving in the right direction.

Word Count: 34,786

April Goals

Writing

Edit Another Arc of Book 1

I’ve started to like the idea of editing my novel in arcs. It’s nice to work on a few chapters at a time, make them as strong as they can be, rather than slogging through the whole novel from front to back over and over again. I’m hoping to keep editing through a few arcs and hopefully have the novel fully edited by June or July.

Camp NaNoWriMo/35K in book 3.

I’ve been itching to finish book 3 of the series for months, especially since November and NaNoWriMo when I started book three was absolute trash. Slowly, I’ve been chipping away, but I’m excited to focus on it in April during Camp NaNoWriMo.

Poetry

I’m looking forward to working on some poetry in the upcoming month. The idea struck me toward the end of March, and with it being National Poetry month, why not?

Personal

Exercise

With any luck, the weather in April will be better than the stormy stuff we had in March. I am hoping to make exercise more of a habit and less of a chore, so we’ll see how that goes.

Journal

Journaling has been getting more difficult, more dragging, so I’m hoping I find more joy in it again this month. Or if not joy, at least a place to pour out my grief as we approach the month that sucks every year.

Hopefully the month of April won’t be too rough and I can actually get some decent work done.

What are your goals for the month of April?

February Results and March Goals

Another month down, 10 more to go!

For being such a short month, February sure was busy. Between schoolwork, actual work, and writing and creating, the month was the most successful month yet.

Here’s how I did in February:

February Results

Writing

Edit One Short Story

This month, I did manage to edit a short story, but still have yet to type it out by the time I’m writing this. The short story I chose, as with a lot of the short stories I’ve written over the years, needed more work and more attention than I could give it in one month. Mainly, it needs a lot of rewrites. Thankfully, I have a direction and I know what I need to work on to make it shine. I’m counting this as a success.

Edit 4 chapters

Four chapters were edited this month, right down to the last minute. I am now 4 chapters closer to being done with the first novel I’m hoping to edit in 2023. I’m really enjoying the good bits I get to add, and some I’ve been surprised to find. I’m learning so much as I go.

Finish a short story from 2022

I’m super happy with my progress this month. I was able to finish the short story from 2022 pretty early in the month. There is nothing as awesome as finishing a project that is either slow moving or gives me trouble. The short story from November 2022 definitely dragged, but now I can say the first draft is done.

Personal

Exercise

This month, exercise was not my top priority, nor was it easy to come by. With the rainy weather, an illness and training for work, I didn’t exercise more than I exercised. I’m hoping I can improve over the next few months, maybe when the weather gets warmer and stays nice.

Journal

In February, I managed to write in my journal every single day. Some days were easier than others. Some days I’m sure I wrote complete garbage, but journaling at least lets me get it out of my head and on paper. After writing for the last 2 months, I’m three quarters of the way through the first journal of the year.

Other

In other news, I finished another class for my Bachelor’s in Creative Writing and started another. As much as I thought I would enjoy playwriting, I’m glad it’s done. I learned all I could from the subject, but there were a few factors that did not make the class as enjoyable as I would have liked. Now I’m off to Poetry.

I also finished reading another book, so keep your eyes out for another book review.

This month, I finished a project I’ve been working on since 2016. 2023 is the year of editing and finishing things and I couldn’t be happier. The first novel of 2023 is finished.

Here’s to so many more!

Word Count: 32,297

March Goals

Writing

Edit One Short Story

Editing one short story a month seems like a decent pace for what I want to get done this year. Especially since I’m more focused on editing my novels. I’m interested to see how much I can get done this year.

Edit 4 chapters or finish the current Story Arc

Over the last few weeks of edits, I came to the realization that instead of editing in order, it was really nice to edit as far as story arcs go. So far, each arc is a few chapters and editing in those snippets make the editing go faster and the story smoother. This month, I’m hoping to get through the funeral arc.

NYC Midnight Screenplay Challenge

I signed up for the NYC Midnight Screenplay challenge even though I didn’t really enjoy playwriting. This is a challenge from NYC Midnight that I haven’t done yet, but I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’m interested to try something new and see how I do.

Finish a Short Story from 2022

I have one last short story to finish from 2022. December wasn’t a great month for writing a short story. Now that I have time (yeah, right!), I’m hoping to get the short story done and close out the projects from 2022. With any luck, I’ll finish it and be able to add it to the list of short stories I can edit throughout the year.

Personal

Exercise

Last month was not the best month for exercise. With any luck, this month will be better and I won’t be down with a cold for 10+ days. I’ll be happy if I get 3x a week for this month.

Journal

I’ve really enjoyed journaling over these last few months. It’s been helping to get thoughts on paper and not keep them bottled up in my head. I’ve noticed an increase in my creativity and in my joy. I hope to keep the trend up.

Wish me luck!

January Results and February Goals

If you are reading this, it means we have all made it through the first month of 2023. January has been my most productive month so far, and that’s not just in 2023, but for a long time. I’ve been able to set a routine and keep making progress little by little. I’ve never been happier.

Here’s how January went:

January Results

Writing

Participate in the NYC Midnight Short Story Competition

This month, The NYC Midnight Short Story Competition went well—Once I got my butt in gear. For the first few days, I took my time, then realized how soon the deadline was. I panicked a bit, then did a mad dash to the end and finally submitted it. At first, I wasn’t sure I would do well with the prompt, but now that it’s done and looking back, I did the best I could. Now I can’t wait for the results and of course, the next NYC Midnight challenge.

Edit One Short Story

This month, I did edit a short story. (Actually I edited two if you count the NYC Midnight submission). I have to say I quite enjoyed it. The short story I edited was one from January of 2015. So far, it has been amazing to see how far I’ve come in my writing. One down, several more to go. I’m starting to remember that editing isn’t as easy as writing, though it is quite informative.

Edit Three Chapters

For quite a bit of the month, I wasn’t sure I would make the three chapter goal. I had a few long chapters to work on and some days not a lot of time to work on them, especially with homework and other duties. I’m pleased to say, I did get three chapters done (with one day to spare). Sometimes, it’s better to let the editing process surprise me. A chapter ended sooner, which means I get to add another chapter and really lay on the romance (my favorite!)

Personal

Exercise

So far, exercising has been going well. I did a long streak of 8 days in a row, then there was a not so great streak of a few days I missed due to inclement weather. Now, I’ve been doing my best to make it out and at least walk every day, or at least three days a week, like I wanted, but some days it isn’t easy.

Journal

I had to work at it, and force myself to journal when there were tough days, but I managed to journal every day in January. I really enjoyed sitting down with myself and journaling through any thoughts or concerns I had. By the end of the month, I was actively excited for my journaling.

Now I have to keep everything up through the rest of the year.

Bonus

This month, I also wrote a few plays for my current class. Once I got the format down, I didn’t absolutely hate it. I have had experience writing plays and screenplays in the past, so it was fun to be able to jump back into it in an educational setting. I got to adapt one of my previous short stories, so that was another version of editing and tweaking that I really enjoyed.

I also read two books this month. I’m working on another book review to post, but the first one is up already.

Word Count: 25,260

Here’s what I hope to accomplish in February:

February Goals

Writing

Edit One Short Story

Similar to last year, I want to edit a short story a month. It worked last year with writing them, so why not do a year of editing? Last month went so well, I can’t wait to get started! The hardest part will be choosing which story to edit!

Edit 4 chapters

After a trial run in January, I think I have this editing thing down. I want to see if I can get 4 chapters edited, which is about 1 a week. I am hoping that some chapters will be shorter and take less time to edit, so maybe I can add on a few extra, but I’ll have to wait and see how the month goes.

Finish a short story from 2022

I have two short stories I still need to finish from 2022. The story for November and December. I would like to finish at least one of them this month, and then perhaps the other one next month. With a few paragraphs a day throughout the month, it shouldn’t take me too long to make decent progress and get at least one of them finished.

Personal

Exercise

Even though I didn’t manage to exercise every day last month, I did manage to average at least 3 times a week. I have noticed I feel so much better when I exercise and more creative. I would like to get out and walk or do some form of exercise at least 5 days a week.

Journal

In January, I managed to write in my journal every day, and it definitely improved my mental health. I would like to keep that up and write every day with no excuses.

October Results and November Goals

October started off a bit rocky, with a lot of things that needed to get done, and then simply didn’t get done. The month thankfully picked up a bit more toward the end, which means I was able to hit some goals.

Here’s how I did in October:

October Results

Inktober and Writetober

None of these goals ended up happening. I was so excited to go forth and create and post, but then it just didn’t happen. Whether it was exhaustion from work or lack of motivtation, I only posted one day and then decided I had more important things to work on this month with the little time I have to create and Inktober, Writetober and Instawrimo weren’t those things. Maybe next year, or throughout the year there will be more doodles. We shall see..

Finsh Ghost House Heart

At first, I wasn’t sure if I would finish Ghost House Heart this month. I’ve been working on the project since January of 2020 and it’s been dragging for a long time, but I am pleasantly surprised to reveal that I did finish Ghost House Heart at the end of the month. I am so relieved and happy and so excited to start something new in November.

Continue Edits

I’m still working through edits, even past my self-imposed deadline. I did hit 25K in the edits so far, and I’m counting that as a big accomplishment. I also started something new with my edits, where I have started to edit the book backwards to make the foreshadowing easier. I’m hoping it will help the edits go by a little quicker, especially since we’re quickly approaching November. There are still more edits to be done, but a decent amount of progress has been made.

Prepare for NaNoWriMo

This goal was relatively easy. As it just so happens, last year when I plotted the second novel there was way too much plot for a single novel, so I ended up separating it into two. This gives the characters more bonding time and more time for anguish as they continue their journey toward the crown. This year’s novel is called “Magic and Obligation” and I’m excited to get started on it in November. A few days before NaNoWriMo started, I did finally sit down and plot my big plot points, so I feel like I am adequately prepared.

(Possible) NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Challenge Part Three

This goal didn’t happen, which I’m fine with. Over the last few years, I have consistently placed higher and that is good enough for me for the moment. It’s actually better this goal didn’t happen, because that gave me more time to focus on other things I needed to work on, like edits and finishing a novel.

In October, I didn’t submit anything for the Rhyming Story challenge. The deadline snuck up on me and ultimately, school had to come first. Speaking of school: I finished another class. This class was by far my favorite, a short fiction workshop where I got the opportunity to write a short story and have it critiqued by my peers and my instructor. I loved it, but now it’s time to move onto the next class: World Literature II. I was supposed to have dental surgery in October, but it got moved to November, so that’s coming up. A few other opportunities have come up, but I’m not quite ready to reveal those just yet so stay tuned!

Word Count: 20,520

Here’s what I plan to do in November:

November Goals

NaNoWriMo

Every November is NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. This year is no exception, even with an upcoming dental surgery and everything else life has been throwing my way lately. I’m hoping after my surgery and a few other important things I have to attend the first week of November that things will settle and I can get some good writing in.

Continue Edits

Am I that crazy person that is going to work on two projects in November during NaNoWriMo. Yes. Edits have been going well and I would like to make more progress than I have been. I would like to get to the halfway point of edits by the end of November, if not sooner. We’ll have to see how the month goes.

One Short Story/Finish a Short Story

This year started off so strong with a short story every month. It’s been more difficult as the year winds down, but I’m hoping I can finish and/or start another short story in November and keep pushing toward 12 short stories by the end of the year. I’ve been encountering the problem where there’s more plot to my ideas than a short story will hold, which isn’t always a bad idea.

NYC Midnight’s 250 Microfiction Competition

Another NYC Midnight Competition popped up and since I didn’t finish or even submit the Rhyming Story Challenge, I figured a 250 word challenge shouldn’t be that difficult. We’ll see if I can fit it into my crazy November schedule.

September Results and October Goals

We’re in the slippery slide of the last part of the year. How are we already in October??? September felt like it just started yesterday, and yet here we are.

I had a lot of goals in September. Here’s how I did:

September Results

Write One Short Story

September was an awesome month for short stories. I didn’t finish the short story that I intended to finish, but I did write and submit my first piece of fiction for my Bachelor’s program in Creative Writing, and that just so happened to be a short story. I’m quite proud of it. I’m still working on the short story for August, but I’m making progress there too.

Continue Edits on Book One

I continued edits on book one and finished a chapter. While I still didn’t make as much progress as I would have liked, I did begin to set up a routine and find balance between writing and editing. I now have a routine and a daily writing/editing time and I’m making sure I do everything I can to keep it. Now, I just have to continue making as much progress as I can on my edits.

Instagram Writer Friends Challenge

September started with the best intentions. I posted for the first nine days of the Writer Friends Challenge and then life got in the way. I kept meaning to catch up on the days I missed, and then next thing I knew, September was over. I’m hoping next time I attempt I’ll have more success.

NYC Midnight’s Rhyming Story Challenge

The NYC Midnight Rhyming Story Challenge is still going. I thought it was only in September, but it ends today. Typical me, I have procrastinated on it all week and now the deadline is tomorrow. I’ll have to provide an update sometime in October.

In September, I also managed to finish two books and start a third. Strangely, even though I usually read fiction, I read two non-fiction/memoirs. I also started a new class and submitted my first creative work for my writing program and it felt so good. I also set up a routine for writing, to make it feel less hectic, so we’ll see how that goes for the end of the year.

Word Count: 20,187

October Goals

Inktober and Writetober

October is always busy for me. With Inktober and Writetober and Instawrimo going on all at the same time, it’s going to be a busy month posting to social media. I hope I can keep up along with everything else I’m working on this month. I’m not the best artist as far as drawing goes, but I like to give it a shot every year and have a little fun with it. Writetober is exciting because it’s fifty words or less, which makes it fun to tell a story in as few words as possible.

Finsh Ghost House Heart

I’ve been working on Ghost House Heart on and off since 2020. I have finally made some progress and I can see the end. I have two chapters left and I’m excited to finally say I finished the first draft. I’m ready to move on to something else, like the novel I plan to write in November for NaNoWriMo.

Continue Edits

I’m still working on edits, but now I have a routine and I know where I’m going with the edits. I’m hoping to make more progress before November rolls around and hopefully get through the halfway point.

Prepare for NaNoWriMo

November is fast approaching, whether I like it or not. This year, the past few months have flown by with school and work and everything else in between. I have a loose idea of what I’m writing, but it never helps to prepare sooner rather than later.

(Possible) NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Challenge Part Three

I’m still waiting on results from round two. Round three is not guaranteed yet, but I’m hoping I can participate this year. I really enjoy the challenges from NYC Midnight. For now, this is only a possible goal.

October is going to be busy for me! What are some of your goals?

August Results and September Goals

August started in slow motion and then flew by like a speeding train. Between school and work and several weekend trips, it was a whirlwind. I had a lot of goals in August, so here’s how I did:

August Goals

Write One Short Story

In August, I started a short story. The idea came to me later in the month, and I worked on it here and there. Overall, the short story didn’t get finished in the month of August, but I will be pushing forward in September.

Continue Edits on Book One

Editing is a different brain process for me. I have continued edits on book one, but because it is a different process than writing, I’ve been struggling with feeling productive while I edit. I’ve been playing around with my process, and trying to find a routine, which so far has been a hybrid process between writing and editing. There have been great days and there have been days that I avoid editing like the plague, but I am slowly working through it to make the story and the novel as great as it deserves to be.

Mini 1000 Words of Summer

The mini 1000 Words of Summer did not go well. The week was the most hectic week I’ve had at work in a while, with early days, long days, and craziness just all around. There were days where I didn’t write anything and there were days where I wrote a single sentence. The timing wasn’t right, but maybe the next one will be better.

NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Second Round

The second round of NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Contest went very well. I wasn’t entirely sure how the elements I was given would come into play, but I was able to make them work. I surprised myself with how dark the drama turned out to be, and how tragic I could make myself feel. I was able to reach a rawness in myself that I’ve always avoided and from that rawness came a thing of beauty.

Word Count: 14,841

In August, I also finished another class toward my Bachelor’s degree and then started another. From the looks of things, I will complete my program by October of 2023. I’m really excited for my next class, which is a short fiction workshop, so I will definitely be writing more short stories.

That being said, here are my plans for September:

September Goals

Write One Short Story

Even though I don’t always get a short story done within a month, I enjoy writing and creating. I intend to finish the short story from August and start another one in September, and keep the trend going. I’m not sure what I’ll write about or when the idea will come, but I am excited to see where it all goes.

Continue Edits on Book One

For September, I would like to find more of a balance between writing and editing. I would like to build a routine around editing and make more progress than I have in the previous months.

Instagram Writer Friends Challenge

My social media presence has been lacking, and I would like to make an attempt to have more engagement. I’ve done the Writer Friends Challenge in the past and it went well, so I would like to attempt it again.

NYC Midnight’s Rhyming Story Challenge

I’ve been receiving emails for the Rhyming Story Challenge for a few months. I’ve waffled between joining and not joining, but it is now official. At the end of September, I am going to attempt to write a rhyming story.

May Results and June Goals

May Results

Write One Short Story

The short story this month was nowhere near as easy as I had expected it to be. There were several starts and stops and several days where I didn’t do a lot of writing for the short story. Unfortunately, this short story will have to continue into June. I’m still interested in it, and finally found a direction, so I’m thankful for that.

Reach 100K or Finish the 2021 NaNoWriMo Novel

I barely reached 100K on the last day of the month, but I did reach it. I was very behind for most of the month, but thankfully, I was able to find some motivation and get my butt moving. At first, writing a lot in a short amount of time absolutely sucked. I’ve been out of it so long I feel like it was hard to get a routine again. The last few days of the month helped me build it up again and I am so excited to see where the end of this novel goes next month.

Edit Something

I’m happy to say that I have edited something this month. I started editing an old manuscript, one of my favorite ones I’ve ever written, and I managed to reach somewhere between the 20% mark by editing a chapter every couple of days. I plan to continue the editing through June and hopefully complete it in July.

Word Count: 9,874

June Goals

Write One Short Story/Finish the short story from May

I’m really enjoying writing about a short story a month, but sometimes the story is so long, or the month is so short that one short story doesn’t fit or vice versa. This month, I’m finishing 5e short story from May and starting a new one for June. I already have everything set up, but the only thing will be finding time to write.

NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Challenge

This is one of my favorite challenges from NYC Midnight. A mystery prompt with a setting, an object and a genre and 48 hours to write a story in 1000 words or less. I really enjoy the quickness of the whole thing and the brevity of it all. It’s a fun challenge where I can’t take myself too seriously and I get to play around.

Finish the 2021 NaNoWriMo Novel

I’m nearly done with the novel and June is going to be the month that I finish it. It’s been sitting around too long and I need to put the words “THE END” on it and move onto another project. I’m excited to see how the plot unfolds and what surprises I can give myself as I work toward completing the novel.

April Results and May Goals

April unfortunately was not better than March. There’s always a lot of heartbreak for me in April, and I’m sad to say there was only more this year. Even through all of the issues I had through the month, I still tried to accomplish my goals.

April Results

Finish/Write One Short Story

I finished the short story for March in April, way later than I had planned, but I am quite happy with it. What it came down to was sitting down and putting words on the page, as it happens with everything else! As for the second short story of the month, AKA the short story for April, I finished it with a day to spare, and surprised myself with a great writing streak like I haven’t had in a while. It was one of the darkest things I have written, but it was quite fun.

Camp NaNoWriMo

This year, Camp NaNoWriMo did not go as well as I had hoped. I had so many hopes for several works that simply fell flat as the month went on. While I did write a decent amount of words on several works, it simply wasn’t the year to be successful at Camp in April. I’m still writing and still pushing forward in several projects though.

Poetry

April was National Poetry Month. For the first few days, I attempted to write a poem a day, but it ended up falling off and I think I wrote a max of five poems. While I didn’t write a poem every day in April, I did enjoy thinking about words in a different way and experimenting.

NYC Midnight’s 100 Word Microfiction Challenge

Thankfully, the microfiction challenge went well this year. I was able to sit down and write something rather pithy for the challenge and submit it without any issues. It exactly the gentle nudge I needed to get excited about writing again.

Hazel the cat celebrated her last birthday (14!), but the next day we had to put her down. We gave her the best birthday and spent all the time we could on that Saturday, but we knew it was her time. Another class for school wrapped up, and I’m grateful. This class, along with all the circumstances around it kicked my butt, but everything managed to work out in the end. I also managed to finish reading another book and start a new one in the month of April.

April is always difficult. At the end of the month it was my mom’s birthday and the day right after is the day she died. This year marks nine years, and in certain ways it gets easier, but also more difficult. I don’t cry as much as I used to, but at times, it feels like the grief is getting deeper.

I’m happy to say that April is over.

Word Count: 10,869

May Goals

Write One Short Story

The goal is so far going well, even if there have been a few small bumps in the road. I’m hoping to keep the goal going and have a lot to show for it at the end of the year. I’m not sure what I’m working on this month yet, but I’m sure it will come to me soon.

Reach 100K or Finish the 2021 NaNoWriMo Novel

I have an outline, I know what needs to happen, but lack of motivation lately has been kicking my butt. I’m really hoping to buckle down and make some progress or even finish the 2021 NaNo Project. Currently I’m sitting at around 88K, so 100K is not a crazy goal.

Edit Something

I’ve had the itch to edit for quite a while, but certain projects are taking me longer than I have liked. I’m hoping that I can get back into editing a few projects and make some good progress that I’ll feel good about. I have a loose plan set up, and I hope I can stick to it and have some progress by the end of the month.

June Results and July Goals

The year is now half over, and I can’t believe how fast it’s been going. While June has been very productive for me, I still have some work to do in July.

First, here’s how June went:

June Results

Finish at least one open project

I unfortunately did not reach my goal of finishing one open project. As hard as I tried, I just had way too much fun working on as many open projects as I could at the same time. I made decent progress in all of the projects I do have open and paved the way for them to be finished someday hopefully soon. This month, I added words to projects that haven’t been touched in months, years, and it felt so good.

Reach the Halfway Point of Edits in BOOK A

I like to set lofty goals for myself, and this goal is definitely one of them. I’m relatively new to editing and sometimes I need to be reminded that editing isn’t writing. Sometimes editing isn’t even close to writing. This month, while I did make progress, I did not get anywhere near as close as I wanted to toward the halfway point. The good news is, I made it through a few scenes and sections and I’m now more invested in my edits.

Blog More

This month, blogging did not go as I expected it to go. Wednesdays came and went and any time I had for blog posts was eaten up by other things. Over the past month, I’ve been finding it difficult to work on short pieces when my longer pieces are looming over me begging to be finished. I do hope to continue blogging and building more connections through the blog. Hopefully, once I get some works finished, I can dedicate more time to the blog.

Word Count: 13,713

In June, I officially finished my first class in my Creative Writing Bachelor’s program. It was a history class and while history isn’t directly related to my major, I did end up enjoying it a lot and doing well in the class. Next up is Literature!

Also in June, I celebrated turning another decade older (and hopefully wiser!). One of my goals by this time was to be a published author, but I’m still working on that goal, slowly but surely. I am finally taking steps toward that goal that are more action oriented than sitting and writing more. This is a big accomplishment for me.

On the plus side, for the first time in months, I have managed to write every single day of the month.

July Goals

NYC Midnight’s Flash Fiction Contest Round One

This is the second year I will be competing in the Flash Fiction Contest. I had so much fun last year, I figured why not do it all again and work on something that is short and sweet. Something that will hopefully be a palate cleanser and maybe even show me a genre I have yet to write in before.

NYC Midnight’s Microfiction Contest Round Two

As it just so happens, both NYC Midnight writing competitions land in the same month, just different rounds. I’m hoping I did well enough in Round One of the Microfiction Contest that I get a shot at round two. For now, this goal is tentative.

Camp NaNoWriMo

This year for Camp NaNoWriMo’s July session, I am going to be editing. Rather than working on something new, or something I have yet to finish, I am going to focus on some of the short stories I have written over the last few years and polish them up. The ultimate goal is to send a few of them out and get a few rejections before I send out a full length novel (AKA something I have poured myself into for years) as a way to soften the blow, or best case scenario, get published.

Send Something out for Publishing

This month, I would like to get at least one short story fully edited and ready to query. I am starting with something small to metaphorically get my toes wet in the publishing industry. I’m hoping the process goes smoothly, and I can gather my courage and take the next leap.

Wish me luck!

January Results and February Goals

January is now gone (and has been for a few days), and February is in full swing! I made a few writing goals last month, and there are always more goals to come! Here’s how I did in January:

January Results

Write at least 500 words a day:

As hard as I tried to write 500 words a day, it just simply didn’t happen. There were several days where 500 words was just too difficult with work and training. I got the second dose of the COVID vaccine and it knocked me out for at least a week. There were also other days where I got over 1000 without any issue. I did write quite a lot this month, but there were several days where I had zero days on more projects than days I did write. In the upcoming months, I would like to work on finding a balance that works best for me.

Start Edits on another book:

Official edits weren’t started, but notes and outlines and organization happened, so I am officially counting that as a win. I’m ready to get down to editing now that I know what I need to fix and where I need to go.

Round one of the NYC Midnight Short Story Contest:

Despite getting a genre for round one that I was apprehensive about and honestly quite scared to write during these volatile times (political satire), I wrote my short story and submitted it, even though I knew it wasn’t perfect. I’m definitely counting that as a win and growth on my part.

Word Count: 19,076

February Goals

Finish the NaNoWrimo Novel from 2020

I had planned to finish the NaNo novel by the end of January, but it is unfortunately going to be extended into February. There’s still a little novel left to write, but I’m getting quite a bit closer to the end.

Start Official Edits on BOOK A

BOOK A is now outlined and notated and ready to go through another round of edits. I’m hoping to get the final edits done by April of this year so I can start querying.

Continue to Work on open Projects

I still have several open projects open either from last year or a few years ago. I’m hoping to finish at least one of them, if not multiple by the time February is over. February is the shortest month of the year, but I’m hoping I can still be productive and make big changes over the next few weeks.

Wish me luck!

What are some of your goals in the upcoming months?