Sunday, December 20, 2015

End of year update and 2016 goals

That whole 'writing every day' thing didn't really work out the last month or so, and I'm not going to come up with excuses. I need to make time and focus on my writing, because I feel better when I write. That's basically what it comes down to, in the end - I need to make time to do the things that make me feel better, both physically and mentally. And yes, I realize that this is a mind-blowing revelation - it's only taken me nearly 35 years to figure it out, but I'm a slow learner.

So, updates:

  • Complete draft of book 2 of Paranormal Investigations, Inc.
    • Due: April 30
    • Q1 Status:  This one got put on the back burner, as this series is the one that feels too much like Maureen Johnson's Shades of London series.
    • New due date:  Uncertain
    • Q2 Status:  I started working on this again, but it's been slow going.
    • New due date:  Going to call this March 31, 2016
    • EOY Status:  Haven't worked on this for quite some time, but I'm going to keep with the new due date for now.
  • Complete draft of Church of Book
    • Due: August 31
    • Q1 Status:  I think I'll meet this goal, even though it isn't the same Church of Book it was when I first drafted these goals.  I've basically started from scratch, and it's my current Camp Nanowrimo project.
    • Q2 Status:  ...Not so much.  I'm still working on it, though!
    • New due date:  June 30, 2016
    • EOY Status:  Again, haven't worked on this for a bit, but it's been stewing.
    • New due date:  September 30, 2016
  • Win at least one of either Camp Nanowrimo or Nanowrimo
    • Due: November 31
    • Q1 Status:  In progress for the April Camp Nanowrimo
    • Q2 Status:  Failed both April and June Camp Nanowrimos, but I'm still going to try for November!
    • EOY Status:  And failed November, too. Trying again in 2016.
  • Complete edit of Paranormal Investigations, Inc.
    • Due: December 31
    • Q1 Status:  As this is on the back burner, it's being pushed back for now.
    • New due date:  Uncertain
    • Q2 Status:  See above regarding book 2.
    • New due date:  December 31, 2016
    • EOY Status:  Keeping the same due date for now.
  • Submit at least one short story for publication
    • Due: December 31
    • Q1 Status:  Haven't even started anything regarding this yet.
    • Q2 Status:  I'm going to call this one complete (for "at least one"), based on the Pratchett memorial anthology submission.  That doesn't mean I'm not going to try to submit something else; just that I can at least mark one thing off the list
  • Complete draft of Words That Mean Something
    • Due:  December 31
    • Q2 Status:  New goal!  This is the one I started working on for Camp Nano in June.  I managed to get a rough outline together last week, so I'm hoping to get more words on the page over the next couple of months.
    • EOY Status:  I kind of dropped this in favor of my November Nano, so I'm changing the goal.
    • New goal:  Complete draft of one of the works started for a Nano.
    • Due:  December 31, 2016
2016 Goals:
  • Complete draft of book 2 of Paranormal Investigations
    • Due:  March 31, 2016
  • Complete draft of Church of Books
    • Due:  September 30, 2016
  • Complete edit of Paranormal Investigations
    • Due:  December 31, 2016
  • Complete draft of one of the works started for a Nano
    • Due:  December 31, 2016
  • Complete at least one Nano
    • Due:  November 30, 2016
  • Submit at least one story for publication
    • Due:  December 31, 2016