• What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?
• Describe what you worked on.
• Set goals for next week.
• Did you learn something during this week?

Here is a list of things that you can do each week as we work on our novels (suggestions welcomed).

• Writing on a novel
• Characterization
• World Building
• Relevant research

=-=-=-=-=

Last Week's Goals

Wow, it's almost September.

This last week was a bit better than last. I got about 1,500 words written. I did not do any outlining though. I've been working on a large project at work that has distracted me unfortunately. Long office hours.

My goals for next week:

• Organize scenes
• Improve scene details

I will focus on outlining and perhaps get a scene or two done in first draft. I hope. This work project should be done very soon.

What did I learn this week?

Not much. Been too busy to think about much other than this work project.

--William
 

DREAMER'S ROSE: Work on chapter exchange revisions as they come.
Yes.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Let it rest for a while longer.
Easy goal.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY: Continue revisions.
Yes. The first eight chapters are out to readers to see how well I did.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Send two new queries out.
Yes. And already got one rejection back, but it was a very nice one. I've also done a little more research to expand my list of potential agents.

MAGE STORM: It's time to get back to work on this for the second draft.
Yes. I'm in chapter 5 and already added about 2000 words.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Wait for word on any one of the four short stories I currently have out.
Yes. I actually had a couple of extra updates last week.

Next Week's Goals:

DREAMER'S ROSE: Work on chapter exchange revisions as they come. Continue to think about how I would change this to YA, if that's what I decide to do with it.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Let it rest for a while longer. When I've finished the revisions on its sequel, I'll take another look at it.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY:
Continue revisions.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Send two new queries out.

MAGE STORM: The second draft of this is going to be my main focus for this week. If I do as well as I have been so far, I should be able to get to chapter 10. That's about half-way.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Wait for word on any one of the three short stories I currently have out. Revise the fourth and get it back out.
 

Short Stories - One complete and need to upload to WOTF site; another waiting on a crit before another round of revisions and third story is 2k in. Will put another 3-4k of writing on it this weekend. (Also have another eight stories out collecting rejections)

Alt-History Novel - Wrote a book blurb, worked on some background and started doing a rough plotting. (Why a book blurb? These things are easier to do *before* you actually write the novel and help you make sure you're making a sale-able plot).

Next week - more work on the short stories (3-4k), and write the synopsis for the Alt-History novel.
 

Goal for next week:
1) Prioritize current projects
2) Write a thousand words total
 

I must get back on track. Summer's over. Time to get back to work.
 

It means you're getting your stuff in front of people who can buy your work and that's a good thing.

The Seed's of Persephone: Put the first thirteen out for both antagonist or protagonist start. Bad guy wins the opening, but I'm reshaping the protagonist intro so that one flows easily into the other, and keeps the action going. I spent the last week wondering if there was a way to lighten the dark subject matter, but it's kind of like trying to water down the Holocaust, it starts sending a whole different message when you do that.

The Unnormal Lot: page 14 of the script - eight more to go.

The Burning: Historical Romance/Action of a returning soldier's attempts to intervene for a childhood friend now accused of being a witch. Research almost finished. I actually read the Malleus Maleficarum for this piece, and it's scary to believe that people believed that nonsense, and the way it's worded says if you challenge its integrity then your worse than the witch. If you ever want to read insanity on paper - read the The Malleus Maleficarum.

Title withheld for now until I buy the domain name: New Wotf story about the alien foo-fighters. Still working on ship design - navigation control and propulsion.

One other funny thing - I came up with an idea for a comedy short story which I started to write out - then realized I might be able to pitch it as a reality show, but have no clue of how to go about this. Anyone know how you pitch reality shows?

this weeks goals: Need to push the new Wotf story so I can get it reviewed and sent in before deadline. So I need to finish my research and design and get writing on this.

Cheers, W.

[This message has been edited by walexander (edited August 28, 2010).]
 

Mainstream novel: I didn't spend much time on this one, but I did manage to hack out about 625 new words.

"Agents of the Fourth Wind" (SF): I've not done much actual work on this story since the synopsis challenge ended, but my notebook and my digital audio recorder are getting quite crowded with new thoughts and ideas.

UPCOMING WEEK
"Metzgerhund Empire" (YA): Complete the second half of the last chapter, and rewrite the agent query letter. My original target date of August 31 is fast approaching in my rear view mirror, while I'm on the side of the road putting fresh batteries in my GPS device, but I'm still smiling at the fact that I've finally found the right road for this story.

Mainstream novel: Continue writing. A mere 1,125 new word output in the last two weeks is not making me happy.

"Agents of the Fourth Wind" (SF): I doubt I'll do much work on this one until the YA novel is out the door.

BLOGGATHAH
I've made two new posts:
This Month's Excuse
Seven Things

NOTES
During this time, I am also working on three SF short stories: one is an overhaul from a story I mistakenly left of my shelf for way too long, the second is brand new, and the third is a sequel-of-sorts of a story I ditched a year ago because I no longer liked it.

S!
S!

 

Lis
 

I am about third of the way through my first draft of my second story, and I have decided on the plots for two other stories.

Goals for last weeks:
Well almost made it, I put off writing my synopsis - finished the final draft of my story though. I can do the 450 words describing the book it is my biographical stuff I am struggling with.

Goals for this week:
Finish editing, write synopsis and get my first three query packets sent off. There is an agent I want to try is supposed to be opening her books about now.

Maybe write a few paragraphs of story three.