• 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

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My main goal last week was to work on my antagonist's characterization. I accomplished this to some extent, but not as deeply as I had hoped. That is not to say I don't like what I have, but I wanted a little more on his personality. Other goals for the week were to work on the character arcs for my main character and supporting role character. I only skimmed the surface of that potential. Most of those ideas I have are in my head and did not get down on paper.

The characterization I did for my antagonist has given me some good direction on how he will affect the story. I have not decided whether he will become a POV character but with what I have learned about him that is a possibility. For now I think that will be enough because I can no longer resist the urge to start writing again even though I have not delved as deeply into the characters as I planned.

My goals for next week:

• Chapter 1, first draft
• 2 - 3 blog entries

I learned this week that it is possible to plan and develop too much for a novel. As I said above, I wanted to go a little deeper into my characterization. That's because I am the type to plan as much as possible. I have a difficult type thinking "outside the box" to use a cliche. It is possible to go so deep into the development of a novel that you go astray. Listening to one of the Writing Excuses podcasts this week I learned a new phrase for this: world builder's disease. That is what Brandon Sanderson called this. Although I did not spend months building the world and every intricate detail I do feel that I wanted too much detail. So, I think I will set aside the development and start writing again. I look forward to that. I think.

I sent out six queries for Book One. I've already recieved two rejections. I'm still standing and, more important, still writing.

I've done some work on both the long and short synopses for Book One. I need to do some more before I send out the next round of queries. As well as continue polishing the book itself.

I did not work on the short story, but I did finally get a start on the world building for Dreamer's Rose. I've been stuck, trying to figure out what makes that world unique. An idea finally hit me right between the eyes. I really like it, too.

I didn't make it to Chapter 18 in Book Two. I ended up doing more work on some of those chapters than I expected. But I am on Chapter 17, so pretty close. Chapter 15 is one of my favorite chapters from that book, so I had fun on that, even if I didn't make too many changes.

This week's goals:

Keep working on my list and come up with at least six more agents to send queries to. And send them.

Revise the short, short synopsis again based on some of the comments in the Fragments and Feedback section to make it better for the next round of queries.

Now that I know what the world for Dreamer's Rose looks like, start on a map. I think I'll try out AutoRealm and see how that works. And work out some of the rest of the world building. I already know how religion and magic work, since that's integral to the story. I need the political and economic systems and every day life parts, now.

Get back to that short story.

Continue working on Book Two. I now know that a lot of material is probably going to be cut from this book. Some of it may eventually go into Book Three. But there's a fair amount of the last half that doesn't really belong with the theme of this book, any more. That's okay. I want this book to be shorter than the first. Chapter 21 will take me up to the point where I have to start considering what stays and what goes. So that's my goal for this week--Chapter 21.

Achieved last week:

• I've edited 66 pages on APTW this week (almost double my goal).
• Most of Chapter 3 is done, with a real developing conflict.
• Did a few critiques.
• Went to 4 softball practices and 1 game for my daughter and 1 BSA meeting for my oldest son.
  

Goals for next week:

• Do another 60 pages of editing on APTW.
• Write a chapter and a half on Exile.
• Work things out so that 2 of the 3 kids go to summer camp. Do the practices, game and BSA meeting all over again...plus do some odd work to build up enough to get into another shop
• Sunday, I'm going with friends to see Testament (With Alex Skolnick on lead again), for perhaps their last tour--since Chuck Billy has throat cancer.
• Brainstorm on a new element for my WotF story (although it may go in early for next quarter).

Good luck with all of your goals

Shameless plug - if you want to know what TSB stands for, check out my first thirteen in the fragments & feedback section. Or at least the title of my post

As for me and my writing. I haven't done a lick this week. All my writing time has been spent reading, or cleaning, or gardening. (Why won't weeds just stay dead!)

My goal for this next week is to finish chapter two of my Vastia story.