• 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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Last Week's Goals

I can finally say I did something last week. It was only an hour's worth of reviewing my outline but with all the extra hours I've been working the last month it has been difficult to get the energy to much more. However, I'm hoping that this little jump start will help me get back into writing.

My goals for next week:

• Get familiar with current writing project
• Catch up on Hatrack

Same goal as always.

What did I learn this week?

Patience. Even though I have not had the energy after coming home from work I know that I can do this so. I will keep moving forward until I am finally back into the flow of writing.

Hopefully you all have been having better luck that I. I have not been able to participate at all the last month.

I am not giving up though.

DREAMER'S ROSE: Work on chapter exchange revisions as they come.
I'm working on them now.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Let it rest before trying to cut some more.
Easy goal, as always.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY: Make new chapter revisions as the critiques come back. Keep working on the revised beginning.
Yes. I'm about half-way through the revision. The bad news is that I'm going to have to make another pass through for length. The thing is getting too long.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Send out two more queries.
Oops. Forgot. This week for sure.

SEVEN STARS: Let it rest. Keep making notes as things occur to me.
Another easy goal.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Send "Becoming Lioness" and "The Bard's Gift" out again, after the holiday.
Figure out where that new short story is going, if anywhere.
I'm starting to think about possibly expanding "Mage Storm" into a YA novel. Cogitate on that some.

No to all of the above, except the blog posts.

Next Week's Goals:

All pretty much the same as last week's.

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

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Let it rest before trying to cut some more.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY:
I've got a chapter exchange going on this one. Make chapter revisions as the critiques come back. Keep working on the major revision.

BLOOD WILL TELL:
Send out two more queries. Really.

SEVEN STARS:
Let it rest. Keep making notes as things occur to me.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Send "Becoming Lioness" and "The Bard's Gift" out again.
Figure out where that new short story is going, if anywhere.
I'm starting to think about possibly expanding "Mage Storm" into a YA novel. Cogitate on that some.

Try writing a character sketch and a short background for every character in your novel/story. Remember to make this detailed as possible and then stick to it. If you do have to change something, remember to make the change throughout the entire novel. And also remember that you won't use everything on your sketch, but using one will make them feel like real characters!

Character Sketch

Name (and reason for name):

Physical attributes:

Frequently used expressions:

Frequently used facial expression or other physical gesture:

Education:

Main goal (dream) at this point in time (will likely change over course of novel):

Secondary goals:

Family:

Friends:

Place of residence (city, house, etc.):

Worst past experience:

Best past experience:

Favorite foods:

Hobbies:

Habits (bad and good):

Any other information:

This week I've learned that it is important to get in the chair and stay there. It is not important however that I write a chapter a week, or whatever nonsense I believed yesterday. When I'm over my head in the story, it's good to step back write a character sketch, write something silly, play with my kids, and come back to my story refreshed with good guns. Not force myself to write a specific scene and wait for the muse to finally strike.

Have fun people, and happy writing.
~Sheena

science fiction novel: The research continues, but the big news here is that I’ve gotten back to the actual story writing process! So far, I’ve been focusing on profiles for a group of characters that make their appearance at the halfway point of the story, but I plan to expand my writing activity within the next several days.

UPCOMING WEEK
Mainstream novel: Business as usual.

science fiction novel: Expand my writing exploits.

I'll also be working on two science fiction short stories during this time, as well as continuing my chapter exchange efforts.

For the Gods- working on chapter exchange.

Babylon- wrote out first scene. Doing so made me realize just how much more world building I need. In FTG, the main characters are on a journey with a goal of getting there as fast as possible. They really don't care about the cultures of the people around them except as they apply to them. And they travel over summer, where I imagine most people are busy farming, so the festivals and stuff aren't a focus. In Babylon, they are a metropolitan area, with all the plot taking place in just one city, so I feel like I need to know the city's layout, the marketplace, all the festivals and how all the families interact. My MC is a princess and so the nobility matters. Small characters are recurring so I feel like they need more definition. This world is also very cultural and refined. They are artists and scholars, and have lots of rituals for every day life. So, basically, writing a bit has made me think I need a whole lot more world building. I have some computer files now and the more I write down, the more I think i need to know.

Short stories- wrote over 1000 words on a new short story. It is going well, but not vivid enough yet.

Next week-
FTG- keep up with chapter exchange
Babylon- fill in some of those blanks I have come up with
SS- edit 3rd quarter WOTF stuff, try to write another scene in new story

9 Panix queries went out. Three rejections back. All form responses (It's not the right project for us...). My Panix goal is to send out more this week.

My thriller novel goal is to do more character work. Everybody is made out of cardboard in my mind at this point.

My goals for next week:
1-Answer questions about each of my characters to better understand them so that I know where they are and where they are going on their journey.
2-I also want to outline my timeline and plot.
3-Start writing my novel

What did I learn this week?: N/A