posted
Welcome to this week's Novel Support Group (NSG). Anyone can join. If you're new, tell us a bit about who you are and what project you are working on. Although we can report on any number of things, here is a list of suggestions (suggestions welcomed).
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
Not only did I actually review my outline to become familiar with it again, but I did some outlining this week. It was minor but it was more than what I did the week before. So, I'm slowly getting into the flow. I'm still quite busy but I can feel confident in saying that I accomplished something this last week.
My goals for next week:
Outline first few scenes of book
Catch up on Hatrack
This is the first time in a long while that I get to change my goals from the previous week. This is great.
What I want to do, now that I am more familiar with the project, is go through the first few scenes of the book and outline them a bit. I have some things that I need to do to better organize the order and content of those scenes. Hopefully this will be a step forward.
What did I learn this week?
Well, patience won out. I finally was able to get back into the flow of writing. I still have a long way to go since I cannot get the time or energy to do this every day yet, but I'm getting closer. In that I feel I have accomplished something.
Written / Projected - on a week by week basis 171 / 250 177 / 250 180 / 250 185 / 250 188 / 250 190 / 250 2 week WotF break 196 / 250 199 / 250 Nothing! - but started a different project. Bad me. 204 / 250 - back on track this week. 217 / 250
I fear I'm closer to the end of my story than I'd like to be for the page I'm on. I'm sure I could sprinkle details throughout the story since it's plot driven more than character driven, but since I'm not good at character driven in the first place I'm not sure it's going to be as easy as it sounds.
DREAMER'S ROSE: Work on chapter exchange revisions as they come. Yes.
THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Let it rest before trying to cut some more. Easy goal.
THE IGNORED PROPHECY: Make chapter revisions. Keep working on the major revision. Yes. I'm better than two-thirds of the way through this revision.
BLOOD WILL TELL: Send out two more queries. No. But I am working on a new version of the query.
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. 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.
Yes to all of these except sending "Becoming Lioness" out.
Next Week's Goals:
Not much different.
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: The chapter exchange is complete. Make the last set of chapter revisions. Keep working on the major revision.
BLOOD WILL TELL: Finish the new version of the query and send out two more queries.
SEVEN STARS: Let it rest. Keep making notes as things occur to me.
OTHER: Update my blog twice a week. Send "Becoming Lioness" out again. Work on the new short story.
[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited June 11, 2010).]
When you write "update my blog" can you make it a hyperlink?
That way we'll have easy access to it once a week. =)
There's a way to disguise the HTML and have it say -my blog- and be the link, but I don't know how to do it. Mine always end up with the full HTML etc on there... Anyone know how?
posted
LAST WEEK Mainstream novel: Reviewed the chapter exchange feedback. Tightened one of the primary story arcs. Worked on a few passages.
Science fiction novel: I’ve accelerated my work on this story. Accomplishments during this past week include: character sketches, order of events, and setting up the plots in the first chapter, Oh...and I’m still researching, too.
UPCOMING WEEK Mainstream novel: Business as usual.
Science fiction novel: Business as usual.
NOTE: My novel workload might not be all that impressive next week. Reason one: my daughter is graduating high school, and we've got many things planned. Reason two: I've pulled three of my incomplete short stories back off the shelf (they've been hanging around way too long), and am dedicating some time during the next three weeks to finally finish them and get them on their way to a happy home in the pages of a magazine.
For the Gods- continue chapter exchange, fixing as go
Babylon- did nothing
Other- did more edits to WOTF story. Almost done- just need some time to do final checks before mailing it.
This weeks goals:
FTG: keep up with ch exchange
Babylon- I think I need to outline this one, which since I am a pantser is a hard realization. A really good character description with all the secrets they are keeping might be sufficient, but it is just more work than I am used to before doing the writing- so much of my plot and characters usually come while writing. This is also why I do an extensive rewrite usually.
Other- Final check on WOTF and mail if inspired, write next section on short story for next WOTF quart
potentially- I have a short story out and it should have come home by now. Duotrope says 45 day avg rejection time and I am at 60. The magazine says contact after 70 days, so I expect I'll hear back this week from them. So, if rejection, if they give feedback, edit that as needed. Otherwise, pick another market for this story and ship it out again. If I don't hear back next week, then I need to query (as it says query after 70 days).
[This message has been edited by TamesonYip (edited June 11, 2010).]
posted
axeminister, if you click on the edit icon (the little pencil and paper above each post) for Meredith's post in which "update my blog" is a link, you can see what Meredith did to make those words a link.
Or, you can click on the *UBB Code is ON link to the left of the text box on any "post a reply" page and you will go to a page that shows you how to code a link as well as several other things you can do in your posts.
[This message has been edited by Kathleen Dalton Woodbury (edited June 11, 2010).]
posted
axeminister, thanks for the support. Things are still very busy for me lately and any progress is great at this point. I wish I could visit here more frequently than I do. However, if I can just get here at least once a week for the NSG I know eventually my schedule will be freed up and I will be able to participate again. At time I will still be in the habit and I hope that will make it easier to get more fully back into the writing.
Posts: 354 | Registered: Mar 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
A little late; but better late than never, right?
Last Week's Goals I got about halfway through getting to know my characters; but it was a great experience.
My goals for next week: Finish answering questions for characters to get to know them (hopefully).
What did I learn this week? I learned quite a bit about my characters, it was very eye-opening. I discovered the main plot for the series, which is only touched upon closer to the end of the first book. I also learned quite a bit more about cause and effect and how to construct a scene. Some day I'll actually write something (besides assignments).
Printer-friendly view of this topic
