February Round Up

February has been a month of contrasts – at times the spring weather has seemed glorious, only for us to be snapped back to the bitter chill and snowfall. I feel like I’ve achieved a lot, but also like it’s not been as much as in January. The three less days have really made this month feel like a short one, and things have been frantic. However, I was able to act on most of my challenges.

Things Achieved

• I have a spreadsheet of information about potential novella publishers. It was a real headache – and many potential publishers were callously dismissed because they had dreadful websites. Which is perhaps harsh, but if I can’t use the website to find the information for submission, what chance does someone have of using it to buy my book? I think because I still have Self Publication as an option (which was always the initial plan) I’m allowing myself to be picky. But still, a list is a list, even if it’s shorter than it could be!
• I’ve been keeping up the reading (yay!) and now have a surplus of NetGalley stuff and other physical books to keep me going until next year. I’m something ridiculous like 20% ahead of myself on my Goodreads reading target, so I think I’ll up that when I hit it.
• I’ve got myself a profile on People Per Hour, which is a step towards earning some money from my writing, but quite frankly, between everything else that’s been happening, I haven’t had time to pursue it with any more enthusiasm and energy than that. I doubt that’s going to change next month, but I’ll keep receiving the emails, reminding me every so often that it’s there.
• I’ve written a few synopses of stuff – one for the novel I intend to write this year when I’m done editing, and one for another project that I’ve been thinking about for a while. I still have quite a lot of backlog to get through, so I think I’m going to try and do two a month until I’m all sorted electronically.
• I posted something every day in February. Not sure about keeping this up. It was a fun challenge, and a good way of keeping up the writing when I’m not writing stories, but I don’t want to be posting for the sake of it. If I have something interesting to say, I’ll say it. Perhaps three times a week.
• I’ve joined Scribophile as a way of honing my editing skills (so much easier to edit other people’s work) but also of connecting with other writers. I’ve been building up my karma, and hope to post something of my own in March, once I’ve done a few more critiques.

Things to do in March

• Submit the Novella to at least one of the publishers on the list, perhaps after posting a chapter or two on Scribophile
• Continue reading lots of books. My aim is 10, which would get me through most of my backlog, provided I don’t order too many new ones on NetGalley. Well, no point making promises I know I won’t keep XD it will just keep my backlog from getting any bigger!
• Make bigger changes to YA novel project. i.e. tracing through forgotten subplots and re-establishing them in later chapters, moving around events that need to be moved around. Unofficial Writer’s Club have all read it now and given feedback for me to act on. I want the second draft done by April, to be in line with my plans at the start of the year
• Try and do a couple of critiques and synopses a week. The critiques on Scib will give me plenty of karma to post my own chapters, while the synopses keep me thinking creatively.

By the way, if anyone out there wants to add me on Scribophile, I’m (obviously) Liberty Gilmore, and there’s a link to my blog on my profile so you know for sure it’s me!

January Round Up

The first month of 2013, the year some of us feared we wouldn’t see, has already been and gone. I remember a time when a month was a lifetime, an indeterminate stretch of time to spend playing down by the river with friends, falling off my bicycle and roller-skates and trying in vain to complete Super Mario on the Gameboy Original. Now it seems to pass in a blur of 6:30am wake-ups, late nights at work, and words frantically typed in spare moments. It goes so fast I can’t even consistently take one picture a day for my Sunday picture posts…

But, I decided in December last year that this was going to be the year I started taking positive, proactive steps with my writing. I’m not so vain as to say ‘this is the year I’m going to achieve “published” status’ but I want to be able to look back on the year next December and say I gave it a pretty good stab. With this in mind, I’m going to do a monthly round up of things achieved and things I still need to do. Starting right here.

Things Achieved

• Submitted a synopsis and first chapter of New Dusk novella to a small epublisher. They requested full manuscript but decided not to take it forwards. A shame, but this is the first time I’ve submitted anything other than articles and reviews to a proper publisher, so it’s a start!
• Organised myself with NetGalley – sorted profile with stats and better information so I’m more likely to be accepted for books. Reaped the rewards with several acceptances for reviewing books. Read a lot of romance novels and wondered about writing one.
• Written proper synopses for a couple of story ideas I’ve had, with a view to doing so for every idea I have in the future. Even if I never come back to half of them, the ones I do have will be better planned. I’ve learned I need to plan to finish things – starting off with an idea and a passion is not enough to get me to those magical words: The End.
• This was actually done over the last couple of days, so extended into the first little bit of February, but I’ll have forgotten by the end of the month, and it was started in January, so it totally counts. (my blog, my rules haha) I’ve reorganised my computer, sorted out my file hierarchies so everything is easy to find, deleted duplicate files and organised both iCloud and Dropbox to automatically back up and sync between my various computers and devices. I also uploaded all my reviews to Amazon and intend to continue doing so, especially with my resolution to review one Self Published book a month.

Things to do in February

• Research other potential epublishers for the novella. I never knew they were out there before. (Yay Twitter for opening my eyes.) Now I know, I’m sure there are more than just the one I’ve tried. I’d like to have another go at submitting, particularly if the one I’ve tried gets back to me with some feedback.
• Keep up the reading. I’ve been reading loads at the moment – mostly because my writing has slowed somewhat since finishing Book 5 in my novella series. I’m moving on to editing another project, so the focus is going to be very much rewrites rather than the raw creative process, which I hope leaves plenty of time for reading some excellent books and picking up a few tips.
• Look into article publishing again. I used to do it, and found an archive of all the ones I’d written (not many) when sorting out my computer. It’s a good way of making a bit of extra cash and is great experience.
• Continue synopsying (and coining new words) ideas and getting my written notes typed up so everything is electronic. I tried to make a folder of written notes, but I just ought to realise I am an electronic sort of girl and sort it out, rather than letting the folder of ‘story ideas’ gather dust like I never have any.
• Try and post more frequently and build up my blogging profile. Maybe even, shock horror, interact with a few other people. I’ve mentioned before I’m a bit autistic, right? Interaction is not my strongest point. But, there are so many good opportunities out there. It’s time to weed out the boring blogs I follow and never read, and start following some good writer blogs with competitions and things like that and start entering some. I’m going to read a book about building up blog profiles, so that will have some good advice too, I hope.

So that’s that. Not too much to be getting on with really…

…If I’m admitted to the hospital with exhaustion, please refrain from saying ‘I told you so!’

Sunday Recap, 4/12

1. Blogging

Staying on top of things. My buffer of reviews extends into next month, as I’ve done a lot of reading lately, but I still need to keep up with my wednesday and friday posts. Have a few ideas, though, so all is good.

2. Writing

I wrote another song (almost) and have found a winter writing competition that I intend to enter, so things are looking good here too.

3. Exercise

Ah, my weekly foil. I have been for a very brisk walk around town while doing some shopping, so I’ve not been completely lazy.

4. Music

I wrote a song (yes, I am claiming double points for that) and discovered some interesting chords on the guitar in my quest to find chords I can transition between easily. G6add11 anyone? It’s very easy to get to from C and Fmaj7.

Targets for next week

• Get some words done on my story for the writing comp. Aiming for a 1000, but not going to feel too bad if I fall short!

Sunday Recap, 27/11

The fact that this post is going up so late is indicative of the sort of week I’ve had. It feels a little, at the moment, like the more I try to take control the more things are thrown my way which I then struggle to manage. I can’t wait for the Christmas holidays, during which I’ll only have to worry about moving house and decorating and other such things which are nice things to worry about.

1. Blogging

Rather than increasing my buffer of posts, I’ve actually now completely depleted it. I’m about to write a review to schedule for tomorrow, but beyond that I won’t have anything. I will have to find some time on Wednesday to catch up with the blog and hopefully rebuild the buffer, otherwise this one area in which I have consistently not been failing will start to go down the pan with the rest!

2. Writing

Much like last week, actual writing has been nil, but I have been adding to my notebook (with a little help from Ivy, the master of finding faces to match your characters) and have made some notes on a story idea I had mid week.

3. Exercise

Unless you count keeping warm in gale force winds for three hours and lugging music equipment into town and back as exercise… none.

4. Music

Not Quite played the town light switch on this saturday, which was really nice. We polished off our christmas repertoire and pulled out a few favourites. We had a few issues with our new sound set up – mostly distortion from wind and too high volumes, and at one point our music did actually launch itself from our music stand, but other than that I thought it went very well. A good practise run for some of the songs we’ll be doing at our upcoming ‘gigs’ and we got picked up for another market. Not Quite – Queens of the Farmers’ Market scene XD

Targets For Next Week

• Blog posts!!

Sunday Recap, 20/11

1. Blogging

Well, my plan to get my post cushion back has failed miserably – mostly on account of an impromptu trip down south to visit some friends which took up my whole weekend. (Also why I am posting this so late on Sunday.) I am not going to beat myself up about this. It was a much much needed break and it was lovely to see my friends and to have a completely work free relax.

2. Writing

As I’ve been struggling to find the time or the inclination to actually write, I’ve been keeping my writing muscles exercised by planning a story I intend to write soon. I have been filling my moleskine notebook with photos of characters, plot descriptions and world building information (it’s a fantasy story). My aim is to have a beautifully filled notebook and all the information I’ll need to actually write the story, so when it comes to putting words on a page it will be comparatively easy.

3. Exercise

Again, does dancing count? I also walked to a train station and back several times, amounting to probably at least 40mins of brisk walking. This is up on last week anyway.

4. Music

I have been practising my songs, and Ivy has just posted a video of a song which sounds interesting. The band is playing for the Christmas Lights switch on in town next week, which will be good. Better get practising really!!

Targets For Next Week

• Master the christmas tunes for the Lights
• Keep up to date with blog posts, even if I can’t get a few extras written

Sunday Recap, 13/11

Ugh, this has been a hell of a week. I’ve worked and worked and worked and on my day off I worked. Today has been the first day I’ve spent any time literally doing nothing. As a result, I have been rubbish. Completely rubbish.

1. Blogging

Well, I’ve kept up with it, but my comfortable cushion of posts is somewhat depleted. I will have to do something to remedy that this week.

2. Writing

Terrible. Haven’t written a word. I just haven’t had the time. I feel really bad about this, but I’m trying not to beat myself up too much. I can’t help the difficult weeks at work – I just need to make up for it more.

3. Exercise

Well, I did a lot of dancing last night, which has to count for something…

4. Music

Last night’s Bandeoke definitely made up the music quota for the week. And I’ve been practising my new song on the guitar, so I’ve nearly got it good enough to perform.

Targets For Next Week

• Try not to let work pile up so I can actually do some of the things I want to

Sunday Review, 6/11

1. Blogging

Not much to say here, besides the fact that I’m keeping up to dates, with posts all scheduled ready for next week.

2. Writing

My target was to finish the plan for the story, which I have -yay! I did this fairly quickly in the week, so also set myself the target of getting a few words down. I have. Not many, but it’s a start. It’s not like anything I’ve ever written before, so I’ve been debating almost every word, every image I’m using. Does it set the right atmosphere? Am I overdoing it? I think I need to just take a step back and remember that writing first drafts is actually about getting the story down, not about the nit-picky stuff.

3. Exercise

Well, I was supposed to be going for a jog/walk with Mum today, but then remembered I had a christening to be at… Hopefully as this posts I’ll be heading off into town for a walk – even if it is just to the shops. Exercise seems to be the thing I’m consistently failing at, and I’m not really sure what I can do to change that. Every week for the foreseeable future I’m at work late at least once, which always leaves me feeling apathetic at best. I really need to find something that motivates me.

4. Music

So, my guitar playing hasn’t really improved this week, mostly on account of only playing songs that involve what Ivy calls ‘Claw hand’. Basically, you always hold down the bottom two strings and just move your first two fingers, so chord transitions are really easy. I did write a song though. Another one. So go me!

Targets For Next Week

• Reach 1000 words. At least.
• Make a plan to solve the exercise issue.

 

Sunday Recap, 30/10

1. Blogging

So, I’ve decided on a new weekly feature, which means with everything I’m already posting, the week should look something like this:

Monday – Book Review

Wednesday – Character Study Feature

Friday – Something from my life/my writing

Sunday – a recap of my goals for the week

Obviously, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday become spare days on which to post anything extra I might have to say, but also give me a chance to schedule future posts and do some actual novel writing. Plus, you know, spend some time with the Boyfriend and do my actual job.

2. Writing

So, the big one is out of the way – finish the first draft of my novel. Hooray! I’m so glad to finally have committed the last few chapters to virtual paper. Of course, it’s going to take a lot of editing, as I am well aware the last two chapters were written in a haze of ill health and cough syrup, so they aren’t likely to be any good. But it’s done, which is all that really matters right now. It’s been printed and put in a box ready to hide in a cupboard for a few months so I can attack it fresh.

3. Exercise

Due to still feeling the need to cough my guts up every once in a while, I’ve done fairly badly on this, but I did walk my baby brother to the shops and back, and had a very swift walk around another town centre with the Boyfriend, so I’m not feeling as sedentary this week as last week.

4. Music

Well, we didn’t quite get around to arranging the song. The time Ivy was up to spend with us was unfortunately interrupted by Taylor having a driving lesson, but I have learned a new song on the guitar, and have some ideas about what we are going to play at a wedding we’re doing in the new year. So not all bad on that front.

Targets For Next Week

• Finish plan for new story project
• Maintain current level of exercise, if not improve

Sunday Recap, 23/10

So this week was my last week at work before my holidays, and they came just in time. After two late nights at work on Monday and Tuesday, I wasn’t in much of a fit state to do anything. And then my cold, which had just been a niggling annoyance for the past few days, became the worst sore throat I’ve ever had. The past two days I’ve basically been in bed. Which sucks. I wrote of my running target for this week, but elsewhere I have been keeping things ticking over.

1. Blogging

Still doing okay on this front. Haven’t done much by way of writing posts as my brain has been pretty much mush this past week, but I’ve sorted out all my tags, linked all my reviews to Goodreads, and rated on Goodreads all the books I’ve read during my break from actually reviewing books, so I have a nice list of books to review when I don’t manage to finish a book in a week. All in all, feeling very organised.

2. Writing

With Tuesday being one of my late work nights, I didn’t get my allocated hour. Combined with the aforementioned ‘brain mush’ issue, I was worried that I wouldn’t make my target. But this morning I was feeling a lot better and I’ve got chapter 18 done. That means next week’s target is to finish the thing! At long long last!!

3. Exercise

Er, yeah, not so much this week. But there’s always next week.

4. Music

Despite having no voice for the past two days, Taylor and I have managed to have both a jamming session (in which I played the guitar) and a song writing session. We put music to an old set of lyrics that I wrote a while ago. The harmonies and stuff I’ll have to work out when my voice is back, but it’s a cheerful song (shock horreur!) and it’s sounding really good so far. Ivy will be impressed when she comes home from Uni to find we have two new band tracks!

Targets For Next Week

•  Finish the novel
• Do some exercise
• Finish arranging the song

Sunday Recap, 16/10

So, today marks the end of the first week of changing my lifestyle. All things considered, I haven’t done too bad, though illness and a 7am-9pm shift at work were working against me. So, here’s the summary of my week:

1. Blogging

I’ve written several posts this week – actually posted some, others saved for next week. I’ve decided to try and do a book review every monday (haven’t got a chance in hell of reading a book a week at the moment, but fortunately, I have a rather large backlog of things I read while I wasn’t posting book reviews, so I’ll be able to think of something) and one other post to do with writing, or my life, or anything really. That way, with this post, I’m posting three times a week. I’ve already got next week’s two posts scheduled, and some ideas of other posts that I might write. So, all in all doing very well in this department!

2. Writing

I spent my hour on tuesday writing, as I promised myself. Didn’t get too far – managed about 400 words, but I did finish a chapter that had a hole in it for months, so it was a very rewarding 400 words. I’ve also started planning my next story as a bit of impetus to get the final 4000 odd words on this one done. Together with Taylor and Mr Taylor (and a whole litre of VK Blue) I designed a town – something I used to do when I wrote (very bad) epic fantasy aged about 15. This town is not the setting of an epic fantasy, but what I intend to be a claustrophobic little mystery story. The setting is very important to the story, so I needed to have it clear in my mind. Mr Taylor had a little bit too much fun laughing at my drawing and my lack of knowledge of linear settlements, but it all turned out well in the end.

3. Exercise

I was supposed to be going for a jog this morning with my mother, but after being up til 2 in the morning last night, and having to sleep on the sofa to stop my tossing and turning waking up the poor Boyfriend who had work at 8 this morning, I really didn’t feel up to doing it. We’ve rearranged for a ‘brisk walk’ this afternoon. I’ve recorded 1.76km on my RunTracker app, which was walking to Mum’s on Friday. Not exactly the 5km I wanted to do a week, but I did spend all yesterday pushing a pram up and down hills while shopping in Shrewsbury with CaroleFindsHerWings, so I’m thinking I’ve probably exceeded my 5km target even without the brisk walk tonight, and given my arms (and credit card) a good work out too.

4. Music

I’ve been playing lots of different guitars this week, including one with nylon strings, which sounded a bit twangy but was so much easier to play! I’ve decided that the guitar I own, while it has nice soft strings (as steel strings go) due to an accident that snapped its head a few months ago – it was fixed with superglue, but putting too much pressure on the joint would likely cause it to break again, so soft strings are needed – is actually quite difficult to play. The neck is wider, which makes playing bar chords tricky. But, as I’ve discovered from playing everyone else’s guitars, learning to play on mine does make everything else a lot easier to play. I’ve nearly got the transition to both F#m and Bm fluid now, too. Also, Taylor and I wrote a song. Well, most of a song – it still needs a Pre-Chorus – but I’m happy with that!

Targets For Next Week

I have another late one at work on Tuesday, but it’s also the last week before my holidays, so I’m on a bit of wind down. I will have to rearrange my writing time to later in the week though, as I won’t be able to get my hour in on tuesday, but I should have plenty of time.

I’m going to try to:

• Finish Chapter 18 – this should only take 500 words or so, but it’s more knitting together scenes that have been part written. I find this a real pain in the neck, but if I can get 18 done I’ll only have two (already partly written) chapters left.
• Jog at least 1km of my 5km a week – even if I have to do it about 400m at a time!