Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Writing Update: February Goals


Happy Wednesday!

Although I'm already behind where I'd hoped to be, I am very pleased with the progress I've made. I'm over a third finished with the second edition content edit of Once upon a Nightmare: A Collection, and I'm very happy with the two chapters I've written in Marked and the one scene in "On Day 168." I'm hoping to kick things into a higher gear in February, and I'm crossing my fingers that the day job will be calmer than it has been in January.

Best of all, I'm loving writing again. It's energizing me and getting rid of the clutter in my mind. I remember now why I write and feel in a better place with my writing. This is very good because there were a lot of times last year I really considered stopping the torture I was putting myself through and quitting either by taking everything down and acting like being a writer never happened or finishing up The Fate Challenges (I do hate leaving a series hanging) and never publishing anything after that. Sometimes we need a break to refocus and reorganize what we want, and I'm happy that I still want to write and share all these stories in my head.

Also my writer anniversary came up in January! On January 15, 2009, I decided to write with publication in mind and wrote my first chapter of Reborn, which I published in May 2014.

That said, here are my February goals:
  • Once upon a Nightmare - I want to finish the second edition content edit. I still have line edits and two proofreads (one on my Kindle and one print proof) left to do before publishing. Once I finish the content edit, I'll be taking down the individual stories and the collection (ebook/print) from other retailers. I wasn't going to do a print version at this time, but I found the perfect pre-designed cover art and getting both ebook and print covers together cost the same as getting either print or ebook. I plan to publish the ebook in KDP Select for a limited time and publish the print book everywhere.
  • Marked - I will keep writing Marked.
  • "Paper Lanterns" - This short story will be in Untethered Realms' anthology Mayhem in the Air (Forthcoming 2015), and I would like to complete my self-edit of it before sending it to our first editor (I'm the second editor of the anthology). I haven't said too much about "Paper Lanterns." The story is futuristic fantasy, and the premise is how far would a person go to destroy the one he loved who betrayed him. The story involves paper magic and takes place about twenty-five years before a New Adult series I'd like to write one of these days.
  • "On Day 168" - If time, I'd like to write another scene in "On Day 168," which will be in UR's anthology Ghosts of Fire (Forthcoming 2016). "On Day 168" is epic fantasy and is set in the Amoran universe but in Norvadia (the Great Beyond) instead of the Kingdom of Amora.
What are your goals for February?

2015 Writing Stats (1/1/2015-1/27/2015): 7748 words written and 61 pages edited

29 comments:

Heather R. Holden said...

First off, happy anniversary! :D

Secondly...gosh, I can relate so well to wanting to quit. I've been wanting to do the same with my art, but I love my characters too much to just abandon them. Glad you rediscovered your love for writing! Hope all your goals for February go smoothly as a result!

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

And look how far you've come! So many books and stories now.
Never write again - we'll see if I can stick to that this time.

Christine Rains said...

Yay! Happy writer anniversary! ^_^ I'm happy you found your love for writing again. It's no fun when doing what you love feels too much like work. For February, I'm still touring and writing two short stories. Maybe, if I'm really lucky, I'll get to start on my new novel!

Vanessa Morgan said...

Ambitious goals. That's the way it should be. I'll be sending my latest book to a proofreader for corrections, and I'll be doing the interior design as it'll include many pictures. I'm going to grow my two blogs. And start a new book.

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Good for you! Your revitalized writing verve is contagious. You've infused me with some excitement to get going. I've been needing to for over three months, now. Thanks and best of luck with your new goals!

Chrys Fey said...

Happy Writer Anniversary! :D

My goals for February are too relax a bit more. January was a month packed with responsibilities. I'm also going to have more fun. So fun and relaxation are my goals. :)

Sarah Foster said...

Happy writing anniversary! I'm glad that you've decided to keep writing. I can't imagine ever giving it up, no matter how frustrating it can be. Good luck with your February goals!

M Pax said...

Happy writing anniversary! I have no idea when mine is. Is that sad? Yes. lol

I always admire how much you accomplish. I have 2 more books to reformat. Backworlds 6 is now past half way. Corrosive is with my crit group. I should be able to make progress on my serial project and start preliminary work on Rifters 3. I made a schedule...

Michelle Wallace said...

Happy Writer Anniversary!
You are always on the ball when it comes to your goals. Really inspiring.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Happy anniversary.

I went through a long dry spell, wondering if I ever wanted to write again. I finally finished my publishing book and at long last, I'm working on fiction again.

Natalie Aguirre said...

Can so relate to the feeling of wanting to quit this all sometimes. And you're right, a break can often help. You are always so productive even if you feel a little slow.

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I am so glad you didn't quit. Every time a writer quits, a muse loses its wings.

Unknown said...

Happy writer anniversary! And I'm glad you're excited about writing once more. I feel the same way after taking a month off over Christmas :) It was good to distance myself a bit, and now I'm engergized! All the best with your Feb goals!

Loni Townsend said...

Woot! It's fabulous to hear that you're in love with writing again. That's awesome! Best of luck with your goals.

M.J. Fifield said...

Happy anniversary!

I've been in a mindset where I wanted to quit, too, so I'm happy to hear that you're loving being a writer again.

My February goal is to finish up part two of my new WIP. It's been hanging on for far too long. Best of luck to you with your goals!

DMS said...

Happy writing anniversary! So happy to hear that you are loving writing again. :) I was hoping to get a lot more writing done in January- but my day job was so busy and it was so dark and cold when I came home that I did not get much done at all. So- in February I am hoping to get a lot more writing done. I am even hoping for small goals- like 4-8 chapters to be written. That will be better than my progress this month. Hope you have a productive February too! :)
~Jess

Anonymous said...

I went through the same thoughts and feelings in 2014 and have found new energy and excitement for writing. Hooray for us!

Happy writing anniversary too. =D

Cathy Keaton said...

These shorter works of yours make me want to just write a short story/novella and publish it, or just find a magazine to publish it. I get tired of always trying to write novels and end up with partial novels. Maybe something short and sweet would suffice for now!

Good luck with February's goals. Nice that you feel a renewed zest for writing again. I know I do, since I've been writing for the life word count now! Sometimes, I still feel like giving up on publication, though, but not writing fiction itself.

Unknown said...

Great goals, Cherie! I am so happy you didn't throw in the towel and kept going with your passion. There is something so freeing about writing. It really uplifts our souls and as you said, "It's energizing me and getting rid of the clutter in my mind." Beautifully put.
And congratulations on Reborn being a Fantasy Fiction Finalist! I took January off so this is the first time I saw your button there. I loved Reborn.

alexia said...

I definitely did write as much as usual in 2014, and I'm okay with that. For me is wasn't so much burnout as life changes, and learning to be more balanced. I am great at meeting my word count goals, but in the past I haven't balanced that well with exercise, other hobbies, and a social life. I'm learning that now :) And sometimes I do just get frustrated or tapped out, and I take breaks then, too. I always come back to it.

Jocelyn Rish said...

I hate that you went through the 'stop the torture' phase (although I've been through it many times myself), but I'm glad to hear you came through it energized and ready to tackle your goals. Best of luck!

Stephanie Faris said...

You're hard at work! Congrats on your writing anniversary and your upcoming anthology.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on your anniversary. I love reading about your goals. You do so much.

Carol Kilgore said...

Sorry to hear you're behind, but happy that I'm not the only one. Sometimes life conspires against our wishes. Drafting my story is my only writing-related goal for February. Good luck to both of us!

cleemckenzie said...

It's always wonderful to feel good about the writing. I know how frustrating it is when you don't.

Kelly Steel said...

Congrats on your writing anniversary and your upcoming anthology.

Julie Flanders said...

Happy Anniversary! How cool is that? Imagine what you have accomplished in those five years. And it's always great to feel good about writing - happy for you that you got that clutter out of your mind. :)

Romance Book Haven said...

Congrats and happy anniversary!

Gwen Gardner said...

Wow, you are just motoring right along. So glad you're feeling good about your writing again. Looking forward to reading your anthology story!