Wednesday, June 1, 2016

#IWSG: "And there's a million things I haven't done, but just you wait..."

The Insecure Writer's Support Group was created by the awesome Captain Ninja Alex J. Cavanaugh. Click here to visit the other participants. The co-hosts for the June 1 posting of the IWSG will be Murees Dupe, Alexia Chamberlynn, Chemist Ken, and Heather Gardner!
"And there's a million things I haven't done, but just you wait, just you wait." That line is from the musical Hamilton. If you haven't heard the soundtrack, you must do so. The musical is up for 16 Tony Awards this month and is just brilliant. Hamilton has been playing in my car on my way to work since March 8. Yes, I almost know all the lyrics by heart. My favorite part to sing is King George's lines. He's so delightfully foppish. I hope to see the musical sometime this century. But I digress...

That line is also how I feel coming from May. So many things to do and so little time, but I will accomplish them eventually. I just need Alexander Hamilton's energy. Seriously. The desire to do ALL THE THINGS has left me a bit overwhelmed.

So I've decided I need to adjust some things so I can get more of what I really want to do finished. The blog will be a major change. Starting in July, I'm combining IWSG, my writing goals update, and #specfic bookworm news into one post on IWSG day so I have one planned post a month. It'll make the post a bit long, but you have all month to visit and comment. It will also free up the blog for a guest post or announcement at any ol' time. And maybe it won't take me weeks to catch up on visiting blogs and commenting like it has been the past few months.

A person can hope.

At this time, I also plan to not add a second writing project when I finish Destined. Although I may change my mind, it will be nice putting my writing attention on the Soul Reaper series for a while.

Do you have a million things waiting for you to do? Have you heard the music from Hamilton or seen the musical? If you have seen it, I am super-jealous, just so you know.

As for last month's goals, editing was a big bust. I had some time but none of the energy for it. I did, however, continue writing in Destined and A Soul to Reap. In Destined, I've completed 32 out of 41 chapters. Since I finished A Soul to Reap's outline in May, I now know I have completed 4 out of 43 chapters. I also finished writing the not-quite-so-short story "A Soul to Protect" at 14,360 words.

I did have two anniversaries in May. On May 24, I completed my goal of exercising every single day for one year. My next goal is to exercise every single day for at least thirty minutes a day for a year, which should happen on November 1. Also, on May 29, I've officially been blogging here for seven years. Wow! The time flies.

My June goals are:
  • Write for 30 minutes a day in Destined.
  • Write for 15 minutes a day in A Soul to Reap.
  • Edit the short stories for Ghosts of Fire, UR anthology #3, which includes my story "On Day 168."
What are your goals for June?
2016 Stats: 145,698 words written and 780 pages edited
I'm running a 99c sale on People of Foxwick and Their Neighbors this month. You can pick up an e-copy at these retailers: Amazon.com, Other Amazon Sites, Google Play, iTunes, Kobo, Nook, OmniLit, and Smashwords. If you subscribe to my newsletter, you can receive A to Z Flashes of Foxwick for free.

48 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Congratulations on seven years! I'll hit that in November.
Trying to do all things just means you won't do any of them well. Ease back and focus. It will be all right.

Nicola said...

Congratulations Cherie!! I am in awe - does your day have 72 hours in it? You achieve so much each day. I hope you remember to have fun :) Have a lovely week and take good care.

Sarah Foster said...

Ahhahaha don't even get me started on Hamilton (or King George, for that matter). But I think you'll get the virtual cupcake if you read my blog post today...
I've been trying to pick up the attitude of "write like you're running out of time." I really don't do as much as I should.
Congrats on the blogiversary!

Natalie Aguirre said...

Yes, I think just about everyone feels there is too much to do and too little time. I can totally relate to that and like you, am trying to cut back some because relaxing and spending time with friends and family is important too.

Congrats on your exercising and blog anniversaries. Exercising daily is a part of my mental health routine. Will miss you the weeks you're not blogging, but understand the need to cut back.

Tamara Narayan said...

My goal this month is to get my short story collection back on Amazon. But then I'll have to promote it. Hm.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'm just a few things short of a million today.

Crystal Collier said...

Whether you're making as much progress as you want or not, it seems to me you're doing a pretty good job of making tracks.

Rachna Chhabria said...

Hi Cherie, how do you manage to work on so many different manuscripts at one time? Don't the scenes and stories overlap in your mind?

Anonymous said...

Is there ever not a million things to do? :) I haven't seen Hamilton, but I definitely have to look it up now. Congrats on all your progress, goals met or not, and good luck with your new goals! And congrats for blogging almost 7 years! Wow!

James Pailly said...

Oh my gosh, I am so obsessed with the music from Hamilton right now! I never expected the guy from the ten dollar bill to inspire me to do so much writing. You know, other than the hope that I might get paid for my writing at some point.

Mark said...

Wow, awesome that you met that exercising goal! I find that exercise can be a great inspiring effort for any writer:)

Gwen Gardner said...

I'm down to once a month blogging as well. Just don't have time, especially not if I want to complete writing goals. Good luck on your goals, Cherie!

Olga Godim said...

Congratulations on your seven-years anniversary. And your exercising accomplishment is even more impressive. I don't have specific goals but I do want to resume writing my regency novella. For some reason, I stopped at chapter 3, and the file has been sitting on my computer for a few months without once being open. It has to change.
Note: your site made me verify that I'm a person 5 times. I had to select some pictures from the thumbnails I couldn't even see well. :((

Juneta key said...

Congrats on the Blogaversy! That's awesome. I will have been blogging with my current site 4 years in July. Sounds like you know where you are going. Congrats on that too.
Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Cathrina Constantine said...

7 years!! WOW!!! Congrats on your exercise routine. Something I should do. Cherie your writing ethics and goals have always amazed me. I'm a slow slug compared to you.

I'd love to see Hamilton. That's all everyone's talking about. I'm hoping it goes on the road and comes to Buffalo!!!

cleemckenzie said...

I like the idea of combining different features into a single post. I've reduced my blog posts to about once a week, but I'm actually thinking of cutting back a bit more. I'm with Hamilton and you. I have so much I want to do.

Anonymous said...

I always have too much to do and not enough time or energy. Also, how is it already June????????

Sandra Cox said...

And speaking of exercising....that's exactly what I need to be doing now.

Nas said...

Congratulations on seven years!

C.D. Gallant-King said...

I have a million things I'd like to do, but most days I'm just happy if I remember to put on pants...

Congratulations on the 7 years!

Tyrean Martinson said...

I love your goals, and the way you keep adding to those word counts. I'm always inspired by your tenacity and I appreciate that you honestly share your hard work and what it takes. Thank you!

I wrote out a list of what I want to tackle over the summer day, sat back, and then laughed at myself. I realized that I might just think I don't need to sleep or something. I'll have to adjust it, but for the moment, I'm letting myself dream a little.

Yay for Foxwick! I love those stories, and have read them more than once.

Tyrean Martinson said...

Oh, and Hamilton sounds great - I'm going to have to find a way to listen to it now.

H. R. Sinclair said...

Oh yes, too much, too little! Congrats on 7 years. I'll hit that in November.

M Pax said...

I loved the book you have on sale. Great stories!

Yes, on the too little time thing. I hear that loud and clear.

Christine Rains said...

Congratulations! You are super awesome with how much you've accomplished. :) I have a million things too and the pile never seems to get smaller. It drives me batty sometimes. But we've just got to push onward one step at a time.

Tabatha Morrow said...

You have to do what's best for you, but congrats on your blogging prowess. I am humbled. :) Love that cover on your Foxwick book. I feel the need to read it.

Chemist Ken said...

It certainly sounds like someone has been busy. Combining posts is one good way of clearing up some time for writing, and I'm sure you'll come up with others. I never thought about how short time is until I became a writer. Good luck fitting everything in.

Angela Brown said...

You've done awesome sticking to your exercising goals and getting a lot done with your writing and editing.

Happy Anniversary to your year-met-goals!

And boy do I have a WHOLE lot that must be done. Now that the drive is returning, I better pace it because there's so much that must needs done.

J.L. Campbell said...

Sounds like you've done a lot, but writers are like that, we make a lot of demands on our time. Good idea to combine your posts.

Unknown said...

Bowing down before you in awe. You have way more commitment and drive then me. Keep up the fabulous-ness! Tweeted.

Erika Beebe said...

I really admire your drive. Exercising everyday for a year, blogging and managing all of your writing projects, wow! I hope you don't spread yourself too thin. I do like the one post a month idea though. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.

Elizabeth Alsobrooks said...

I'm exhausted just hearing what your agenda is! Your goals are impressive, but if you can do them without feeling overwhelmed, good for you!

Sherry Ellis said...

Congratulations on 7 years! I totally understand having so much to do and not enough time!

Cathy Keaton said...

Blogging in a consolidated way is a good idea. Less comments and all that other stuff!

Anonymous said...

My to-do list is driving me crazy. Good luck on your goals. I'm not completely sure what I'm doing since I'll be travelling a bit.

DMS said...

Congratulations on 7 years blogging and on exercising for a year. Bravo!

Sounds like you are working out a better schedule for yourself so you can get more of what you need to get done. Good for you!
~Jess

dolorah said...

The reason I don't participate in A-Z is because it would take so much time, every day, for commenting. Writing the posts (and scheduling them) is the easy part.

I made a goal of writing 100 words a day, every day this year. Yeah, that's not happening. I hope you can stick to your writing goals :)

Nick Wilford said...

I've not heard of that musical but it's cool that it inspires you! I think a lot of people are condensing blogging because sadly it's true that we only have so much time. Your stats show that you've achieved a ton this year, though. Excellent progress!

Michelle Wallace said...

I caught snippets of Hamilton on the tv and it's AMAZING.
It's up for 16 Tony Awards? I'm not surprised. I LOVE the bits I saw.
Congrats on your 7th blog-o-versary.
Well done on the outstanding progress.
Writer In Transit

New Release Books said...

There are million and one things I haven't done :)
Congratulations on seven years!

Sandra Cox said...

I love your goals, Cherie. Attainable.
Have a great one.

cheerfuloptimistic said...

It's good to know your limits. Good luck with your projects and goals.

Heather R. Holden said...

I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately, too. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day to get things done! Still seems like you accomplished a lot despite that, though, so congrats! Your exercise goals especially impress me…wow. And how exciting about your blogoversary! Seven years is quite an achievement, for sure. Best of luck with your latest goals!

Julie Flanders said...

That is such a great line! I admit I haven't heard the soundtrack but now you have me wanting to check it out.

Sounds like you have the right idea about blogging. Congratulations on that blogoversary!

Carrie-Anne said...

I'm doing JuNoWriMo for the first time this year, though I'm one of the rebels, counting both blog posts and WIP words. I'd like to be done with editing, revising, fleshing-out, and adding entirely new chapters to Part IV of my WIP by the end of the month, so I can finally go back and work more on Part II (which is mostly a long flashback).

Congratulations on your seventh blogoversary!

Tabatha Morrow said...

Yup, a million things. I've been to Hamilton's birthplace, the island of Nevis. It's a beautiful place.

Chrys Fey said...

Oh, yes. A million and one things are waiting for me. Doing one blog post a month to combine all things is a great idea to free you up.

You exercised every day for a year? Wow. That is dedication!

Erika Beebe said...

Wow! I admire your drive! I hope everything goes for you just as you hope it will :)