Wednesday, March 1, 2017

Looking Back to See Ahead #IWSG | March Goals | Bookworm News #SpecFic

The IWSG was created by Alex J. Cavanaugh. March's co-hosts are Tamara Narayan, Patsy Collins, M.J. Fifield, and Nicohle Christopherson. Please visit the other blogs participating in IWSG here.
First, thank you so much who commented last month. I'm still searching for images, but I have a clearer idea what I'd like to do for The Fate Challenges' covers.

March's Question: Have you ever pulled out a really old story and reworked it? Did it work out?

My answer is a big YES. Reborn is the first novel I wrote back in 2009. In 2012, I pulled it back out after writing three other novels and numerous other works. From November 2012-May 2014, I rewrote, edited, and published that book. In 2015 and 2016, I wrote the other stories to The Fate Challenges and am now editing them for publication in 2017-2018.

In January and February 2017, I've been doing a read-through/second edition of Reborn, and I've discovered I still stand by that story. It pulled me back in. Yes, I've found typos and errors. Yes, I've found 500 minor things to change about the writing, but while reading it, I fell back in love with the world and the characters. At times, I couldn't believe I'd written this--a real book. It was surreal. So, yes, I stand by pulling out those old stories and seeing what can be made of them. You might be surprised by how it all turns out.

I wish I could say I pulled off my February goals, but that would be one big lie. February was a hard month. First, I was assigned a HUGE project at work. True, that's what the day job pays me for, but it flared up my carpal tunnel and tendinitis and drained me mentally and physically. I wrote little, although I have finished through Chapter 30 of 38 in A Soul to Keep. Then, my grandfather died on February 14. He was my last grandparent, so it hit me harder than losing the other ones. It made it seem more real that they were all gone. I did manage to keep writing a bit, but editing fell apart. I only managed to finish my edit/read-through of Reborn.

So I have a LOT to do in March. My March goals include:
- Finish writing A Soul to Keep. Just eight chapters to go!
- Outline A Soul to Take (Soul Reaper #3).
- Continue my read-through and edits of The Fate Challenges. I'm hoping to make a pass or two of Determined and Marked.
- Edit a friend's novel.
- Edit a friend's novella.
- Edit "The Folding Point" that'll be published in Untethered Realms' Spirits in the Water anthology in October.
- Search for images and decide on a cover artist for The Fate Challenges.

Thankfully, I'm taking a few days off from the day job for my birthday (March 8). I hope to get some of these things crossed off my list then.

What are your March goals?

2017 Stats: 42,894 words written and 176,166 words edited

I only finished reading one book in February, which was Susan Kaye Quinn's Indie Author Survival Guide, which I do recommend and gave it five bookworms, but I haven't written up a review for it yet.

SPECULATIVE FICTION BOOKS
RELEASING IN MARCH
Etched in Bone by Anne Bishop
Finding Jade by Mary Jennifer Payne
The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco
Spymaster by Margaret Weis and Robert Krammes
Shadow Hunted by Jasmine Walt and Rebecca Hamilton
Redux by A.L. Davroe
MIND: The Message by Jenn Nixon
Taming the Pack: Box Set by Wendy Sparrow
The Black Lily by Juliette Cross
Extracted by RR Haywood
Fanning the Flames by Chris Cannon
Scorched by Magic by Jasmine Walt

36 comments:

S.A. Larsenッ said...

Don't fret about those February goals. Like you said; it's a tough month. Good luck with your goals for March! I know I MUST finish the 1st draft of bk 2 in my MG series. I've had such a difficult time working on it, because of other projects I have had due. Also, I had quite the wrestling match with self-doubt the latter half of last year.

Julie Flanders said...

I'm sorry you had such a rough month. Here's to a better March. I hope the carpal tunnel has eased a bit at least.

Also, that's really cool about Reborn! I didn't realize that. Awesome how it worked out.

Crystal Collier said...

February was busy, wasn't it? My goodness, it started and then it was over. I'm left scratching my head, but I suppose that's how life works.

I'm with you on the Indie Author Survival Guide. It's such an excellent book.

So 2009 to 2014? That's not that long. ;) (Says the woman who's reworking a piece from 2001.)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I'm sorry about your grandfather. My grandparents are all gone as well.
That old story spawned a whole lot, didn't it?

Christine Rains said...

February was rough. More hugs to you. Here's to a great March! And yay for days off for your birthday. :)

emaginette said...

I'm sorry Feb was so hard on you. I'm sure March will be easier. Good luck with your goals. Slow and steady finishes the race. :-)

Anna from elements of emaginette

Yolanda Renée said...

You are one busy bee! Congratulations!
Goals are meant to push forward, it's the finishing that's key!

Good for you, reworking an idea is not a bad thing at all!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I hope you hit your March goals.

I'm pulling from some old ideas and even an older written story now and it's kinda fun.

Rachna Chhabria said...

February was a very busy month for all of us, somehow those 28 days flew past super fast. Reworking on your older books worked for you.

M.J. Fifield said...

Wow! That is an impressive list of goals for March. Best of luck with them.

I'm sorry February was so rough for you, and I'm so sorry about your grandfather. I hope March is kinder.

Anonymous said...

Sorry to hear about your grandparent. I'm down to my last one and already thinking about her being gone one day makes me sad.

Misha Gerrick said...

I have a whole lot of books waiting for me to rework. Not really because I shelved them, but simply because I had a lot more time in 2014.

I'm sorry to hear about your grandparent. :-(

Tamara Narayan said...

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. I just found out this afternoon that the father of my best friend passed. Even though I haven't seen him since my wedding and I knew his health wasn't good, it's still a blow.

My to-do list feels long: finish novel, learn Twitter, and query, reload Amazon collection with corrections, proofread next collection, create cover, find copy editor because I stink at finding my own typos, get reviewers, rewrite short story and find place to submit, start new novel, write and post reviews for other's books.

Natalie Aguirre said...

So sorry about your grandfather. And not feeling well couldn't have helped. Awesome that you still really like your story while editing it.

Cathrina Constantine said...

Cherie, I'm wishing you a Happy Birthday ahead of time!!! And I hope March will be easier for you all the way around.

Juneta key said...

I'm sorry for your lose. That never sounds adequate to me, but I am and prayers with you. You are always so productivity it is inspiring.

Juneta @ Writer's Gambit

Mark said...

I think it's great that you've met as many of your February goals as you have! I'd shudder to think about how many of mine remain unfinished:)

Tyrean Martinson said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. It's hard to have all the grandparents gone. Big hugs!
Way to go on getting something done - it's tough to keep moving forward, and you did!

Gwen Gardner said...

Yay for getting Reborn out there!

It was a tough month. I'm so sorry about losing your grandfather. It's understandable that you didn't meet your goals. You got through February so that's an accomplishment!

Cathy Keaton said...

Sorry to hear about your grandfather, Cherie. All of my grandparents have been gone for many years now and it is a weird feeling, at first. Actually, it's kind of weird always, even though you get older and it's so logical that people who would be 100 years old by now are dead. I guess the heart just doesn't work like the brain....

Meradeth Houston said...

I'm so sorry to hear about your grandfather! I hope March is a happier month, with lots of good writing. Hugs!

dolorah said...

Some works just never seem finished, even after they are published. I have an old project that I seem to work out my craft learning on. its been through so many changes as I've discovered what genre it should be written in. It may not be salvagable; but I still have hopes of doing one last rewrite and seeking an agent. Again.

DMS said...

I am so sorry to hear about your grandfather. It is hard to lose our grandparents, and the last one does make it seem more real.

Sounds like you still got writing done, but sometimes our day jobs and outside circumstances pile on more than we can possibly get through.

Hope you have a great weekend and a Happy Birthday!
~Jess

Nick Wilford said...

Sorry to hear about your news. It will have set you back, but I'm still highly impressed by the amount of words you racked up in writing and editing. I'm looking forward to the rest of your series because Reborn was an excellent book.

H. R. Sinclair said...

Great goals. My one goal is to get back to writing.

H. R. Sinclair said...

On a different note, I'm so sorry for your loss. My heart goes out to you. Take care.

cleemckenzie said...

It's heartening to read that you were able to rework an old piece into something new and wonderful.

Carrie-Anne said...

I'm sorry to hear about your grandpap. It's so hard to lose grandparents. In January, I lost my third grandparent, and I'm thinking of moving to Florida to be near my final grandparent while she's still here.

My March writing goal is to finish the A to Z posts on my secondary blog, and to get back to a steady writing pace with one of my WIPs. I spent a month working on second edition edits for one of my books, which I'll hopefully finally have the revamped cover for soon.

Unknown said...

Sorry to hear about your grandfather. I also have tendonitis. It is such a pain. Lots of stretches and I now write with bans on. It really helps.

Good luck with your goals!

Carol Kilgore said...

So sorry for the loss of your grandfather. And Happy Birthday tomorrow!

New Release Books said...

Sorry about your sad news.

Its good you are reworking those old stories.

Michelle Wallace said...

Sorry to hear the sad news about your grandpa, Cherie. XX

I hope the carpal tunnel and tendinitis eases up. Take care.

Impressive stats, as per usual!

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for sharing your story about Reborn, this is such interesting insight. And I mentioned it when we got to chat before, but sending hugs during this hard time. <3 <3 <3

Heather R. Holden said...

So sorry about your grandfather, as well as all the mental/physical exhaustion you've been dealing with... *hugs* Hope March ends up being a better month for you, and that your birthday went splendidly, too!

Also, loved learning the history behind Reborn. Been trying to rework some of my old projects lately, and this helps make me feel like it isn't a lost cause!

M Pax said...

Life hits hard sometimes. Hugs to you on your grandfather. I have such fond memories of mine. I have some of his beer mugs and think of him every time i use one. I Think of him more often than that. Good things.

Try the licorice root tea for the CTS. It helps me a lot when I have a flare up.

Cool about reworking Reborn. I'm dusting off my first novel. It has some very different spins than the original, which is what it needs.

Gina Gao said...

I'm so sorry for your loss. Good luck on working on Reborn.


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