Hello! And Update Day.

Phew! That was a close one. I almost missed my own bloghop, but then the help I mentioned in my previous post kicked in to some extent. So here I am.

Before I get started, I just wanted to say a special and huge thanks to everyone who’ve left messages of support, and who’ve boosted me and my family with thoughts and prayers. It means a lot to me, and for those who asked for a return favor of prayers and thoughts: You’ve got it, awesome person.

And now, back to the matter at hand. For those of you who are wondering, we’re a group of people who’ve set ourselves huge/crazy/very important goals. Then we get together on every last Friday of every month to update on progress. Anyone with a huge/crazy/very important goal is welcome to join. Just click here for more information.

Right, so this is what I did to date (and I think I should be able to get some more done before the actual month end):

My goals for September:

Writing:

1) Edit BvB1.

Did one round, but the lack of Internet messed things up a bit, so I didn’t get a fast enough turnaround to get to a second pass. (I have an editor for this one.)

2) Rewrite Wo6C3

I had a huge burst of productivity on the 9th. It started with a new project that grabbed on and wouldn’t let go. After I spent a week writing that draft (It’s a new record. I finished an entire rough draft in six days.), I used that momentum to get stuck in with the rewrite, and have added almost 15k words. At the rate I’m going, I should be able to add about 18k more before the end of the month.

3) Rough Draft BvB2.

Didn’t start this yet, but I’m hoping to get stuck in once I’ve finished the second round of edits to BvB1. Hopefully, the timing will fall so that I’ll be done with the Wo6C3 rewrite by then too. Yes, I do work on multiple projects at a time, but for some reason, the Wo6C series and the BvB series can’t live in the same head space at the same time. So I’ll finish the one, then the other.

4) Rough edits to ES1 and get critique partners for it.

My near constant lack of internet screwed this one up. I need to go looking for CPs for this, since I think maybe one of my CPs will want to read it. It’s a historical romance set in the old west, so it’s not necessarily everyone’s cup of tea.

5) Prep VD rewrite.

That other draft I mentioned, DM1 messed this one up big time. DM1 is still trying to take over my priorities, but I’m holding off until the end of next month. It does, however, mean that I’ve moved VD closer to the end of this year or maybe even early next year.

6) Rough Draft StW

Poor StW. It’s been hanging around, patiently waiting since January. Still haven’t gotten to it. The truth is, I’ve always intended it to be a bit of fluff for me to write to relax, but my main projects aren’t giving me the time to do it. (And then when I have time, another exciting project like DM1 comes along and steals its thunder.)

7) CdW concept.

I did a little of this, but not as much as I’d wanted. Again, the lack of internet caught me here, because the concept requires research.

8) Critique works sent to me by critique partners.

I’d need to find those CPs first.

Writing-wise, my month looked like this:

Reading:

1) TRY reading six books.

I’m on my third at the moment.

2) Give up on the idea that I’ll catch up on my yearly reading goal.

Yep. Done.

3) See how far I can get with Les Trois Mousquetaires.

Didn’t get anywhere with this. The older french in this one doesn’t feature in the dictionaries I have, so before, I’ve used the internet to help me translate the tricky bits. Sigh.

4) Read for an average of 15 minutes per day.

Current average is 34 minutes per day, but I’ll be reading this weekend, which will push the number up some more.

Social Media:

1) Maintain about the same level of activity as August.

Nope, the only real activity was me letting people know I wouldn’t be online, along with a few odd moments on twitter and Facebook when afforded the opportunity.

Life:

1) Don’t freak out while waiting to hear back from the film company I submitted the concept to.

Done. Was way too busy to freak out. I should be hearing back next week.

2) Crochet.

I did a few squares, but I’ve spent more time writing than anything else.

3) Get the first layer of paint on my canvas.

I’ve had to postpone my painting for a few. We might be moving house before the end of the year. My idea of hell is trying to move a canvas half the size of a decently sized dining table when it’s covered in wet oil paint.

Aw nuts. This is the moment I realize what moving house will do to my publishing schedule for the rest of the year.

Okay. I’ll find a way not to get too scrambled with the move. Hey. Last year, I moved in the middle of NaNoWriMo and still won. I can do this.

My goals for October:

Writing:

1) Edit BvB1

2) See if I can finish the Wo6C3 rewrite.

3) Get back to the BvB2 rough draft.

4) Find critique partners for ES1.

5) Prep the DM1 rewrite for NaNoWriMo.

6) Start StW. (Or…end up postponing it yet again.)

7) Work on the CdW concept.

Writing-wise, I’m hoping October looks like this:

Reading:

1) Read four books.

2) If possible read some more of Les Trois Mousquetaires.

3) Since I’m giving myself a break on the number of books I’m reading, I’m upping my average time a day spent reading to 20 minutes.

Social Media:

As disheartening as this is, start again to build up some sort of a presence.

Life:

1) Be prepared to chop and change my plans in the (unlikely) event of the film concept I’ve sent in being chosen.

2) Take deep breaths and try not to murder anyone. (Long story.)

3) Crochet.

How did you do in September? Anything important that I missed?