Goals Update, #ROW80 Round 1, 2013 – January 9

 

My theme for this year is trust. Trust in myself, my abilities, my loved ones, and the universe. Trust in sima garo, which I talked a little about in 2012…and which is the soul of my latest WIP.

 

 

Creating:

 

WIP Novels:

 

Major goal -

 

Complete rough draft of Sima Garo Provides.

 

• I have added one scene, following Rachel Aaron’s suggestions. I wrote1013 words in 37 minutes, which is very high productivity for me.

• I have many ideas forming – in bits of scenes, fragments of images, wisps of conversations, and threads of sensory impressions. I am rereading other stories, dreaming, and allowing things to form as they will.

• I will continue moving forward, and feeling my way through…

 

Minor goal -

 

Separate Chameleon’s Dish into two books with individual Scrivener files – Warp and Weft series.

 

• This is more or less finished, going in, because I simply could not wait to get started. I now have two novels!

 

• I am adding a goal…because my ultimate target by year’s end is to see both of these WIPS through to their second drafts, and on their way to as-yet unnamed beta readers.

 

• So, each time I near the completion of a goal along the course of this project, I will add the next little step or two along the process.

 

 

Read through both drafts, making general notes as I go. Make task lists for next steps for both novels.

 

• My thought, here at the outset, is to work on the novels somewhat concurrently. At the moment, I am taking notes on Chameleon’s Dish, after which I will do the same for Bounded by a Nutshell, whileCD percolates…

• I am currently about two-thirds of the way through note-taking on CD.

 

• Chameleon’s Dish/Trueborn Weft Series– Young adult historical fantasy.

• Current rough word count:41,060 words. Barely novella length, at the moment.

• First impressions (while rereading/note-taking):

• Henry popped into my head midway through the original composite novel, and began as a bit character.

• Very quickly, though, he became much, much more to my protagonist.

• He needs to appear from the very beginning, and through him will come much of the understanding of how misplaced Tisira is, and the dangers she faces in Elizabethan England.

• This will add, I hope, depth and tension, and place Tisira and Henry firmly as equals. It will also get rid of some of Tisira’s expository passages, which get a little dull…

• I need to be very careful, in rewrites, to keep this portion of the story fully original…sometimes, a very tricky balance. Because nearly everything in that world will be alien to him, Henry might be a very useful character, in this regard…

• I discovered a few missing passages, which I know are still in the original composite draft, and will be going back to sniff them out and put them in their places!

• I have read through Chapter Fifteen of Twenty-Three.adding blank documents to hold spaces ready for many scenes I will be adding later, and making basic notes as I read.

   

 

• Bounded by a Nutshell/Trueborn Warp Series – Star Trek Original Series Erotic Fan Fiction (yeah, I just claimed that!).

• Current rough word count:125,700 words (clearly, I have a bit of a thing for the genre!).

• First impressions (after rereading)

• There are some glaring plot holes, omissions, and contradictions, here, and not enough of Jeniah or Spock in certain places.

• These are miswoven or unraveled threads….much of the next draft will involve reweaving these, and adding heft and texture to the weaving.

• This is basically as long, I think, as it needs to get, so rewrites will focus more on consistency and tightening up places where the story lags a bit, rather than ebbing and flowing.

• There will be more focus on characters’ connections, because those are the soul of this story.

   

 

Flash Fiction:

 

Major goal -

 

Create new flash fiction weekly through prompts, challenges, envisioning WIP scenes, and original ideas.

 

• I have an idea for a flash fiction piece that may get written during the next few days. It has occurred to me that Henry and Tisira need to meet far earlier in CD than they do currently, and I think I know how that happens.

• I wrote the rough draft of a flash fiction story of the first time Henry sees Tisira. I plan to rewrite and edit, and perhaps post this scene on Trueborn Jottings before Sunday’s update.

• This scene may be the basis for Henry’s half of the Prologue.

 

Exposition:

 

Major goal -

 

Return to 750 words.com – use this space for free expository writing, and strive to write there every day.

• Monday, January 7

• Tuesday, January 8

 

Minor goals –

 

Read and write reviews for A Bowlful of Bunnies and Finding Esta.

• Progress on both books is listed below:

• A Bowlful of Bunnies –61% complete.

• Finding Esta – 12% complete.

• I hope to have both books completed by the end of January, with a mid-February target for completing both reviews.
  

 

Complete one essay or other piece of expository writing each week.

• I have several pieces in progress at this time, and nothing completed as yet.

   

Connecting:

 

Blogging:

 

Major goal -

 

Create blog rolls for shanjeniah (writers and resources), and Trueborn Jottings (resources and inspiration).

• I have written a rough draft of a blogpost asking for links, which I will post to both blogs before Sunday’s update.

• I will be beginning by adding blogs and resources I already follow and enjoy.

   

Minor goals -

 

Edit sidebars and layout for all blogs (excepting childrens’ reporting blogs)

• I have taken a cursory look at the sidebars for shanjeniah and Trueborn Jottings.

• I’ve mentally noted some lacks, repetitions, outdated items, and clutter, which I will address, I think, little by little, perhaps tweaking just one thing each time I post, at first.

• I have made some blogroll changes to shanjeniah, in preparation for adding a personalized blogroll there.

   

Write at least one post weekly for three major blogs (shanjeniah; TruebornJottings, and The Unfettered Life.

• I have posts in planning and progress stages for all three blogs.

• They are a little muddled, at the moment, but will come together in their proper times.

 

Visiting:

Major goal –

 

• Complete all ROW80 sponsor visits twice weekly; comment, and share posts I read.

• Some of these will be sponsor posts, and others just posts I was drawn to read. The links will zip you off to another exciting blogpost by a fellow ROWer.

 

• I must have blinked…

• ROW80: Starting Fresh With Strength, Courage, & Wisdom

• ROW80 Check-In 06/01/2013

• #ROW80 Round 1, 2013: Goals Post

• Weekly Update #2 – The Plan

• A Round of Words in 80 Days – The Pledge

• Something New For 2013

• ROW80 -1 – 2013 – goals and objectives

• New Year, New Round of 80 Words!

 

 

Social Media:

 

Major goal –

 

Visit Pinterest, SheWrites, or StoryDam at least weekly. Get a better sense of how each works, and build my presence there with sharing, commenting, and asking questions.

 

• I chose Pinterest for this week’s visit, because I have been wanting to begin exploring the idea of pinning items on boards that will inspire my writing.

• I poked over my mostly empty existing boards (I’ve only been over their a few times in the year and a half I’ve been there).

• I created two new boards. One is for interiors, and only has two pictures, and the other is for outdoors, and has several.

• I will share these as part of my Trueborn Jotting weekly post.

• And, in “extra credit” news, I returned to pin more items, even though I had already fulfilled my obligation…since I am very imagery-oriented, these pins are inspiring my understanding of the environs of Aletris, my protagonist’s homeworld. Since settings have always been a weak area, for me, almost an afterthought, I see huge potential in these Pinterest boards!

 

 

Minor goals -

 

Continue visiting and interacting through Facebook and Twitter, especially via relevant groups, several times a week.

 

• As is typical, I have been to Facebook more than Twitter, but neither very much, as I have been rereading and writing more than interacting.

• I read a bit at Twitter,but no comments this session.

• I expect this to shift as I move into the next Ebb Tide, and begin craving input and interaction.

 

 

Claiming:

 

Poetry Book Project:

 

Major goal -

 

Complete a rough draft compilation, with dedication, introduction, and conclusion.

 

• I began this project late last fall, and had two poems and a task list.

• I have reformatted the poetry section, and the first 7 of 31 poems have been added to the Scrivener files.

• I’ve reread my task list, pinpointed two or three steps to focus on first, and begun to consider additions and revisions to it.

 

Owning My Perspective and Experiences:

 

Major goal –

 

At least once weekly, use expository writing time to explore memories, wounds, healing, perspective, or personal philosophy.

 

• I have done this once this week, as I explored the nature of my voluntary estrangement from my parents….much more to delve, there, but this is a beginning.

Minor goals -

Continue my eating and health goals from Round 4, 2012. Aim to get to the Y once alone, and once with the children, each week.

 

• I have managed to get to the Y tow Tuesdays in a row, on my own. Sleeping and waking schedules and car-sharing with Jim have made getting there with the kids trickier. A new car is on the priority list, though, so hopefully, before much longer, we’ll have more flexibility, so that I can make this an easier possibility for all of us.

• I am continuing to eat consciously, and to be more aware of my water intake.

• My energy level has fluctuated between High Tide and Slack Tide throughout this session.

 

Reclaiming Our Home:

 

Major goal –

Clean Annalise’s and Jeremiah’s bedrooms, creating spaces of welcome and haven for them, with room for their favorite things and activities.

 

• I have spent some time in Annalise’s room, which is my January focus; I have gotten about a third of the floor, excepting under her loft, roughly cleaned.

• Of the three areas I am focusing on this round, Annalise’s room is definitely the messiest, as well as the largest, and there is a long way to go before it is the happy space I want to gift her with. If I can’t finish before the end of the month, I will keep it as a minor focus until I do finish, while moving on to Jeremiah’s smaller and slightly less chaotic space.