Category: Weekly Writing Check In

Weekly writing check-in: the one with more fairy tales and Girl Scout cookies

It was a week of Girl Scout cookies and fairy tales and print layout for Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. And that’s about it.

I’ve been doing some world building, but I prefer to write stories along with that, or really, as part of the world building. Because sometimes you have to walk in your world to see whether or not it works.

I’m hoping to finish How Goldie Lost Her Locks this week and move onto An Army of Toads. Then I’ll take a look at a novella I wrote last year with an eye to expanding it (and really, it’s this story that started this particular journey).

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing ~ 5,100 words!
  • Print layout, Coffee & Ghosts

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the bundle of ghosts

So, this week, I released the bundle of season three of Coffee & Ghosts, because some people like their coffee and ghosts all in one place. I’m still doing the print layout for it, but that should be ready in a week or two.

And … I started in on a new story. For now I’m calling it How Goldie Lost Her Locks, and it’s about how … Goldie lost her locks. I’m also outlining another one that I think I’ll call An Army of Toads. And if you’re thinking to yourself: hm, those sound like reimaged fairy tales, you might be right.

Otherwise, I filled the week helping my daughter with her Girl Scout cookie sales … lots and lots of cookies sales and lots and lots of cookies.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing ~ 5,000 words!

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

ghost-series-3Coffee & Ghosts 3: The Complete Third Season is now available for those of you who like your coffee & ghosts in one place.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the final project

now-and-later_6x9

This week I completed the final project for my design class, which you can see on the left. I also managed to finish Story Genius and get a little draft writing in. But mostly? Mostly I worked on my final project.

Now that the class is over, I hope to shift priorities a bit and get more writing done. I’m still researching and world-building, but I’m at the point where I can work on the actual story part of it.

This always feels a little shaky. Brand new words in a brand new project, especially after working on Coffee & Ghosts for more than a year. I have to shift gears and remind myself that we all start with a blank page. The first step is to fill it with something.

So, that’s the goal for this coming week!

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing
  • Story Genius — Done!
  • Graphic design class — Done!

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the roller derby–again

derbySo! I took my Girl Scout troop to the roller derby once again. And you know what that means. This will be a very short entry.

I. Am. Tired.

Even so, I turned in my graphic design homework and made progress on the new series. And that’s about it, for this week and this post.

I’m off for some post-roller derby recovery time.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Story Genius
  • Graphic design class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the reading challenge

This week looks a lot like last week. I’m still in class, working on a new series (or so I hope), and reading/researching. I’m also hoping to start in on a reading challenge this year. I haven’t done one for a while, but War Through the Generations is hosting a stress-free World War II reading challenge this year. Check out their read-along books as well. I’ve been meaning to read All the Light We Cannot See, which is up first in March.

So? Join me? I’ll start doing mini-reviews again once I log a few books for the challenge.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Story Genius
  • Graphic design class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: graphics, ghosts, and fairy tales

shutterstock_332682269Another morning working on my graphic design class. I think I have my assignment done. We’ll see. I’ve been doing a lot of reading for the new series. We’ll see about that as well. Right now it’s sort of a big swirl of ideas and not much else.

In other news, I sold audio rights to Straying from the Path (send out your reprints–really, why aren’t you sending out your reprints?), and it’s the last few days for the 99 cent Coffee & Ghosts sale.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Story Genius
  • Graphic design class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

Publications:

Weekly writing check-in: the one where I’m running late

So, I spent the morning on my graphic design homework, and I’m just now getting around to my check in. This week? Yeah, started a graphic design course. I’m also working on the researching/planning/structuring my new story/series idea. Doing some craft work and some print formatting.

Not an exciting week with submissions and rejections and stories published, but it was one of those weeks that you need so there can be submissions and rejections (and maybe acceptances) and stories published.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Story Genius
  • Graphic design class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with 99 cent ghosts

So I worked on building the bundle for Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. I hope to put it up for pre-sale soon. It won’t go on sale until the print version is ready. That’s next on the list. And if you’re curious about Coffee & Ghosts, this is the week to give it a try. The first season is currently on sale for 99 cents.

Otherwise, a little craft work, some research reading, and planning a new series. I also worked through some additional Photoshop tutorials in anticipation of a graphic design class I start this week.

So! 2017! Off to a productive start.

Writing Work:

Submissions:

  • Three reprints

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Coffee and Ghost mockupNone, but Coffee and Ghosts, The Complete First Season is on sale for 99 cents! If you’re new to Coffee and Ghosts, this is a low-risk way to try the series.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the new year, new story, and new ghosts

nothing-but-the-ghosts

I have one more story to add to last week’s list. In a Manner of Speaking was up on Escape Pod on December 29th. While I didn’t realize it at the time, looking back, I can tell this story is a tribute to Doctor Who. So, if you like Doctor Who, especially the sadder episodes, you might enjoy this story as well.

Also, today is release day for Nothing but the Ghosts. You can read more about that in my post here.

I looked at my word count for the year, and I wrote ~160,000 words, most of those in Coffee & Ghosts. Most of the year was dedicated to Coffee & Ghosts. I wrote four episodes (each novella length) and published five, along with the bundles for each season.

As for the rest of the word count, it ended up in some short stories, some playing around, and the start of what I hope will be a new series in 2017.

Writing Work:

Submissions:

  • Lucky

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Two!

In a Manner of Speaking in audio on Escape Pod. The text is there, too, for those who prefer to read.

And, of course, Episode Three of Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. Nothing but the Ghosts went live this morning.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the very merry

So, it looks like our Christmas will be gray and icy. But that makes it the perfect day for some coffee and books (and ghosts, too–don’t forget the ghosts).

I didn’t do a whole lot this week. I did attend a craft class (online) and did some more reading/researching. I also took a look at some of the things I accomplished this year.

First up! Short stories. I sent out fifty submissions or so this year (I may have missed logging one or two–it happens). I sold five and had five published.

2016 short stories:

Ghost in the Coffee Machine at The Drabblecast (Coffee and Ghosts in audio! With music and sound effects!)

Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream at Easy Street Magazine

Gretel and Hansel in Deep Magic, August issue

With Hair of Teeth and Claw in The Shapeshifter Chronicles

The Bargain in  issue #2 of Spirit’s Tincture

Next week, I’ll look at what I published on my own and my word count for the year.

Merry Christmas to all who celebrate!

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Truby craft class

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None