Category: Weekly Writing Check In

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a word-count milestone

My news this week? I hit a milestone. So far this year I’ve written 250,278 words! Yes. I know. I have no idea how I did it either.

Well, actually, I do. But the nuts and bolts of it are pretty boring. There’s no magic formula, no silver bullet. It’s a lot like exercise. You do a little bit every day and that little bit adds up. Not sexy in the least. But that’s all I have.

But if you’d like a bit more inspiration, I highly recommend Ray Bradbury’s Zen in the Art of Writing. That’s really where this all started.

Also? It’s snowing on WordPress. I love that.

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 7,805 words (those last five words are very important)

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one at the end of November

More proofing this week, revising, and other whatnot. Even so, I managed to eke out 3,200 words. I mentioned at the start of the month that I wanted to do the equivalent of National Novel Writing Month, or 50,000 words. I ended up with 30,000, which considering I switched gears and did a few other things during this month, isn’t too bad.

Switching gears like … organizing a promotion for The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet (see links below). Between now and December 14th, I’m having a 99 cent sale on the electronic version. Or! If you buy the paperback via Amazon, you can get the Kindle version for free.

So? November? You didn’t turn out too shabby at all. I think I’ll keep you.

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 3,200 words
  • Revising, editing, proofing, oh my!

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

None, but! The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet is now on sale! If you buy the print version via Amazon, you can get the Kindle version for free. Just in time for the holidays. Buy early, buy often.

Print, Kindle, Nook, iBooks, Kobo

Keeping Quiet

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a character named Macro

 

So, I was working on a story this week with a character name Marco. Only one problem. About every other time I used his name, I spelled it Macro. Did I see this mistake? No. But when I reviewed the story with text-to-speech? Oh, but did I hear it.

Every time I think: oh, this manuscript is pretty clean, I can skip the text-to-speech, I find something. So now, even though it takes time, I run everything through either a program on my PC or send it to my Kindle.

So … that’s my writing tip for the week. If you don’t have text-to-speech, you can always do it the old-fashioned way and read your story out loud.

In writing news, not as many words this week, but I did get some. I spent a lot of time with the revising, editing, and listening tasks–and ridding my story of a character named Macro.

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 3,300 words
  • Revising, editing, proofing, oh my!

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a stretch goal

ProudtobeVol3

Oh, but it’s cold out there, what we call real writing weather. Because what else are you going to do but stay inside and write? (Or read–that’s acceptable.)

My submission tracker is looking mighty thin these days. That being said, I have made fifty submissions so far this year, so that’s not exactly slacking. As I mentioned in last week’s post, I concentrating more on longer works or ones that don’t quite fit with the short story market, and I will find other ways to send them off into the world.

Still, I’d love to get a few more submissions out this year, and I have a couple of stories that need a once-over before I send them out the door.

In other news, Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors, Volume 3 is out. It’s in paperback only. I wish they’d publish an electronic version as well (I bet they’d sell more copies that way).

Looking at my writing this week, I realized that I’m 14,000 words away from 250,000 words written this year. New goal! Dare I add a stretch goal of 300,000 words? Maybe … maybe I will.

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 8,500 words

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Abandonment Issues

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Weekly writing check-in: the one with an upcoming charity drive challenge

14poster_lowresIt was one of those weeks where, when I sat down to write this check-in, I had to think to myself:

Did I get a rejection this week?

Maybe I did.

As it turns out, I didn’t. But I had to check. This is the beauty part about keeping your head down and writing and submitting–you end up forgetting about the rejections. Really. I mean it. True, I haven’t submitted as much this year, mainly because I’m writing longer works that aren’t suitable for the short story market.

I do have a couple of things I’d like to get out before the end of the year. Then, of course, finish up my Coffee & Ghosts serial.

So many stories. Not enough time.

Be sure to stop back on Tuesday. I’m taking part in a charity drive challenge (more details below).

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 7,900 words

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

None, but! Stay tuned. On November 11th (Veterans’ Day), I will be participating in the Veteran’s Day 2014: Gone, but Not Forgotten! charity drive challenge.

I will be donating all royalties from The Fine Art of Keeping Quiet (print, e-book, audio) to Veterans in the Arts, a local organization that helps veterans to express themselves in a variety of art forms through a progressive program of supportive instruction and collaboration.

Stop back on Tuesday for links (because I don’t want you to buy anything now, naturally). Or bookmark Veteran’s Day 2014: Gone, but Not Forgotten! for even more books to buy and organizations to support.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a shopping trip

A short check-in this week. In a bit, my daughter and I are off for a “back-to-school” shopping trip. What? School started two months ago? Well, better late than never. This way, we’re hoping all the nice sweaters and jeans will be on sale.

One submission this week, one rejection, and more than 6,000 words. And that’s about it. Good luck to all my writing friends who are doing National Novel Writing Month. I’ll be writing as well, but they don’t have National Serial Writing  Month. So I guess I’ll just tackle that one on my own.

Writing Work:

  • Writing ~ 6,600 words

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Rejections:

  • March Madness

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a best of anthology

It was a busy week, but I managed to squeeze in 6,000 words, on various things. I also received a surprise email this week. My vignette, Playing Soldier, which appeared in issue #9 of Vine Leaves Literary Journal, was selected to be part of The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2014. Am I pretty excited about this? Well, yes. Yes, I am.

Lots of writers are talking about National Novel Writing Month, what with November right around the corner. I’m not going to join that, but I would love to reach 50,000 words in November, on various projects. I’d love to finish the Coffee & Ghosts serial, and I think there might be a novella kicking around in my subconscious, although I’m not 100% certain about that.

Writing Work:

  • Coffee & Ghosts series bible, more or less done
  • Miscellaneous writing ~ 6,000 words

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with a series bible

Oh, yes. A series bible for the Coffee & Ghosts series? (And yes, do you admire my unbelievably creative name for the series?) Absolutely a good idea. I found a few places where I will need to adjust either this story or that, figure out where–exactly–one of the characters lives, and so on.

It was also one of those weeks where I had a bunch of random story ideas pop up in my head, so I jotted a few of them down, and now I’m wondering how to steal a bit more time to write all the things.

Speaking of stealing time: Just a Matter of Time will have a free run on Amazon starting tomorrow. Five days! Grab it for free while you can and all that.

Writing Work:

  • Coffee & Ghosts series bible
  • Story brainstorming: many ideas, not nearly enough time. Must. Type. Faster.

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None, but! Upcoming promo! Starting Monday and lasting for five days, you can grab a copy of Just a Matter of Time on Kindle for free.

Time

Weekly writing check-in: the one with another novelette

shutterstock_54282940So, I finished The Ghost Whisperer this week. Apparently I enjoy writing novelettes, since this one came in at ~11,000 words. A sequel to a sequel? A trilogy? Um, no. I think there will be five shorter stories that make up a longer one. I am trying to make each story stand on its own while also working on a larger story arc.

I’m enjoying the challenge of this. Will something come of it? Who knows. But before I write the other two stories, I need one thing: a series bible. Names, places, eye color, that sort of thing. Walk-on characters are acquiring traits and becoming full-fledged supporting characters. I need a way to keep track of everything.

Writing Work:

  • The Ghost Whisperer ~ 6,000 words, for a total of 11,790

Submissions:

  • Abandonment Issues

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with even more audio

Even more audio this week! The Girl with the Piccolo (first published at Kazka Press) is now in an audio podcast over at Cast of Wonders. Go have a listen, if you’re so inclined.

In amazing news of the amazing variety, I have once again fooled someone into publishing my poetry. I know. No one is more surprised than I am. The poem will be included in Proud to Be: Writing by American Warriors, volume 3. I had a poem in volume 2, so this is extra nice.

I also received two rejections this week. Actually, it was three. One of the journals is using an automated system. So, I received a rejection on Monday, and then again, for the same submission, on Thursday. It was either a glitch or they wanted to make absolutely certain. Either way, it made me laugh.

And I’m working up another “episode” in my Ghost series. The only thing I didn’t do was submit something, which I should do, soon. My submission tracker is looking mighty thin.

Writing Work:

  • The Ghost Whisperer ~ 5,700 words

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • The Patron Saint of Lost Things
  • Knight in the Royal Arms

Acceptances:

  • The Boys’ Club (poetry)

Publications: