JuneNoWriMo 2017 - It's Bustin' Out All Over

[mrsmig]

Last week was fairly busy - I ended up having to go on in one of the ensemble roles I understudy, with less than 45 minutes notice. Whenever I go on, it gives me an adrenaline "high" that lasts several hours after the curtain's come down - which translates to not sleeping. My sleep patterns were already screwy enough due to a late-night train trip home to DC, then a train back to NYC which got in late and caused me to really have to scramble to get my stuff moved out of my friend's apartment and back to my sublet. I'm settled back in now (and actually slept until nearly 11 this morning), so I think my internal clock is back to normal.

Input on Book #4 from all three betas is in and incorporated where appropriate, so that's done. I finished Raising Steam as well as another book (Erik Larson's Thunderstruck) and started a new one (Atomic Accidents, A History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters). Did no writing, and am still on the fence about whether to participate in the July Camp. As far as my social media push for the release of Book #1, I started creating some graphics to drop into my feeds on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on a once-a-week basis (one is posted below if you're curious). Still waiting to hear from the publisher regarding the pre-sale date for KINGLET, which will coincide with the release of its book trailer. Also still waiting for said publisher and my agent to wind up negotiations for Book #3. Book #2 comes out in early November, and the plan is for subsequent books to release every three to four months after that. It hit me this past week that if all goes as planned, the entire series will be available for purchase by winter of next year. This is a series that I started writing in fall 2009. My mind is slightly blown over the fact that nearly ten years of work can be on the shelves in a little more than a single year.


1. Incorporate beta feedback for Book #4 as needed - 3 out of 3 DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been
3. Read five books - 4 of 5
4. Finish reading "My Writing Day" essays from The Guardian series - DONE
5. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 1,511
6. Decide whether to participate in July Camp NaNo
7. Start planning my social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - in progress

[SKStark]

Okay, not to be spammy, but I made a Camp Cabin and a thread in this forum for anyone who wants to join me! Reppies if you're interested!

I am signed up for Camp but don't yet have a cabin. I'd like to join!

Not going to lie, I'm feeling somewhat intimidated by the whole camp/cabin thing and have no idea what to expect or do, other than try to write somewhat fast to meet a goal. I'm hoping it's more than that though, because I can write somewhat fast on my own. What I'd like it to try and improve on the "write GOOD" part.

[arikdiver]

This is a series that I started writing in fall 2009. My mind is slightly blown over the fact that nearly ten years of work can be on the shelves in a little more than a single year.

This is awesome. Congratulations. You've definitely earned some reps

[EMaree]

Writing
[6k] Write 10k of new WIP.
[3k] Write 10k of m/m project revision.
[10k] 30k total wordage.


Reading
[ ] Beta-read one book.
[x] Read three books.


Health
[x] Weigh-in at 145lbs.
[x] Hit -55lbs lost.


TV
[x] Catch-up with Steven Universe
[ ] Catch-up with Sense8
[x] Watch OITNB.

[mrsmig]

EMaree, you are killing those goals (congratulations especially on the weight loss - jealous as I've got a few excess pounds I'd like to shed myself)!

[mrsmig]

This is awesome. Congratulations. You've definitely earned some reps

Thanks. It just doesn't seem possible (and if I don't get cracking on Book 5, it won't be ).

[bdwilson]

I am not doing a good job this month

[ ] Clean my office.
[ ] Make some webpage updates.
[ ] Finish short story.
[x] Pick July Camp NaNo Project.

Constant Goals:
[ ] Changing sleep cycle.
[24] Write 1K words a day (for 52 weeks).

[SKStark]

I'm in the same boat, bdwilson. This month is proving very difficult to stay on top of for me, too.

My job is currently trying to crush me slowly under an ever-growing pile of ridiculously complicated projects for clients whom I can't even be cathartically annoyed with because they're so dang nice.

My progress:
1. One blog post per week (4 total)
So far . . . still 2 (I haven't done one this week yet)
2. Write 17K words on my current WIP (this is a weird number, but many maths went into it)
So far . . . 10,800 (And about 1K of that is a rewrite because I got completely lost at my second plot point)
3. Finish reading Self-Editing for Fiction Writers
So far . . . I've read another 1/2 a chapter. On the plus side, though, I've nearly finished The Protector's War . . .
4. Start reading Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint by Nancy Kress once I finish #3
Don't see this happening. Sigh.

[SianaBlackwood]

Last night I wrote a sort of vague outline/synopsis for two projects that have been paused for the past several years. I was surprised to find that in the intervening time I'd figured out a lot more of the plot than I thought. One of them is only missing an ending and just after finishing the other I finally spotted the gaping hole in the plot. It turned out to be my biggest weakness: I had no answer to the question "Why this character?"

So now if I can't figure out how to get myself unstuck in the current project before July 1, at least I could probably switch to one of these two for Camp NaNo and get some writing done. Progress on something else is better than doing nothing at all, right?

[travelgal]

Curious about July Camp, but I'll be off to London, at Wimbledon and watching the tennis, doing corrective pilates and travelling, so no regular access to a computer for two months. I don't lug my laptop all over the galaxy.

Alpha crit beginning of novel for my beta
-done.

Submit query letter to Beta Project 2017
-done today.

Submit it to query letter hell
-working up the guts. I had never subbed anything to AW before, so I expect to be slaughtered.

Correct exams-sigh. Just started.

Put up grades-already students are so screwed because of the bell-curve system. One student is getting a C+ when she ought to be getting a B+. Not happy!

Deal with complaining students-pending. What a nightmare that will be.

Pack for London-pending.

Obtain betas for LEGION-one down, two to go.

Crit stuff on here-yep, some.

Cut down a bunch of words from the 1979-80 historical, which may of may not be YA. Change title from 'D-Grade Person' to 'Defective', perhaps.
Not doing so well-I keep thinking up subplots, now it's at 93k! A YA is supposed to be about 80k, yeah? Thing is, it's got important adult characters, such as gangsters, ex-CIA agents, and her parents. Yeah, I need a beta for this one, too.

Drum up enthusiasm for writing a fantasy set thousands of years into the future on a one-time colony world. A king purges the planet so he can annex it in order to prepare for the invasion of the sky people (Earthlings), who would bring with them pestilence (don't all colonists?) and dragons. Thing is, it's not so much about war and court intrigue, it's a family drama set in the small town from whence he came (he's monarch of a foreign kingdom he had left town for when he was fifteen).

Haha, writing that down might help come query time.

Finish my Federer drawing.

[mrsmig]

Hang in there, folks. We're in the mid-month crush when it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Do what you can do and remember: it's summertime! Enjoy it while you can.

[bdwilson]

I'm in the same boat, bdwilson. This month is proving very difficult to stay on top of for me, too.

My job is currently trying to crush me slowly under an ever-growing pile of ridiculously complicated projects for clients whom I can't even be cathartically annoyed with because they're so dang nice.

*LOL* That's always more difficult. Hopefully things clear up soon

[heykatydid]

A somewhat late check-in, though most of my progress was derailed due to unforeseen life events:

1. [5k] Write 15k more in book #2
2. [done, plus 1.5k written] Complete the full outline for my newest plot bunny, a dark fantasy novel

Doubtful that I will get another 10k written before July, but I did finish two chapters and got them sent out to my alpha readers, so that's something positive at least. Good luck in the last 10 days, everyone!

[travelgal]

A somewhat late check-in, though most of my progress was derailed due to unforeseen life events:

1. [5k] Write 15k more in book #2
2. [done, plus 1.5k written] Complete the full outline for my newest plot bunny, a dark fantasy novel

Doubtful that I will get another 10k written before July, but I did finish two chapters and got them sent out to my alpha readers, so that's something positive at least. Good luck in the last 10 days, everyone!

Hope the life events aren't too serious.

Won't be subbing to QLH for LEGION. My beta got back to me, and she was excellent and tore my MS to pieces. I shall either rewrite it from scratch or trash it.

Maybe I'll need alpha readers for D-Grade Person instead of betas, since it's still a WIP.

[mrsmig]

Keep pushing forward, folks - the last week of June is just ahead!

My week was busy - we were rehearsing a replacement cast member which meant my time was limited, but I still got a bit done. I'm still reading Atomic Accidents, A History of Nuclear Meltdowns and Disasters, which is long and dense and complicated and yet weirdly funny (the author has a great, dry sense of humor). Got a bit of writing done. Still on the fence about the July Camp. No progress on the "explore NYC" goal, although I might go do something on Monday if I don't have an audition (waiting to hear about that). Still waiting on my publisher for that damn pre-sale date, but I did another little social media push this week for Book #1 and picked up another couple of Twitter followers - for what that's worth.

Heading home to DC for another quick visit next weekend since we don't have a show on Tuesday the 4th of July. This will entail a very early morning train trip back to NYC on Wednesday (like 4 AM, since we have a 2 PM matinee that day and I have to be in town early just in case I have to go on). Looking forward to spending Independence Day at home and grilling a bunch of meat.

And at the moment I'm drinking a lovely glass of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, in anticipation of this week being over soon.


1. Incorporate beta feedback for Book #4 as needed - 3 out of 3 DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been
3. Read five books - 4 of 5
4. Finish reading "My Writing Day" essays from The Guardian series - DONE
5. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,160
6. Decide whether to participate in July Camp NaNo
7. Start planning my social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - in progress