JulyNoWriMo 2017 - Come Sit By the Campfire (or Not)
- Thread starter mrsmig
- Start date
- Status
Things are looking up!
Writing
[4.5k] 10k total wordage.
Reading
Read three books:
[x] Finish Chasing Embers
[x] Finish Obelisk Gate
[50%!] Read Small Angry Planet
Health
[almost!] Weigh-in at sub-140lbs.
[ ] Hit -60lbs lost.
TV/Movies
[x] Watch Stranger Things
[x] Watch Hidden Figures
Writing
[4.5k] 10k total wordage.
Reading
Read three books:
[x] Finish Chasing Embers
[x] Finish Obelisk Gate
[50%!] Read Small Angry Planet
Health
[almost!] Weigh-in at sub-140lbs.
[ ] Hit -60lbs lost.
TV/Movies
[x] Watch Stranger Things
[x] Watch Hidden Figures
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2009
- Messages
- 724
- Reaction score
- 105
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
- Website
- www.bdwilson.ca
Weekly check-in!
[-] Clean my office.
Constant Goals:
[ ] Changing sleep cycle; focus on night.
[-] Clean my office.
Made progress of a sort here. One of my tasks was to go through a junk box of things I need to decide whether or not to keep. I emptied the box and decided to keep a handful of things so far. Which means there's been progress, but also that I've pretty much dumped the box on the floor, so it kind of feels like a step backwards 
[-] Finish the edit and format of the manual.Major progress! I've finished the text review. Now I need to make sure the changes are made, finish the formatting, and finish the covers. Hopefully those are each smaller tasks than this last one.
[ ] Finish short story.Haven't done anything here yet, but was reminded the "in August" deadline is actually August 1st, so I need to get on this.
[17] Camp NaNo (hit daily goal for 31 days)Adjusting the middle part for changes made to the first part, but I think I've got some of it sorted.
Constant Goals:
[ ] Changing sleep cycle; focus on night.
Did a bit better. Still not getting off the computer by 9:30, but I am usually managing around 10.
[28] Write 1K words a day (for 52 weeks).
My DUDEBROS! 
I finished a wunderbar anime and I am now supes happified!! But I also have a little bit of a sad because it's over now... :') I also wrote something comparable to a short story for a contest for Canadians that I think I have a chance at this time. It's free to enter, so heck it! I'mma try! I had to switch my Camp goal from Words to Hours, tho, bc like, I'm not making very many words rn.... :/
[ ] Re-plot the whole end section of my three part Cerberus Club Official Trilogy of one story (trust me, it needs it!).
I'm starting to wonder if plotting is really for me at this point....
[ ] Make a retro-active scene-list for the whole of my first part (again, necessary!).
Almost there! I can taste sweet organisation!
[ ] Read, beta, review, consume at least one entire story that isn't an anime! D:
Workin' workin' workin' workin' workin' on it!
[x] Also watch some animes though, because, like, I can, and stuff!
I watched "Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]" and it put joy into my soul and stuff!
I finished a wunderbar anime and I am now supes happified!! But I also have a little bit of a sad because it's over now... :') I also wrote something comparable to a short story for a contest for Canadians that I think I have a chance at this time. It's free to enter, so heck it! I'mma try! I had to switch my Camp goal from Words to Hours, tho, bc like, I'm not making very many words rn.... :/[ ] Re-plot the whole end section of my three part Cerberus Club Official Trilogy of one story (trust me, it needs it!).
I'm starting to wonder if plotting is really for me at this point....
[ ] Make a retro-active scene-list for the whole of my first part (again, necessary!).
Almost there! I can taste sweet organisation!
[ ] Read, beta, review, consume at least one entire story that isn't an anime! D:
Workin' workin' workin' workin' workin' on it!
[x] Also watch some animes though, because, like, I can, and stuff!
I watched "Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works]" and it put joy into my soul and stuff!
Been a bit unwell and am continuing to be a bit unwell so writing has been rather meh. Today is meant to be a writing day, but I'm not sure how well that's going to pan out. I'm stalled out on the second chapter. I have done a few little bits of the WIP, and game planning is... well, I am doing some game stuff. It's not actually helpful for next session prep, but it is game stuff!
I did pretty badly with Hugo reading in the end. I did read Every Heart a Doorway and was going to read more novellas, but opening one crashed my tablet. I decided the world wanted me to zombie and stare out the window on the train instead. Even now I'm going round picking up books, going nope, and putting them down again. Did read Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty the other day; yay for old childhood favourites.
1. Edit four chapters. 1/4
2. Get back into WIP. Looking likely.
3. Game planning. Yes. Still need more.
4. Read five books. 2/5
5. Min 500 words or 2 pages edited per day (with the exception of my short holiday at the start of the month). So far!
I did pretty badly with Hugo reading in the end. I did read Every Heart a Doorway and was going to read more novellas, but opening one crashed my tablet. I decided the world wanted me to zombie and stare out the window on the train instead. Even now I'm going round picking up books, going nope, and putting them down again. Did read Feeling Sorry for Celia by Jaclyn Moriarty the other day; yay for old childhood favourites.
1. Edit four chapters. 1/4
2. Get back into WIP. Looking likely.
3. Game planning. Yes. Still need more.
4. Read five books. 2/5
5. Min 500 words or 2 pages edited per day (with the exception of my short holiday at the start of the month). So far!
Writing
[x] 10k total wordage. (11k, let's keep it up!)
[ ] NEW: 15k total wordage
Reading
Read three books:
[x] Finish Chasing Embers
[x] Finish Obelisk Gate
[x] Read Small Angry Planet
[ ] NEW: Finish 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'
Health
[almost!] Weigh-in at sub-140lbs.
[ ] Hit -60lbs lost.
TV/Movies
[x] Watch Stranger Things
[x] Watch Hidden Figures
[x] 10k total wordage. (11k, let's keep it up!)
[ ] NEW: 15k total wordage
Reading
Read three books:
[x] Finish Chasing Embers
[x] Finish Obelisk Gate
[x] Read Small Angry Planet
[ ] NEW: Finish 'How to Win Friends and Influence People'
Health
[almost!] Weigh-in at sub-140lbs.
[ ] Hit -60lbs lost.
TV/Movies
[x] Watch Stranger Things
[x] Watch Hidden Figures
SQUEEEEEEE! My debut novel KINGLET is the featured book at the top of the AW forum index page! I feel like a realio, trulio author now!
Not a lot of time spent writing this week, although I did peck at the m/s a bit (about 400 words worth - not much but that's more than the nothing I've written thus far this month). Lots of work on the promo front; I did a bunch of excerpt-y things for the publisher's website, and I've got a handful of blog tour post to write before KINGLET's release 8/1.
Still reading like a fiend. I finished THE CATCHER IN THE RYE (didn't care for it), BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (about the hiker who got trapped in a desolate canyon in 2003 and amputated his own arm in order to escape), Kipling's THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, Donna Tartt's THE LITTLE FRIEND and just started Maxine Hong Kingston's THE WOMAN WARRIOR. That's one area, at least, where I'm exceeding my goal.
1. Write back cover blurb and fill out other various publisher forms for Book #3 - DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been - 1 of 2
3. Read five books - 7 of 5 DONE
4. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,822
5. Continue social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - in progress
6. Do social media blast for publisher acquisition of Book #3 - DONE
Not a lot of time spent writing this week, although I did peck at the m/s a bit (about 400 words worth - not much but that's more than the nothing I've written thus far this month). Lots of work on the promo front; I did a bunch of excerpt-y things for the publisher's website, and I've got a handful of blog tour post to write before KINGLET's release 8/1.
Still reading like a fiend. I finished THE CATCHER IN THE RYE (didn't care for it), BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (about the hiker who got trapped in a desolate canyon in 2003 and amputated his own arm in order to escape), Kipling's THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, Donna Tartt's THE LITTLE FRIEND and just started Maxine Hong Kingston's THE WOMAN WARRIOR. That's one area, at least, where I'm exceeding my goal.
1. Write back cover blurb and fill out other various publisher forms for Book #3 - DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been - 1 of 2
3. Read five books - 7 of 5 DONE
4. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,822
5. Continue social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - in progress
6. Do social media blast for publisher acquisition of Book #3 - DONE
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2009
- Messages
- 724
- Reaction score
- 105
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
- Website
- www.bdwilson.ca
Congratulations! That's fantastic to see
All right, check-in for this week.
Weekly check-in!
[-] Clean my office.
No additional progress. Alas.
[-] Finish the edit and format of the manual.Changes are made and much of the formatting is done..
[-] Finish short story.Sorted out the outline, now I just need to wrangle the existing content and finish up anything that isn't covered yet.
[24] Camp NaNo (hit daily goal for 31 days)This is going rather well. The full draft will carry over into September, but I'm pretty sure I'll hit my camp goal.
Constant Goals:
[ ] Changing sleep cycle; focus on night.
Still holding at around ten, most nights.
[29] Write 1K words a day (for 52 weeks).
I submitted a short story today and it has now been submitted and the mission has been subbed. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHhhhhhh!
[--] Re-plot the whole end section of my three part Cerberus Club Official Trilogy of one story (trust me, it needs it!).
Poo upon plots, I'm pantsing this thang!!
[X] Make a retro-active scene-list for the whole of my first part (again, necessary!).
This has been accomplished and therefore I am awesome!!
[ ] Read, beta, review, consume at least one entire story that isn't an anime! D:
Workin' workin' workin' workin' workin' on it! --> Still workin' on it!
[XvX] Also watch some animes though, because, like, I can, and stuff!
I done done DONE dis ting! I took a break and then watched some super cute animovies and now I'm back at it with PSYCHO-PASS, which is PSYCHEDELIC!! (and also mildly terrifying)
[--] Re-plot the whole end section of my three part Cerberus Club Official Trilogy of one story (trust me, it needs it!).
Poo upon plots, I'm pantsing this thang!!
[X] Make a retro-active scene-list for the whole of my first part (again, necessary!).
This has been accomplished and therefore I am awesome!!
[ ] Read, beta, review, consume at least one entire story that isn't an anime! D:
Workin' workin' workin' workin' workin' on it! --> Still workin' on it!
[XvX] Also watch some animes though, because, like, I can, and stuff!
I done done DONE dis ting! I took a break and then watched some super cute animovies and now I'm back at it with PSYCHO-PASS, which is PSYCHEDELIC!! (and also mildly terrifying
)
It's the end of the last full week of July, with month's end right behind it. I've spent most of the month writing guest blog posts and the like for KINGLET's release next Tuesday, and my brain is pretty much fried. I also had a niece visiting for the past couple of days, so I've spent most of my time escorting her around town.
The niece's visit did get me out to a new-to-me NYC spot: the Natural History Museum, which was batshit with tourists but not unpleasant. So that's another goal met for the month. I finished THE WOMAN WARRIOR (didn't care for it, although I appreciated the writing) and started STATION ELEVEN, which I'm liking a lot and will probably finish by Monday. No words written on the current m/s...sigh. It looks like that will be the only goal area where I fall short this month, unless I have an unprecedented shot of inspiration/activity in the next three days.
1. Write back cover blurb and fill out other various publisher forms for Book #3 - DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been - 2 of 2 - DONE
3. Read five books - 8 of 5 DONE
4. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,822
5. Continue social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - in progress
6. Do social media blast for publisher acquisition of Book #3 - DONE
The niece's visit did get me out to a new-to-me NYC spot: the Natural History Museum, which was batshit with tourists but not unpleasant. So that's another goal met for the month. I finished THE WOMAN WARRIOR (didn't care for it, although I appreciated the writing) and started STATION ELEVEN, which I'm liking a lot and will probably finish by Monday. No words written on the current m/s...sigh. It looks like that will be the only goal area where I fall short this month, unless I have an unprecedented shot of inspiration/activity in the next three days.
1. Write back cover blurb and fill out other various publisher forms for Book #3 - DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been - 2 of 2 - DONE
3. Read five books - 8 of 5 DONE
4. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,822
5. Continue social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - in progress
6. Do social media blast for publisher acquisition of Book #3 - DONE
- Joined
- Mar 24, 2009
- Messages
- 724
- Reaction score
- 105
- Location
- Alberta, Canada
- Website
- www.bdwilson.ca
Might as well do my end of the month check-in now
[-] Clean my office.Finish the edit and format of the manual.Finish short story.
This has to be done tonight, so I'll probably come back and edit later. Edit: Ha ha ha! Done![31] Camp NaNo (hit daily goal for 31 days)
Technically, I still have about 300 words to hit my goal for today, but I'll make it. (Edit: Made it!) Also, I already hit my total camp goal, so I'm okay on this one.
Constant Goals:
[ ] Changing sleep cycle; focus on night.
[-] Clean my office.
Some minor progress, still on going.
[-] Just need to finish up the formatting.
[X] Constant Goals:
[ ] Changing sleep cycle; focus on night.
More work required.
[30] Write 1K words a day (for 52 weeks).
Last edited:
Teetering on the cusp of August...
Finished STATION ELEVEN and started on MEMOIRS OF A POLAR BEAR by Yoko Tawada, which I may finish by midnight (or I may not). In any case, safe to say I crushed the reading goal for the month.
I spent most of today working on virtual blog tour posts for KINGLET's release tomorrow. Technically I still have one left to write, but I'm beat and fresh out of inspiration at the moment, so I'm enjoying a cookie and a glass of Prosecco in anticipating of the book's release at midnight. Downside: my copies of the paperback version have been delayed in shipping, so I may not have them in hand for tomorrow. Upside: I have a bottle of very good champagne to celebrate the release and will slip up to the roof of the theatre tomorrow and share it with my two best friends during the second act.
No further progress on Book 5 but under the circumstances I'm cutting myself some slack...
1. Write back cover blurb and fill out other various publisher forms for Book #3 - DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been - 2 of 2 - DONE
3. Read five books - 9 of 5 DONE
4. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,822
5. Continue social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - DONE
6. Do social media blast for publisher acquisition of Book #3 - DONE
For those fighting their way to the finish line for Camp - GO GO GO! Whether you win or not, you're still winners to me!
I'm off to start next month's thread. See you in August!
Finished STATION ELEVEN and started on MEMOIRS OF A POLAR BEAR by Yoko Tawada, which I may finish by midnight (or I may not). In any case, safe to say I crushed the reading goal for the month.
I spent most of today working on virtual blog tour posts for KINGLET's release tomorrow. Technically I still have one left to write, but I'm beat and fresh out of inspiration at the moment, so I'm enjoying a cookie and a glass of Prosecco in anticipating of the book's release at midnight. Downside: my copies of the paperback version have been delayed in shipping, so I may not have them in hand for tomorrow. Upside: I have a bottle of very good champagne to celebrate the release and will slip up to the roof of the theatre tomorrow and share it with my two best friends during the second act.
No further progress on Book 5 but under the circumstances I'm cutting myself some slack...
1. Write back cover blurb and fill out other various publisher forms for Book #3 - DONE
2. Explore NYC with at least two more jaunts to places I've never been - 2 of 2 - DONE
3. Read five books - 9 of 5 DONE
4. Get at least 10k words written on rough draft of Book #5 - currently 2,822
5. Continue social media push for the release of Book #1 in August - DONE
6. Do social media blast for publisher acquisition of Book #3 - DONE
For those fighting their way to the finish line for Camp - GO GO GO! Whether you win or not, you're still winners to me!
I'm off to start next month's thread. See you in August!
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Pretty poor month for me, all up. Yes, I've been unwell and I've had laptop issues, but no excuse really. Doesn't help that at the moment I feel, as much as I enjoy writing it, I'm just bad at short fiction, especially flash. And if I'm bad at short stuff, I'm probably bad at long stuff *gloomy* Finished the second chapter, but only made a little bit of progress on the third and didn't get anywhere near the fourth. Did get a little bit into WIP. Not as much as could have hoped, but as it's mostly written during my work lunch breaks, and see laptop issues, that is actually a legitimate excuse there.
Reading... yeah, I hear I used to do that, when I was young >> Oh, I did read A Wrinkle in Time again. The movie trailer put me in the mood. When I first saw the trailer, I thought wow, they've included lots of actiony stuff not in the book. After rereading I think wow, they had to really cut down on the scary actiony stuff in the book and adapt the rest. There is a lot of 'terrifying fall through blackness without being able to feel anything' in the book. Wouldn't work so well in a movie, I guess. Have to fall towards the ground instead.
At least my game planning went well?
1. Edit four chapters. 2/4
2. Get back into WIP. Kind of. Good enough.
3. Game planning. Yes.
4. Read five books. 3/5
5. Min 500 words or 2 pages edited per day (with the exception of my short holiday at the start of the month). Yes.
Reading... yeah, I hear I used to do that, when I was young >> Oh, I did read A Wrinkle in Time again. The movie trailer put me in the mood. When I first saw the trailer, I thought wow, they've included lots of actiony stuff not in the book. After rereading I think wow, they had to really cut down on the scary actiony stuff in the book and adapt the rest. There is a lot of 'terrifying fall through blackness without being able to feel anything' in the book. Wouldn't work so well in a movie, I guess. Have to fall towards the ground instead.
At least my game planning went well?
1. Edit four chapters. 2/4
2. Get back into WIP. Kind of. Good enough.
3. Game planning. Yes.
4. Read five books. 3/5
5. Min 500 words or 2 pages edited per day (with the exception of my short holiday at the start of the month). Yes.
Dunno if I agree with you about the short stuff/long stuff corollary. I have trouble with short fiction and my flash is crap. All we can do is keep flailing away at it in hopes we'll get better.
Final results for July:
[*] Write 15k of 'The Nightmare Box' for Camp NaNo. Final wordcount was 15,692 words which also got me to 40k in the story.
[X] Read 4 books (1 classic/literary, 1 nonfiction, 1 short story collection, 1 free choice). I have a classic and a nonfiction in progress, but didn't manage to find time to finish them. Read a short story collection and a couple of not-that-great urban fantasies, though.
[*] Write a 1000-word short story.
[*] Stay up-to-date with all my study-related tasks.
[X] Blog my Camp NaNo progress (last post July 1st). I posted twice, which I don't think really counts.
Overall... not terrible, I guess. The things I most had trouble with were the blogging and my not actually stated goal of keeping active in my Camp cabin, this thread, and several other places I'm trying to be more social. For some reason, places where I might be able to talk to people are the first thing I retreat from when I'm struggling to get things done.
[*] Write 15k of 'The Nightmare Box' for Camp NaNo. Final wordcount was 15,692 words which also got me to 40k in the story.
[X] Read 4 books (1 classic/literary, 1 nonfiction, 1 short story collection, 1 free choice). I have a classic and a nonfiction in progress, but didn't manage to find time to finish them. Read a short story collection and a couple of not-that-great urban fantasies, though.
[*] Write a 1000-word short story.
[*] Stay up-to-date with all my study-related tasks.
[X] Blog my Camp NaNo progress (last post July 1st). I posted twice, which I don't think really counts.
Overall... not terrible, I guess. The things I most had trouble with were the blogging and my not actually stated goal of keeping active in my Camp cabin, this thread, and several other places I'm trying to be more social. For some reason, places where I might be able to talk to people are the first thing I retreat from when I'm struggling to get things done.
Alright so results for July -
- Finished 12k/20k. While I didn't hit the goal, still made a decent dent. Also met lots of great folks in the cabin, which was the main reason I wanted to participate in Camp!
- Finish 2 books. Actually finished 3 (ON WRITING, BEHIND THE THRONE, and THE GIVER), so hey, not bad! Based on how things played out, perhaps I should have spent more time writing and less time reading. XD
Still solidifying my wordcount goal for August. Plugging along!
- Finished 12k/20k. While I didn't hit the goal, still made a decent dent. Also met lots of great folks in the cabin, which was the main reason I wanted to participate in Camp!
- Finish 2 books. Actually finished 3 (ON WRITING, BEHIND THE THRONE, and THE GIVER), so hey, not bad! Based on how things played out, perhaps I should have spent more time writing and less time reading. XD
Still solidifying my wordcount goal for August. Plugging along!
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