Serene September - 500 words a day min - all genres

Saoirse

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Hey, we need some serenity after a crazy summer, right?

What did you accomplish in August? Did you make your goals? What are your goals for September?
 

Saoirse

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Well, August was a bit of a whirlwind for me between being laid off, looking for work, camping, doing freelance editing jobs....I barely remember it, LOL. I do know I completed my editing job early so that was great! I am also working like a madwoman to finish the rewrite of Fireborn for my deadline of Dec 1st. I am on track so yay! 41k as of last night.

Goals for this month include hopefully more editing jobs or maybe a part time job (I had an interview yesterday). Also more Fireborn. I pretty much need to wrap it up by the end of the month so I can start revising.

I also have a copyedit hitting this month so that needs to be done by 10/1.

I'd also like to finish the first draft of my nonfiction book. I am still hoping to release it this year.

Everything else will be gravy.
 

lizmonster

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Excellent August accomplishments, Saoirse! Best of luck on the job hunt, and on finishing Fireborn. I'm also looking forward to the non-fic. :)

I pretty much got done what I wanted to in August: hammered my rough draft into a first draft, incorporated some really useful beta feedback, and submitted the beginning of it to my agent, who at least doesn't hate it. :)

For September: I need to revise the draft. The plan is to have it done by the end of the month, but I really want to do it sooner if I can. My agent is going on leave in November (I can say it now, since she's outed herself on Twitter :)), and I'd like to get this thing into the system before she goes. But I also don't want to do that until it's ready.

And I've got a promotional blog post due mid-month. It's possible other stuff may come up for Book 3, but I'm not counting on it. (I am going to Goodreads more copies of the first two, once the ARC giveaway for the 3rd book is done.)
 

Brechin Frost

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I'm fairly happy with my August. It wasn't as productive as I would have hoped but considering the many other things that I needed to do, it still feels like an accomplishment.

September I'm looking to have more time for writing.

I wrote 581 words tonight. The scene was a horrible thing to write and made me nauseated and teary. Spent the next hour listening to cheerful pop music and reading Anna Kendrick's Scrappy Little Nobody.

If things go well, I'll reach the end of my MS by the end of the month.


Happy writing everyone. :)
 
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lizmonster

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Go, Brechin! Sorry the scene was rough to write, but sometimes those are the best bits for the reader.

I have done more clumps. So far I'm on target with progress, but I do seem to keep vacillating between oh hey I kind of like this and augh I'm a horrible hack. Bits of it are good, I think, but I just don't know.

Go, team! :e2cheer:
 

Saoirse

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Brechin - Awesome, and I'm rooting for you.

Liz - I've that vacillating thing. Like, every day for the past few months. Hugs.

905 words on the secret project today.
 

onesecondglance

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I have been grappling with work stuff, but you know, I think I've been letting that be too much of an excuse. I will try to do better this month.
 

lizmonster

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Well done on the words, Saoirse!

Life does get in the way sometimes, osg, and work things can be big. I hope you can carve out some time.

Another chunk today. I like this chunk. I feel like this chunk worked well. Go, chunk!
 

heyjude

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Go, all the chunks!

I got a short sermon done today and about 500 on the Characters Behaving Badly yesterday. They're behaving really, really badly. They should probably listen to my sermons. :ROFL:
 

Saoirse

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OSG - Hugs on the work stuff. Hope you can find some time to write. :)

Liz - Awesome! Go chunk!

555 words written on Fireborn. Today's 9/5. And that officially puts me at 55% completion of the novella. All those 5s. Weird.
 

lizmonster

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More today. Pushed through Dark Bit #1, and tomorrow I should get through Dark Bit #2.

I really want to finish this edit, and it's hard not to want to rush.
 

lizmonster

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Go, Saoirse! :hooray:

55 pages today. All the Really Horrible Stuff is done (well, except for this one thing, but it was less traumatic to write).

Go, team! :e2cheer:
 

Saoirse

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Thank you, Liz! Nice job!

412 words on Fireborn. Today I was in severe pain, and my anxiety is through the roof so I am happy for what I got. Tomorrow will be better. Let it be so.
 

lizmonster

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Sorry about the pain and anxiety, Saoirse. :Hug2: I hope today was better.

I'm still transcribing some of my edits from today, but I am absolutely having one of those oh god I'm a total hack why am I even bothering days.
 

Brechin Frost

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Late last night I had one of those moments Liz. After a little while, I just put my pen down and walked away. Usually, I just power through those feelings but it was late and I was prickly feeling already, so I went out and got some fresh air. It was 2 AM. Between 2 and 3 is my favourite time because it's so dark, calm and quiet, perfect for introversion.

Saoirse - Yikes. Pain and anxiety are a nasty combination. They have a way of colluding to make each other worse. I hope you feel better.



Tonight I accomplished a fair bit. 543 words. Because anxiety is simply my baseline and questioning the value of what I've just written is part of my process, I was struck with the idea that maybe, sometimes, my writing is too "cute" -- Does it come across like I'm trying to be witty for the sake of it? Is my phrasing too Juno-esque?

I'm working towards accepting that peppered through my manuscript there are going to be passages that read like well-written memes. Maybe that'll be my thing. (Or maybe, I'll ax them in subsequent drafts.)
 

lizmonster

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Excellent progress, Brechin! FWIW, I often end up axing the bits that are my absolute favorites when I write them, but a lot of them are definitely keepers.

I did nothing today, and I give myself permission to be OK with that.

Go, team! :e2cheer:
 

Saoirse

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Liz - I know those days well! Glad you're taking a day off. You need one.

Brechin - Hugs on your anxiety. I've had to cut great scenes too. It hurts, but sometimes it's necessary. :(

1106 words yesterday on Fireborn. I am just now getting to writing (it's almost 11pm here) due to family visiting from out of town and editing. And naturally, that's when my eye pain starts acting up. Oh well. Bedtime is coming soon.

My anxiety is better, BTW.

ETA - 1029 words on Fireborn. Getting closer!
 
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lizmonster

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EXCELLENT words, Saoirse! And I'm glad to hear you're doing better.

Only got through one chapter today, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. I think I need to write another one before I get to the next, though. And this whole section is going to need another pass. Well, I still have almost three full weeks, right? :scared:
 

lizmonster

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Well done on Fireborn, Saoirse! :hooray: :hooray:

I got a lot of notes written today, and a few words. Not a ton of progress. My excuse is that I had jury duty, although I was released at 10:30 (actually was selected, then ditched for a conflict of interest :e2woo:).

Tomorrow: FOCUS, D***IT.
 

lizmonster

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I think I managed to write a decent connecting chapter. 1564 words to finish up what I started last night. Tomorrow I think I can get back to actual linear edits.
 

lizmonster

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Bit of traction today. Edited 2 chapters, and shaved 539 off the total. I'm still hoping after my next editing pass that it'll settle around 105K.