May 2023 Challenge - Build a Writing Habit!

[BabyBoomer]

It's been a very heavy and intense week.
However, I have not given up on writing, even if only a little.
This weekend I want to catch up on everything.

 

[ScottyWriter]

Today's been productive. I've finished the first draft on the two short stories I've been working on. So that's a tick. I've also joined Duotrope and made a spreadsheet of the journals from my search then went through and deleted the ones I didn't like the 'about blurb'.

I guess I also hit a personal goal in actually writing something that has caused some sort of emotional response for me. I've been writing about the death of a pet (not mine) and I've found myself blubbing away as I wrote.

 

[Ink-Soul]

Days 26 & 27:

1183 words to the prologue of the new story. The final battle is about to start! (The final battle before the real story begins, of course!)

 

[Nether]

Day 27 was 27 pages marked up (again, odd coincidence), which completed the round of mark-ups.

As I probably mentioned, instead of doing a second round of mark-ups, I'm thinking of doing a faster readthrough... which I might start immediately.

The kinda-bigger issue is I'm not sure whether I want to pursue SOE as my project after this... and I'm also not sure what else I might want to do. Maybe I will just plot and start the Cursed Poem one instead.

 

[Nether]

Day 28 was... 33 pages of a new readthrough of BB Worm (and now I'm calling it BB Worm, since I tweaked the name), some mild planning for Nobody, and 117 words for SoE.

Kinda hit a wall where I'm not sure I want to pursue at this point. BB Worm will be winding down soon-ish and I'm not committed to any one new drafting project or editing project... although, honestly, I probably should start another editing project given how much stuff I'm sitting on.

And my month's goals of organization attempts are still ongoing, but I expect to make progress by the end.

 

[anaemic_mind]

28th May (plus however many days it's been since I posted!)
Lost my mojo completely so have been spending some more time with Reacher and doing a spot of Beta reading while I think about next month's goals. Hoping the change into June will kickstart me again.

 

[BabyBoomer]

Weekend budget.

Solution found for a book, where I was stuck. I am enthusiastic.
Wrote almost 3000 words just yesterday.

 

[ScottyWriter]

Made my first submission of this 'new' writing me. It's for a themed edition of a sci fi journal. Enjoying the heady excitement before the terminal anxiety then boredom waiting for news.

 

[Nether]

Day 29 was 20 pages read-through.

Despite it being Memorial Day and having it off, I didn't really do anything or get anything done. Somewhat depressed about that on the whole, considering I don't know where the day went.

 

[Karin A]

I've been offline for a while, in part to travel and also to continue writing. I am very happy to say that during the month of May, I started and finished the first draft of my first novella (15,300 words, give or take a few). What led to this unusually high productivity for me was pure and simple inspiration. I found inspiration through my travels, and then the words just flowed.

Given we have two days left in this springy month of May, I plan to get back to my memoir, which has taken a backseat. I hope to finish it in June, at least the first draft.

In terms of developing writing habits, in addition to setting aside time during my most productive hours, I have also made room for events and interactions that ultimately lead to moving the pen forward, so to speak. My conversations with people and my travels have given me a wealth of motivation and material to write.

Best of luck to everyone! Onwards to June....

 

[Karin A]

Day 29 was 20 pages read-through.

Despite it being Memorial Day and having it off, I didn't really do anything or get anything done. Somewhat depressed about that on the whole, considering I don't know where the day went.

I'm sorry you feel disappointed. Not to worry - Sometimes I find a day of doing nothing is actually a needed break. I can then go back and continue writing refreshed.

 

[ScottyWriter]

Submitted story to a couple of mental health/disability journals. It's loosely based on my own experience of severe depression. Yep, it's not very cheery... Feels like another life away as I'm in a good place right now.

Started outlining another short story. This time something sci-fi. Come to think of it, this one doesn't have a particularly happy ending either...

 

[Ink-Soul]

Days 28, 29 & 30:

It has been a couple of fun days. I had an insight about my science fantasy series that changes quite a bit an element of the story, but nothing that directly impacts what I have written so far - it doesn't impact the first book as a whole, really. This element, I realised, wasn't really doing anything. It just... existed. I spent some time pondering whether I should remove it or make it important. Then I remembered the axiom "less is more," and it kept ringing in my mind. So, I put it into practice. By reducing this element, I'll have a much tighter (and hopefully more exciting) storyline! (Sorry, I must be mysterious here because huge spoilers haha)

I also went back to the branching storyline because it dawned on me that I had kind of abandoned it. And I'd really like to replace my older portfolio piece with this one. I've concluded a few more nods, so I might finish by tomorrow. If not, then it will be one of my June goals!

 

[Nether]

Day 30 was 30 pages read-through, which was a tolerable outcome.

Also, I need to get serious about planning something soon since I'll be done with this read before long.

 

[Parametric]

Progress was pitiful this month, but I did about 750 more words last night.

 

[Daniel.J.Nickolas]

Goals for May:

1. Write/edit/post to blog Part III of current series Done
2. Write 25k words in current novel (average of 800 words per day for the month)
3. Revise a poem from notebook and post to Absolute Write for critique/further edits
4. Make 10 submissions to poetry journals
5. Try a new form of poetry
6. Bee Happy / Bee Kind (reference to something personal)

I’m going to go work on #1 immediately after hitting “post reply”.

In the eleventh hour, but goal #3 is also now done.

As for goal #2 … I had a realization (which was a long time coming) that neither I nor the story itself were happy with how it was coming together. I know what I want to do with this piece, so the realization is a wonderful and welcome thing, but renders goal #2 irrelevant, as most of those words will be scrapped.

I have a list prepared for #4, but will be taking that goal, and #5, into June.

#6 is always ongoing.

 

[Ink-Soul]

Day 31:

After the much-needed change to one of the elements in my science fantasy, I've undertaken a daunting but also extremely necessary task: organise and improve the timeline. This... will take me a while, but here's my chance to make everything air-tight before I continue writing the story itself.

 

[Nether]

Day 31 was 28 pages read-through and then some really bad poetry.

Somewhat missed the mark on the day's read due to procrastination. However, I made some progress with the fairly-lousy poem for the cursed poem... which I think was what I did yesterday, but the days kinda blur together after a while.