THE WEEKEND PROGRESS REPORT 2005

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batyler65

Welcome to a brand new year, Weekenders! I thought we'd all start off with a clean slate. For any newcomers, if you want to know how this whole mess started -- it started with a New Year's Resolution in 2004 when I vowed to complete a Horrible Novel in four months and wanted a way to keep myself accountable.

The good news? Thanks to WPR and nudges from the people here, I wrote that horrible novel between January and April. All 77k words of it. The bad news? Now I've got to make it LESS horrible. My writing group has more faith in me than I do, but together we might get through the second draft.

So, now it is 2005. Time for new goals, new nudges and a bit of whip-cracking fun. Many of you have already listed your goals for the new year. I'm a bit behind, but I'll post mine now.

Starting in February, I will be writing a YA Fantasy novel (with much more humor than the first novel possesses, thank goodness!) I plan to have that novel drafted by the end of April (cross your fingers).

I also intend to get back into writing a humor column once per week and subbing to FC once per month. This is going to be interesting. I still have the humor column every month at the local magazine so I'll be doing that, too.

I'd like to find a home for my children's puzzle book, so I hope to do some serious marketing on it soon.

It's been a long week. I had five deadlines this week on the heels of a month of holiday company. For those of you who don't know, my working conditions are less than ideal. My home office is currently in my dining room (there is no dining room in my dining room, just office) which is in the center of my house and has no door. This means during the holidays not much work was getting done due to the wandering holiday nomads who periodically traipsed through my space and interrupted my train of thought. Now all the guests have gone. The kids are back in school and the husband has recovered from a near-bout of pneumonia (did I mention that?). I am closing in on the last two of the deadlines this morning and hope to have them sent off by noon. At that point I am collapsing and won't be seen again until Monday. I will love this come payday, but right now, Oy!

So how are you guys and gals progressing with your goals?
ROLL CALL!

Ruth? You getting anything written? I know you are busy. But trust me, you will ALWAYS be busy. Make ten minutes a day. MAKE THEM. You would make them for your kids. Make them for yourself.

Ally: Hey Girl! You have been doing so great! Keep up the good work and let us know what is going on this week.

Frank: Um... haven't heard anything about the new book in awhile. Whassup?

Mac: Okay, you like to wield the whip, but I think it is only so you don't have to tell us anything about your writing. Get with it, gal! I want a report. Don't make me come out there.

Lori: Same spiel as above. What's going on? And I don't want to know why my whip has spinach dip on it. Just don't tell me.

Ray: I know you have had a rough start to the new year. I'm hoping it hasn't stalled you out in your tracks. How's the writing going?

CC: You seem to be making excellent progress on FATL. What have you done to make the rest of us look bad this week?

Mike: You are also on my list of overachievers for 2005. Don't let me down, okay?

Nita: Okay, am I the only one to notice that you only post when I'm gone? I'm starting to get a complex. Tell me about your writing week. Please? Pretty please?

Melina: Okay, girl. Are you off and running on that goal? Can I go on vacation with you? Heck, I could just house sit while you are on vacation.

Cate: You go for it, Cate. I can see you listed on that masthead as a contributing EDITOR one day. Keep your eye on the prize.

Jen: Hullo? Hullo? Testing.... testing... is this thing on?

Rich: Get serious, dude. What are you going to accomplish this year?

Cindy: Welcome to the nuthouse. We are all pretty friendly here... unless you stop writing... or refuse to report in once you've made your presence known... or try to take away Bud's pudding (He's my muse and he has some strange ideas about pudding, don't ask.). Folks often refer to Hotel California when newcomers poke their heads up. Pay no attention to them. You can leave whenever you darn well please. 'course, we might have to hunt you down... but that's another story. AHEM. How did your writing go this week?

Renee: Oh Miss QT. Tell me something good. Tell me something bad. Tell me something JUICY. What is new in your writing world?


Your turn weekenders. Do me proud.

Barb
 

drgnlvrljh

Motivating

Hmmmm. This might be just what I need to keep me motivated.

Anyone willing to take on the job of threatening me with harsh language if I don't keep up?:rollin
 

RichMar

Motivating

I would, but my last essay ate up all my harsh words.

I do have new year goals. "Ha!" You say?

I actually started in mid December, and I still haven't fell from grace. I mostly write 700 to 1800 word humor pieces, and I'll be submitting two a week throughout the year. That's SUBMITTING, folks--a polished 1400 to 3600 words per week.

I also started on something which is turning out to be a story with a whole bunch of words. That one I'm not sure of since I don't where I'm going with it.

I currently have 16 pieces out there, two of which have already been accepted and one other that the editor is calling a definite maybe.

As far as motivation goes, drgnlvrljh, I recently sent the resident whipping crew one of my tasers--ever since Baty complained about her onset of "Whip Elbow."
 

Cate

Cate, Sounding Off!

I was stalled over Christmas/New Years break b/c in my world, no one responds during that time! Back on track now though with one article assigned and handed in, and one (the editor suggested it!) working. Queries are out, and I have my on-spec piece waiting . . .
In the meantime I have 6 pieces that are accepted pending publication in the coming months, and some other stuff ready to start work on.
The book takes a back seat for now, but will come into play in the spring . . .
Thats that!
Glad to be aboard, Barb--best to you on your 2005 goals!
Same to everyone--lets kick the heck out of this year!
Cate
 

batyler65

Re: Motivating

WELCOME Drgnlvrljh! (wow, that's a handful to type! What would you prefer to be called here in the nuthouse?)

Motivation is the name of the game. Well, that and I do like my writing whip. ;) I don't know about harsh language, but there IS always my trusty muse, Bud. Believe me, he is harsh enough. (He's an out of work Teamster complete with beer belly and picket sign that says: Will work for beer and/or nekkid wimmin. He's also into something he calls "puddin' wrasslin'" but we won't talk about that.)

Jump in and share your writing goals and progress.

Happy writing!
Barb
 

maestrowork

Re: Motivating

For 2005, I am determined to get CTN finished -- and I mean finished, not just first draft.

Of course, there's TPB, which would probably take up a lot of my time especially through summer and fall...

I'm putting all my reviews in my own blog and perhaps start my own brand... we'll see. I want to be the next Roger Ebert.

I'm still developing new novel ideas. Currently two have great potentials.

Other than that, I want to live and enjoy life. Recent events tell me that life indeed is too short. It's one thing to have goals and fulfill your dreams and all that... just remember to stop and smell the roses and enjoy what you have.
 

CindyBidar

Hi all!

I'd love to tell you all that I wrote until my fingers bled last week...but then I'd have no place to go but down. Start at the bottom, I say. In short, I did very little this past week, though I did hang out here a lot, when my boss wasn't looking. :eek

As for my goals for the next week--I'm working on an outline for a novel, and I want to finish that by the end of the week, and start writing the darn thing the week after that. On the non-fiction front, I need to up my query output, so the goal is two per week. We'll see how that pans out.

Have a great week!
 

Melina

Re: THE WEEKEND PROGRESS REPORT 2005

Well, now that I have some time on my hands (at work), I have been writing a lot. I've got about 1,000 words in this past week on the memoir I talked about before. They're all written on paper, partially because my computer is still in transit (we moved), and partially because I don't want my fiance and my kids to see it (scandalous!). I have a few ideas I'll begin work on when my computer gets hooked up again. Until then, I'm going to keep on with the current project, and maybe see if I can pull a few publishable essays out of it.
 

drgnlvrljh

Re: Motivating

WELCOME Drgnlvrljh! (wow, that's a handful to type! What would you prefer to be called here in the nuthouse?)

Danke! Lorrie is fine. If you don't feel comfortable enough to call me by name (If I have my way, it'll be out there in public soon enough), you can just call me drgn. Then there's "Hey you!", "That psycho redhead", and variations on either of those! :rollin I've been going through an identity crisis for most of my life, so I answer to just about anything! :p

(He's an out of work Teamster complete with beer belly and picket sign that says: Will work for beer and/or nekkid wimmin. He's also into something he calls "puddin' wrasslin'" but we won't talk about that.)

*sprays coffee all over her monitor* :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
 

Lori Basiewicz

Re: Motivating

Drgn, I read the piece you posted over in SYW both before and after you revised it. I know I didn't comment on it, but I really enjoyed the revised version. It was very engaging. I hope I will be able to buy it in the bookstore one day and read the entire thing at my leisure.

Oh, and welcome to WPR.
 

batyler65

Rich

Excellent! Concrete goals!

*scribbles notes*

Oh, and thanks for the taser. ZZZZztt! Yep, I think 2005 is gonna be one fun year.

*looks around for a likely vict--- ahem... I mean person in need of motivation*
Anybody want to take the new taser for a test drive?

My biggest question is this: If you sub two per week, where do you find all your markets? Hmm? Inquiring minds who are going to be generating bunches of work want to know. Any ideas to share?

Barb
 

batyler65

CATE

Yep, I hate the whole holiday slowdown, too. Hopefully everyone will get busy and start sending us money.

Sounds like you've got a lot in circulation. always a great way to start the new year. Keep the pieces going out. And don't let the novel gather too much dust.

Happy writing,
Barb
 

batyler65

RAY

Oh good! You are going to finish CTN this year. I can feel it in my bones. My new taser says so. =-)

Your own brand of reviews? Go for it, Ray. We'll be here to cheer you on!

Keep us posted on the progress of TPB. And don't forget to check in.

Barb
 

batyler65

CINDY

Um... Cindy, you do know that hanging out at the water cooler does not get the words on the page, right?

Get that outline done. Then set a daily goal. Maybe you can spare ten minutes in the morning to do some free writing. Maybe an hour before bed to brainstorm a list of new queries to send out or write the next scene in your novel.

Good luck and glad to have you with us!

Barb
 

batyler65

MELINA

Mmmm. Scandal. Gotta love scandal.

Glad that you are feeling better and generating some new writing. Hope that you get the computer back together soon. Oh, and you can write your memoir on the computer without fear of the fiance or kids reading. Just name the file "Chores to do" They won't touch it with a ten foot computer cursor. =)

Here's hoping you double your output this week.

Barb
 

aka eraser

Frank slinks in...

Got the column out and wrote another 900-word piece that's a tad on the risque side. Not sure where I might try sending it. The New Thing is stalled right now. I keep waiting for something to happen. Something's gotta happen. It's good for stories when something happens. Pretty sure. Anyway, I got a wonderful collection of oddball characters sitting under a tree waiting for something to happen.

While we're all waiting, I've been working on editing that book. Still a mountainous mass of manuscript to go through there.

My main goal for '05 is to land an agent. That's tough enough in itself but what's going to be tougher is finding a good one who won't shy away from repping an eclectic variety of stuff; straight nonfiction, humour and fiction. I have to carefully select the right lure to grab his/her attention, then, when (hopefully) securely hooked, show him/her all the other spiffy stuff in my tackle box.

Welcome Lorrie. :)
 

batyler65

Lorrie

Good enough. We can't start calling you "Hey You". Too many of us would answer and it could be confusing.

B
 

batyler65

Re: Frank slinks in...

Oh, Frank... if you can just find an agent who fishes... you would be in heaven.

As for being stalled... a member of my writing group always suggests killing someone when the work is stalled. Not sure if that means killing a character in the WIP or killing someone in real life... I've been afraid to ask. =)

I personally favor the approach of just writing any old thing about the characters until they get sick of listening to me prattle on and start doing things on their own again. Usually doesn't take but a couple of pages... Besides, what's that dang delete key FOR?

Good luck with landing an agent.

Barb
 

drgnlvrljh

Re: Frank slinks in...

@ Lori,

Danke! Danke! I hope you'll be able to buy it too! ;)

There are a couple people at work who come up and threaten me with bodily harm if I don't get something written for them to see at least once a week, so there's some motivation there...I'm severely allergic to pain!

@ batyler65
" Good enough. We can't start calling you "Hey You". Too many of us would answer and it could be confusing."

Awww! And here all this time, I thought I was original! :p


(okay, I'm clearly in a silly mood. Must be the lack of sleep, durned "creeping crud")
 

Kida Adelyn

Hullo

I've been pretty dead this week. I had a seminar on thursday so I was working hard at getting that done. I was really nervous and forgot all the clever things I wanted to say and ended up saying 'um' alot but it's done now. *yay*

In answer to Lori's reply to my last report (old thread):
I don't want to start revising until I have a new project so that I don't avoid writting completely just to get away from my revisions.

On the other hand, I think I finally have a plan. (yes, this is one of those be very afraid situations)

(not really)
I want to continue with spirit door. I like it, but it needs some *major* changes. I think what I'm going to do is write it straigth through, starting at the begining again. The problem with what I have now is I started writing it when I was in grade 8, and at that point I was writting for juveniles, then I changed it to teen, now I want to go back and change it to juvenile. So, that's my new writting project. I want to finish it in
three months.
Hold me accountable please. :)

-Ally

ps. Welcome Lorrie!:D
 

MrAngelwithnowings

Hi all

Hi everyone,

Glad to see everyone again. It's been awhile hasn't it?

Lets see...I had to take a break from writing to focus on helping take care of my mother and sister.

My mother helped me long ago when i was hurt and hospitalized from my near-fatal injuries and I never forgot her sacrifices and never will.

...but enough about the personal chitchat...

Hmmm. There's so much dust on my seat....

Okay has someone been using part of my desktop for firewood?

:rollin

No writing report to post up, but give me some time to settle back into writer mode.

In the meantime, keep up your spirits everyone and keep writing like you were the last historians on earth...LOL
 

Lori Basiewicz

Rich, remind me to "thank" you for giving Barb that taser.

Writing achievements this week. Not much to report as I've been settling back in and rediscovering my laptop after contemplating on the changes the new year is bringing and what I would like to accomplish in 2005.

I did contact four new markets -- only one of which resulted in a bounced e-mail -- and I've already heard back from two of them. I identified a fifth market I need to contact, too, but I cannot locate an e-mail address for them, so I will have to *gasp* contact them by snail mail.

I also cleaned out my inbox's e-mail (still need to organize the subfolders), mailed out the newsletter I edit, and met with my writing group for the first time since the holidays. Felt really good to feed off their creative energy again.
 

Cate

Cate

I didn't do much writing this week, but did do market research, re-vamp my writer's website, updated my resume and cleaned out my files.
This week, real writing begins!
Cate
 

batyler65

ALLY

Okay, gal, you asked to be held accountable and now thanks to my nifty new Taser ZZZZzzt! I think we are in business. Make a plan and set a word count. You know from experience with NaNo that you can write a hefty amount in a short time. I want to see weekly word counts from you, Missy.

ZZZZzzt!
Barb
 

batyler65

MR. A!

Hey there! glad to see you back among us. Don't worry about not having anything to report yet. It is a brand new year. Everybody gets to start with a clean slate.

*glances around the nuthouse* Has anybody seen the rest of Mr. A's desk?

Brush the dust off the seat and mind the splinters, but make a start and let us know how it is going.

Happy New Year!
Barb
 
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