JunNoWriMo 2018 - An Infernally Hard Jigsaw Puzzle

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mrsmig

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Glad you're feeling better, Tamlyn.

My month started off pretty strong, but then I torqued my knee at rehearsal, made the error of thinking that doing a bit of gardening wouldn't hurt it (it did), and then torqued it further at rehearsal yesterday. I've been having problems with both knees for about six months but kept hoping stretching exercises and the occasional chiropractic adjustment would help. I finally made an appointment to see my regular doctor Monday. :p

Got just a tiny bit written this week. Was doing well on the exercise front until I bunged up my knee. Still waiting on the cover design and proofreader edits from my publisher. I gave up reading Oliver Sacks' MIGRAINE; I've enjoyed his other books but this one seems to have been written more as a medical treatise and less for the layman. I'm a few chapters into Nicholas Orme's MEDIEVAL CHILDREN, another nonfic which is interesting but also slow going. I may have to give myself a break and pick up a novel.


[ ] Write 10k fresh new words for Camp on my WIP (Book 5 of my fantasy series; starting count 14,158) - 14,362 out of 24,158
[ ] Review book cover designs for Book #4
[ ] Review proofreader edits for Book #4
[ ] Read 3 books - 0 of 3
[ ] Lose 3 more pounds - 0 of 3
[ ] Get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week:
Week 1 - 2 of 3
Week 2 -
Week 3 -
Week 4 -
 
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Kjbartolotta

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Oh boy. April camp was a bit of a fail for me, but I'll see y'all in the July cabin. :hooray:

[ ]- Finish my SS:AMNG story.
[ ]- Start working on Gallowglass.
[ ]- Keep a daily word tally (that I will not be posting here).
[ ]- Write one nanofic story.
 

arikdiver

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Copying across from May and altering slightly.

[ ] Finish Re-write of Ch1 novel
[ ] Complete edit of Act 1 novel
[ ] Brainstorm four new scenes
[ ] Two Blog Posts
[ ] Read 2 books
 

Jaymz Connelly

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Today is the official Australian first day of winter. :( I hate winter. Enjoy the summer, all you northern hemisphere folks! (we want it back in about 3 months *G*)

I did not manage to finish my short story, so it's on this month's goals. I'm hoping to get it completed tomorrow. (today is taken up with birthday for Mr C) Aside from that, I want to do a lot of other writing too. Hopefully my brain (and the menfolk) will cooperate with that - and hopefully the yarnwork won't be too distracting (got a blanket, an afghan, and a sweater all in progress). *g*

[ ] work on SS:AMNG story
[ ] start The Crystal Throne (this is going to be a LONG story for me – will likely be on my goals for a year unless the word elves are kind)
[ ] finish short story
[ ] finish crocheted blanket
[ ] attempt to make pate de fruits and soft caramels
 

EMaree

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Love the infernally hard jigsaw puzzle idea. That one rings true.

[0k] Write 30k
[ ] Finish Divide draft. Use editing Pomodoros!
[ ] Be ready to quick-draft Leviathan book over CampNaNo July.
[ ] Beta Read #1 - for J
[ ] Beta Read #2 - for T
[ ] Health: Lose five pounds by keeping up spinning, roller derby, and walking 10k most days.
[ ] Roller Derby: Figure out crossovers.
[ ] Roller Derby: Increase one-foot glide to a complete lap
[ ] Create art
[0/6] Read 6 books... and actually finish some of these inprog ones, jeez.
The Sketchbook of Loish [inprog]
Angel's Blood [inprog]
The Legend of Drizzt [audiobook inprog]
Anatomy of a Story [inprog]
Inside of a Dog [inprog]
Mothership [inprog]
The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea #2)
The Farthest Shore (Earthsea #3)
Ancillery Justice or Ninefox Gambit
Save the Cat [reread]
To Kill A Kingdom (killer siren YA!)
 
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Kjbartolotta

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The Tombs of Atuan (Earthsea #2)
The Farthest Shore (Earthsea #3)

OMG, Tombs & Farthest Shore are amazing (like Tombs better, but Farthest Shore got my through a tough time in my life). Earthsea is up there with Last Unicorn among my perennial rereads.
 

mrsmig

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OMG, Tombs & Farthest Shore are amazing (like Tombs better, but Farthest Shore got my through a tough time in my life). Earthsea is up there with Last Unicorn among my perennial rereads.

I was just thinking that I needed to re-read the series myself.
 

bdwilson

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Here we go again :)

[ ] Go through my kick-knacks for stuff I can give away
[ ] Give away the give-away pile
[ ] Pick book club selection (our choices this month are The Little Paris Bookshop by Nine George or The Substitute by Nicole Lundrigan)
[ ] Read book club selection
[ ] Finish reading Coyote Kings
[ ] Pull together draft of short story for next Alphabet Anthology and finish
[ ] Pull together draft of a different short story and finish
[ ] Edit every day: Week 22 (June portion)
[ ] Edit every day: Week 23
[ ] Edit every day: Week 24
[ ] Edit every day: Week 25
[ ] Edit every day: Week 26
 

Saoirse

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And I'm back!

I just turned in a novel to my editor, so I am winding it down a bit. Final edits are hitting in July.

[ ] 2nd round edits on secret project
[ ] Oubliette words
[ ] Progress on big editing project (minimum 20 pages)
 

Tamlyn

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May was definitely not productive for me, and I think if I keep trying to push more, June won't be either. So I'm going to take a kind of break so that I can start fresh in July. I'll still do some writing - I'm not going to not write if I feel like it, obviously! I'd like to continues edits on Marietta, but I won't push for a substantial amount. I'll only do enough game to prepare for the next session (unless it gets cancelled again).

Otherwise, instead, I am going to have reading goals. Rather than writing or editing, I will try to read at least half an hour a day. 10 books is... wildly optimistic, to put it lightly, but I'm hoping (on non-work days at least) when I sit down with my book, I'll read for longer, like I used to. Rather than just playing video games all day or whatever.

I will still do that too :p

This long weekend I am not going to leave the house (again, had to do some shopping this morning) and I have medication and a fluffy blanket and all those important things so hopefully can relax, recover from my cold, do some crits for Beta Project, that kind of thing.

1. Read ten books.
2. Prepare for next game session.
3. Edit some Marietta.
4. Min half hour reading a day.
 

mrsmig

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Hope you feel better soon, Tamlyn.
 

Jaymz Connelly

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Hope you feel better soon, Tamlyn. It's definitely a good idea to not push yourself too hard when you're not feeling well.

As for my goals, well -- I finally finished the blasted short story. :) I only started it 2 years ago. Today I will begin seriously working on my SS:AMNG story. I've got names and place names, and I know the big picture of what happens, so hopefully it'll all come together well. My beta reader is going on holiday at the end of July, so I need to get it finished by the beginning of July so she has time to go over it. Progress on the crocheted blanket has slowed, but I think I'm still on track to finish it by the end of the month.

As for the pate de fruits and caramels - waiting on the glucose syrup to be delivered for the pate de fruits. (should arrive today) I'll probably have a bash at the caramels first, so the cream doesn't go off before I get to it. *G*

[ ] work on SS:AMNG story
[ ] start The Crystal Throne (this is going to be a LONG story for me – will likely be on my goals for a year LOL)
[X] finish short story
[ ] finish crocheted blanket
[ ] attempt to make pate de fruits and soft caramels
 

Dreamsage

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Ah... May was a total waste. Hell, the last six months have been a total waste of my life. All I have achieved was to rewrite my chapters and gain a better understanding of how to write well. Which is important, but I really need to move out of my parents' basement at some point. I hit my 31st year last month. My next story will be about how to fail hard in life :tongue

[] Find a paid internship. ANY internship :flag:
[X] Rewrite the rest of my comic (two chapters)
[] Find someone who wishes to review all that I've written and help me make the story publishable (maybe it already is, but I'm not that confident on my writing yet)
[] Read the two books I've borrowed from the library. (1/2)
 

ReignaFTW

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Holy smokes I can't believe it's already June, and another CampNano is upon us. Looking forward to another great cabin! Also, it's ridiculous how quickly these summer weekends fill up. Quick transition from rowing season to wedding season over here.

Goals are going to be the same as last month, since I didn't make it as far in my WIP as I'd hoped.

- Finish second draft of Act I
- Read 1 book
 

Tamlyn

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Week one update.

I am still on break from writing. Unfortunately, I am still getting rejections and various failures, and at this rate I'll end the month even more dejected rather than refreshed >>

At least I am feeling better. I had started New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson, but I did not have any brain and that book definitely needs some brain. So instead I read a children's story collection by Margaret Mahy (The Chewing Gum Rescue and Other Stories), and then just yesterday finished The Swiss Family Robinson, which is ridiculous and outdated and I still love it. Both are comfort reads. Hopefully now I can get back into some new books since there is so much Hugo reading to do and my library books and...

Game is today and I am not prepared! But I have been doing map stuff, which is fun and absorbing and gives me a creative boost. So if I run out of game stuff, I'll just make my players look at my pretty maps instead :p

1. Read ten books. 2/10
2. Prepare for next game session. Maaaybe
3. Edit some Marietta. Nope.
4. Min half hour reading a day. Yep :)
 

mrsmig

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Glad you're feeling better, Tamlyn.

My month started off pretty strong, but then I torqued my knee at rehearsal, made the error of thinking that doing a bit of gardening wouldn't hurt it (it did), and then torqued it further at rehearsal yesterday. I've been having problems with both knees for about six months but kept hoping stretching exercises and the occasional chiropractic adjustment would help. I finally made an appointment to see my regular doctor Monday. :p

Got just a tiny bit written this week. Was doing well on the exercise front until I bunged up my knee. Still waiting on the cover design and proofreader edits from my publisher. I gave up reading Oliver Sacks' MIGRAINE; I've enjoyed his other books but this one seems to have been written more as a medical treatise and less for the layman. I'm a few chapters into Nicholas Orme's MEDIEVAL CHILDREN, another nonfic which is interesting but also slow going. I may have to give myself a break and pick up a novel.


[ ] Write 10k fresh new words for Camp on my WIP (Book 5 of my fantasy series; starting count 14,158) - 14,362 out of 24,158
[ ] Review book cover designs for Book #4
[ ] Review proofreader edits for Book #4
[ ] Read 3 books - 0 of 3
[ ] Lose 3 more pounds - 0 of 3
[ ] Get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week:
Week 1 - 2 of 3
Week 2 -
Week 3 -
Week 4 -


ETA: Aaaaaaaand just realized that rather than "reply with quote" to my initial post in this thread, I accidentally revised the original post. ARGGGGGGGH.

Brain. Wish I had one.
 

Jaymz Connelly

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[-] work on SS:AMNG story – progress is being made. I think I’m on target to complete by end of month (word count 4,940/10,000)
[ ] start The Crystal Throne (this is going to be a LONG story for me – will likely be on my goals for a year LOL) – contemplating making a map – if you’re having a journey – you need a map. Right?
[X] finish short story
[-] finish crocheted blanket – 27 more rounds to do
[-] attempt to make pate de fruits and soft caramels (did the caramels – they didn’t turn out great. I'll attempt the pate de fruits towards the end of the week)

Can't cross anything off this week, but I am making progress at least.
 

bdwilson

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Check-in time!

[ ] Go through my kick-knacks for stuff I can give away
[ ] Give away the give-away pile
[X] Pick book club selection
[ ] Read book club selection The Little Paris Bookshop by Nine George
[X] Finish reading Coyote Kings
[-] Pull together draft of short story for next Alphabet Anthology and finish
[ ] Pull together draft of a different short story and finish
[X] Edit every day: Week 22 (June portion)
[X] Edit every day: Week 23
[ ] Edit every day: Week 24
[ ] Edit every day: Week 25
[ ] Edit every day: Week 26

A little bit of progress. And that reminds, me, I have to update in the reading challenge thread.
 

Isilya

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I totally forgot to post this month

[ ] lose 10 lbs [3lbs]
[ ] Submit one story carried over from last month
[ ] Prep story for Tor.com submission
[ ] Write the first draft of a new short story carried over from last month
[ ] Edit an existing short story to completion
[ ] Pick a novel and work on it
[ ] Practice with any instrument
[ ] Read 4 books ~ at least two from the TBR pile [2/4]
[ ] Bike at least once a day [ /16] new goal going forward from today
[ ] Lift weights twice a week [1/16th] [ /23rd] [ /30th]
 

Tamlyn

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Week Two!

So much map making for D&D. Or not even map making, but making/sorting items to make maps in future :p

After Swiss Family, it was late and I needed another easy read. So I dove into The Coral Island by RM Ballantyne, which I haven't read since I was a child (or possibly never got all the way through - hard to tell the difference between the lack of memory). It has more solid science than Swiss, but is equally outdated (with racism etc). I was surprised by enjoying the second half: I read these types of books for the finding food and surviving the wilderness parts (the first half), not pirates and 'savages' (the second half). It's probably a good thing I don't own Robinson Crusoe or even Hatchet or anything to go to next :p

I've returned to New York 2140. I'm definitely enjoying it. Characters are... stiff (I saw someone describe them as 'pleasant but flat' and that is perfect) and the style took me a bit but I'm intrigued by how it's all going to come together and really like the world. It's due back at the library again so I might have to curl up with it this weekend. In between doing everything else I need to do. And the new Diablo season. I need a triple weekend.

No Marietta done, had the perfect amount of prep for this game session (still need to recap and stuff) and will probably do some more for that since I'm in the mood. Happily bubbling along now. Still need to read more!

1. Read ten books. 3/10
2. Prepare for next game session. Perfect.
3. Edit some Marietta. Nope.
4. Min half hour reading a day. Yep :)
 

mrsmig

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End of week #2. I'm deep into tech for my current show and currently rehearsing a 10/12 schedule (meaning the company is called from 11 AM to 11 PM, with a 2-hour meal break). Most of that time is spent waiting around in costume while the behind-the-scenes geniuses do their magic. We're about halfway through the first act now.

It's not an atmosphere that's conducive to writing, but I had a good spurt early this week and got about 1.5k down. I also finished two books (Rhys Bowen's THE TUSCAN CHILD and John G. Hartness' AMAZING GRACE) and started a third (Tim O'Brien's THE THINGS THEY CARRIED). I also dropped a couple of pounds, but am waiting until the end of the month to report on the weight since I tend to yo-yo. Still waiting for the book cover design and proofreader edits from my publisher, so no progress there.

Exercise has been nil. I saw my primary care physician on Monday, got my knees x-rayed and then saw an orthopedist, who informed me (to my relief) that there is nothing wrong with my knees beyond some arthritis, which is at a normal level for someone my age. He thinks I just overtaxed my knees last year and never gave them a chance to properly heal up. He advised me to back off my knee exercises and any high-impact exercise, and to avoid stairs when possible until I'm feeling more normal. That made me sad because power walking is my favorite form of exercise, so I'll have to find some other way to get the muscles moving (he suggested stationary biking or swimming). The exercise goal may be a hard one to meet this month.

[ ] Write 10k fresh new words for Camp on my WIP (Book 5 of my fantasy series; starting count 14,158) - 15,526 out of 24,158
[ ] Review book cover designs for Book #4
[ ] Review proofreader edits for Book #4
[ ] Read 3 books - 2 of 3
[ ] Lose 3 more pounds - 0 of 3
[ ] Get 30 minutes of exercise 3 times a week:
Week 1 - 2 of 3
Week 2 - 0 of 3
Week 3 -
Week 4 -

 

bdwilson

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Got side-tracked with a few things this week, so not much progress, alas.

[ ] Go through my kick-knacks for stuff I can give away
[ ] Give away the give-away pile
[X] Pick book club selection
[-] Read book club selection The Little Paris Bookshop by Nine George
[X] Finish reading Coyote Kings
[-] Pull together draft of short story for next Alphabet Anthology and finish
[ ] Pull together draft of a different short story and finish
[X] Edit every day: Week 22 (June portion)
[X] Edit every day: Week 23
[X] Edit every day: Week 24
[ ] Edit every day: Week 25
[ ] Edit every day: Week 26
 

Jaymz Connelly

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Mrsmig, that sounds like very long days for rehearsing. I hope your knees recover soon so they don't bother you anymore.

This past week hasn't been as good as I'd hoped for getting things done. I did complete the first draft of my SS:AMNG story, so that's something at least. I wrote two sentences on Crystal Throne, so I guess that counts as starting it. *g* I did, however, make a map, which turned out pretty good, even if I do say so myself. Haven't done anything in the kitchen all week. Hopefully I'll get to do the pate de fruit this week. I'm waiting for it to not be humid. The blanket is going, but ever so slowly, and I think I'm going to run out of two colours I need. I've ordered more, and hopefully it'll get here before I get to that spot.

[-] work on SS:AMNG story – progress is being made. I think I’m on target to complete by end of month (word count 10,737/10,000) First draft completed!
[ ] start The Crystal Throne (this is going to be a LONG story for me – will likely be on my goals for a year LOL) – contemplating making a map – if you’re having a journey – you need a map. Right?
[X] finish short story
[ ] finish crocheted blanket – 17 more rounds to do
[ ] attempt to make pate de fruits and soft caramels (did the caramels – they didn’t turn out great)
 

Tamlyn

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mrsmig - good luck with the knee recovery. I'm glad it doesn't seem to be anything worse

Jaymz - I read that as make a nap, which sounded wonderful. I'm sure your map is wonderful too :)
 

Jaymz Connelly

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Tamlyn - :ROFL: I tried to make a nap yesterday - but it didn't work. *g* I'm much better at making maps than naps.
 
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