#ROW80 Mid-Week Check-In & May Writing Goals

Posted on 2013/05/01 by Tonette dela Luna

April was busy, crazy, hectic, awesome, draining, exhilarating and… over? 😦

Got some pretty badges for my efforts:

I ended Camp NaNoWriMo with 75,416 words. I had my ups and downs but writing sprints were super helpful. I also met fellow writers online. We supported each other through the sprints and gave moral support during times of brainstorming and times of utter frustration at getting those word counts! What’s great is that these writerly connections will continue on to future NaNos and other challenges in between. We’ll be beta-reading for each other, and maintain accountability for our goals throughout the year. I think that’s an even better prize than exceeding my word count targets. Mind you, I have many words to go in my Camp Nano fairytale mashup, but I’m excited at the prospect of worldbuilding and writing something outside my usual fare. I’m taking workshops to help write something this grand and hope that by the next Camp NaNo, I’ll have this story polished and will be ready to tuck in to Book Two in the series.

I also exceeded my word count targets for my Savvy Author April Boot Camp. I ended up with 75,145 words. I have more to go on this story, as well, and I can see heavy revisions for both in the near future. The Savvy Authors website is going under a revamp, so I’m not worried that we don’t have badges yet. I’m actually excited to see the new site that will be up soon. This story was also out of my usual genre, so I’m proud that I tried new writing projects in April.

A through Z. Done. That was an interesting challenge. I started off ahead of the game but ran into some RL issues that kept me from hopping as much as I’d have liked. The blog topics themselves were interesting to brainstorm. As this is my first attempt at a blog, I think I got off to a great start. We’re asked to write a Blogging A to Z Challenge Reflections Post. Since today is a check-in for a pre-existing challenge and I have the next several Sundays, Mondays, and Wednesdays devoted to challenges, as well, I think I’ll do a special Reflections Post this Friday. I read that there is also an upcoming A to Z Road Trip Challenge. I’ll keep my eye out for something new like that. It’s a great way to use the alphabet as writing prompts and has helped me work on creative non-fiction. I’d say that’s an added bonus from this blogging challenge experience.

And now today, the first day of a new month of writing opportunities. Let’s have a run-down on what’s ahead for me:

1) Round of Words in 80 Days – Each Wednesday and Sunday I’ll be checking in to make sure I’m on track with my writing goals. Aside from the 100 Pages Challenge I’ll continue throughout the month with a focus on the fairytale mashup. If I can write more of the contemporary fic draft, I’ll do that, too. Camp may be over but the writing continues.

2) 100 Pages in 7 Days Challenge – 25,000 words from May 1st to May 7th. Today I wrote 3,872 words. If we count the standard 250 words to a page, that comes out to 15.488 pages. Just for fun, I’m going to round down and say I got 15/100 pages today.

3) Work on the blog. Blog at least twice a week. With these new challenges, I’ll be blogging at least three times a week. I might hold off on the aesthetics of the blog (i.e. web hosting, theme upgrade, etc.) and just work on building more content.

4) Read. READ MANY BOOKS with a focus this month on MG Lit. I had the good fortune of participating in March Madness, two years running. The hashtag and support continues throughout the year under #wipmadness. Last month, Ghost Girl (a.k.a. Mary Ann) hosted the weekly check-ins every Monday. After daily check-ins during March, I felt less pressure but just as much accountability, so it was a good thing. This month, Deb Marshall is hosting and she also has a reading challenge for Middle Grade books. This is perfect to keep me motivated as I catch up on my reading. I’ll be posting and tweeting about that using #middlegrademay and it should be exciting. I miss reading fiction. I’ve been focused on writing reference and it would be good to dive back into the fictional world again.

So, this is me. May 1st, 2013. A lil’ bit o’ this. A lotta that. Writing, reading, and loving every minute of it. What’s your plan this month?

Week in Review – 2013/04/22 – 2013/04/28

Posted on 2013/04/28 by Tonette dela Luna

Two days left in the month of writetasticness.

Updated stats. The deets of my original goals can be found here and here.

Camp NaNoWriMo April, 2013 – Current word count, not including Sunday’s totals = 67,474 (I wrote 14,154 words this week.)

Savvy Authors April Boot Camp – Current word count not including Sunday’s totals = 65,876 (I wrote 14,919 words this week.)

Blogging A to Z Challenge – A through X posted

Round of Words in 80 Days – Four Mid-Week Check-Ins and Four Sunday Check-Ins (including today)

Holy carpal tunnel, Batman!

Very pleased with my word counts but I’ve found so much story in the twists and turns this month that the stories are nowhere near over. Originally, I was going to alternate NaNo months with revisions, but I’ll continue with these stories while they’re fresh in my noggin.

GOALS FOR MAY & BEYOND:

1) Round of Words in 80 Days – This challenge, as the name suggests, has 50 more days to go. I’m glad that I’ll have check-ins twice a week to keep me on track.

2) 100 Pages in 7 Days Challenge – 25,000 words in a week? Pfft. Hi, May. Have you met April? 😉 Challenge accepted and continued.

3) Work on the blog. Blog at least twice a week. Also, I’ll be looking into web hosting and switching to wordpress.org down the road.

4) Read. READ MANY BOOKS. My TBR pile is ridiculous. Also, I’m reviewing some books through goodreads and might add a review series on the blog.

5) Summer Novel Writing Challenge – June 21st to September 21st. I’ll brainstorm what stories I want to develop for the upcoming challenges.

I’ll add more goals as they come, but I think I have a fair amount to work with in the coming weeks. Thanks to everyone who’s joined me. Your encouragement and inspiration fuels my creativity.

ROW80Logocopy

A to Z Challenge 2013 – U is for…

Posted on 2013/04/24 by Tonette dela Luna

~ UNSATISFIED ~

You’ve heard the saying ‘you can’t please everyone’ and it’s important to keep in mind when living the writing life. If you are lucky to gain a following, you’re sure to have your detractors. What if your biggest detractor is yourself? Don’t get me wrong. I love my characters. I love my stories. I think there comes a time when the story overwhelms me so much that I’m sometimes left unsatisfied even as I type the final word. Is it because of the rewrite? Or the rewrite of the rewrite. No, it’s the rewrite of the rewrite of the rewrite that gets me. That must be it.

I’m sure when I have children of my own someday I’ll endure a similar myriad of emotions as a writer who has birthed a story into the world. Each story I write is like one of my babies. I nurture it, sometimes smother it with good intentions, but want what’s best for it. I hope that when it goes out into the world that everything will be okay and that it can stand on its own (or maybe in a series. One can dream. ;-)) I think the pang of being unsatisfied is closely linked with its cousin, perfectionist. I don’t want a perfect story. I want a story that has its ups and downs. Of course, the only flaws a story should have are character flaws. Anything else needs to be nabbed before it gets published. Is not being satisfied because you suddenly want to change something or think there’s still room for improvement? Like any child, there comes a time when you have to let go.

Still, I think I’ll never be a fully satisfied writer. I consider it a good thing because it’ll keep me hungry to continue crafting stories but humble when those that I do write go off into the world and mingle.

Hmmm… unsatisfied with the spillage of my inner monologue, I at least have the good sense to include my #ROW80 MID-WEEK CHECK-IN with the blog entry rather than in the comments section. Score one for me.

1) Blogged A through U for the A to Z Challenge.

2) Words counts up to yesterday are as follows:

Camp NaNoWriMo – 60,969 words as of Day 23
Savvy Authors Boot Camp – 57,719 words as of Day 23

There are a couple of challenges in May and beyond that I’m considering, but I’ll look into them further and post about them in Sunday’s Check-in. Until then, many more scenes to unfold in both stories but I’m glad I’ve surpassed my targets. I almost rewrote one of them from scratch, because apparently I’m just unsatisfied that way. Fortunately, I held off. That’s where revisions come in. For now, and always, it seems, I write. 🙂

=8=

Today’s theme is brought to you by the letter

Week in Review – 2013/04/08 – 2013/04/14

Posted on 2013/04/14 by Tonette dela Luna

Week Two in my Write-a-palooza is history and I lived to blog about it.

Yesterday was the first #NaNoThon and I chugged out the words. My friend for this event was iA Writer. So good. Distraction free writing with no temptation to check the internet. Better yet, I used the iA Writer iPad App so it gave me a different feel and motivation to up those word counts. A feel good moment rounding out the night with good numbers for both novels, 13, 481 words in total. If I keep this pace, I actually might finish the stories in fifteen days. That is, by Monday. Wouldn’t that be a riot? If that were to happen I think I’d continue on to Book Two in my fairy tale mash-up. I’ve been dreaming up characters this past week and am excited for the second subplot in Book Three already!

Updated stats per my goals for this writerly journey. The deets of my original goals can be found here and here.

Camp NaNoWriMo April, 2013 – Current word count, not including Sunday’s totals = 33, 296 (I wrote 17, 079 words this week.)

Savvy Authors April Boot Camp – Current word count not including Sunday’s totals = 33, 976 (I wrote 19, 385 words this week.)

Blogging A to Z Challenge – A through L posted

Round of Words in 80 Days – Two Mid-Week Check-Ins and Two Sunday Check-Ins (including today)

Excited at the progress.

I did surpass my goals of doubling my word counts. I would like to finish my novels by next weekend and get a head start on my next writing projects during the last week of April. I figure why stop now? I think there were a couple days during the week when I felt things petering off, but I’ve gotten my second and third winds now. It helps to have a great family to give you the recharge necessary to forge ahead.

I think I’ll spend today reviewing my remaining blog drafts and do more character research. Diving into these characters’ minds has been the most fun this month.

There’s another Camp NaNo and Savvy Authors Boot Camp coming in July. The months in between will have me revising previous WIPs, then kaPOW, I’ll be primed for the next round of finger-numbing, wrist-aching, head-scratching story creation.

Should be a blast.

Week in Review – 2013/04/01 – 2013/04/07

Posted on 2013/04/07 by Tonette dela Luna

Seven days into my write-a-palooza and I’m pleased as punch. While I don’t know what that means exactly, I for one, am happy at the response to my blogged and Twitterisms. It gives me courage to continue spilling forth my inner monologue to those willing to read. To all of you, my heartfelt thanks.

Some stats per my goals for this writerly journey. The deets can be found here and here.

Camp NaNoWriMo April, 2013 – Current word count, not including Sunday’s totals = 16, 217

Savvy Authors April Boot Camp – Current word count not including Sunday’s totals = 14, 141

Blogging A to Z Challenge – A through F posted

Round of Words in 80 Days – Checked in last Wednesday and this post serves as the Sunday Check in.

Not too shabby, considering some snafus with lost work, busy schedules with the family, oh, and life, in general.

Renewed goals would be to try and double my word counts by next Sunday. I also want to get a head start on writing my alphabet posts for the week. One of my workshops has us doing some characterization exercises, plotting, etc., so I’m trying to do double-duty where I can or apply it to an existing project so there aren’t too many hats in the ring, as it were.

One of my short stories is being primed in a workshop that aims to have it published on Smashwords and Amazon. I didn’t think that was to be my first published piece, but I’m proud of it just the same. I’m sure many authors have their pet projects that were meant to be the inaugural story in their writing careers. I hope to one day revisit those works and apply the skills I have acquired over the years that have made me a better writer. Who knows, those stories might see beyond my own imaginings and come out to play. Anything’s possible. After all, I did join a humor contest at the start of March which ended up with three of my pieces being published on a website. I might as well get used to my work being out there for public consumption.

April’s been a great month so far and it’s not even halfway through. How are everyone’s writing goals progressing so far? Are there any additions? Any amendments? Any hair-pulling and commiseration that you wish to share? I’m happy to ‘listen’ and read.

Cheers to a great first week and I hope that the next one is just as splendiferous.