“A writer is somebody for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." - Thomas Mann
Are we having fun yet?
I don't know about you, but I have to agree with Thomas Mann, I think writing is more difficult for me than for all my non-writing friends. At least I never hear them talk about how hard writing is. But writing with all of you makes it a lot easier. And a lot more fun!
The thing that helps me the most is setting goals and then reporting on my progress.
Did you set a goal at the beginning of May? I didn't. And my writing life is suffering as a result. Because of circumstances beyond my control, I'm in a quandary about what to work on right now.
So I've decided on a broad, ambiguous plan for May.
I will work on SOMETHING every day and I WILL enjoy myself. ^
Are you with me?
Let's have some fun!
What's your May plan? How's it going?
Good Monday morning! I'm editing this month - a little more than a third of the way finished and hoping to be 100% done by May 31st.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to everyone!
We'll look forward to hearing your progress. You can do i!
DeleteGood morning! I constantly have goals, but to be honest, I'm getting a little tired. I'm just finishing up a revision, and then I think May is going to be catch-up month. I have about eight thousand interviews to answer, 3.2 million emails that require extra time, so I've been pushing aside. I hate feeling the weight of these things, so I'd really like to clear some of them off my plate. Plus, I still need a bit of brain space from the last two books I wrote. But I think I'm ready to start letting the first one turn in my mind again.
ReplyDeleteSo for me it's not a pushing through month...more of a pulling back month.
Doing what you have to do to get ready for a book launch. Happy catching up!
DeleteI didn't set a goal either. For one thing, I lost track of time. But mostly, because the only obvious one for me is "keep going." So I guess my goal is long term: Finish the first draft by the end of the year. For May: Sit down at the keyboard and keep going. Happy to be a group who recognizes that reading sounds so much better (aka easier) right now than punching the keys.
ReplyDeleteKeep going. I like that. ^_^
DeleteI am going to a conference this month and then taking a short breather to reflect and empty my brain before starting in on revising. There is something about May. It is an odd month methinks.
ReplyDeleteSo you're filling the well this month. Enjoy!
DeleteI'm back in the saddle after a very weird April. Revising my new YA contemporary, putzing with a silly MG bigfoot story, and reading Denise Jaden's first novel (finished half of it yesterday!). Best part - I have exactly 5 more days of regular class schedule, then it's winding down, cleaning up, putting this school year behind me. Hallelujah.
ReplyDeleteI love you all! Do you know that? What woud I do without this wonderful group of writer friends? You complete me. :0)
Things are looking up! Hugs around. ^_^
DeleteI have two things on my May agenda: hiding from the Internet and taking notes on a new project. I have modest goals when I'm at this stage, just starting out. Each day I want to figure out one thing that I didn't know the day before. That's all.
ReplyDeleteFrankly I think my first goal is going to be the more difficult one to achieve.
Sounds reasonable. I will try not to bring you out of hiding from the Internet. ^_^
DeleteMay is when I sigh and whisper "at last!". I mean, there was *snow* in April, for crying out loud! Really! May is when it finally feels like spring. I want to be out in the garden a lot this month so I'm being realistic about how much writing I'll get done. There will be some every day, for sure, but I won't be rushing toward any goals. I like your plan, Angelina... "working on something and having fun."
ReplyDeleteThis first week all I've really done is a bit of initial groundwork for a non-fiction contest entry, so I need to switch gears soon and get back into my novel-in-progress.
Hope everyone has a good week!
Sounds like you are geared up to enjoy this special time of year. Gardening is good for planting story seeds, too. Enjoy!
DeleteHey! I set a goal for the week, not a month, and did get most done...but am feeling like I am on a slippery slope of no focus. SO--the plan for May, starting today is to make a monthly goal and then weeklies to achieve them. To. that. end. for. May:
ReplyDelete-finish books two and three of Mixed Up Everafters
-send out 5 more queries (2 to editors who were at the Western Washington Con/
-dare I say...complete new draft of HAPPY MEDIUM, if no, start a new book
-assess what I can reasonably do blogging wise-means I will have to let some things go and that is _okay_. right? right.
Good luck everyone and thanks for hosting us, Angelina!
Yes. Sometimes something's gotta give. Best wishes for a productive week. You've got some great goals. We'll be cheering for you!
DeleteHey there! May is great for me, I got back on a spreadsheet and it's so motivational. Right now I'm at 30% done and if I keep it up I'll be done early.
ReplyDeleteI'm also playing around with a few new ideas so I'd like to get some Sentences written to clarify those ideas. Never did get around to it for the WIP
Also I'd like to either write on these new ideas or something. Something to remind myself of why I love this. I'm with you Angela!
Have fun with those new ideas and best wishes with finishing early!
Deletehalfdone my read through! Still aimed to finish May's goal on the 23rd (a week early). Taking it four pages a day, and got a new note book for ideas and journaling
DeleteAfternoon! (Almost wrote "morning" then glanced at the clock. Yeah, late lunch break today.)
ReplyDeleteWell, since I've given up my submission to Strange Chemistry as a lost cause, I'll be focused on the fine-tuning and edits that I realized needed to be done, anyway.
And I'll be beta-reading. And reading. Published author acquaintance sent me chapters of a YA she's working on, so that's going to be today's focus. There's a write-in tonight. I want to finish my rewrites, but I think I need the mental break from my own stuff, anyway.
But I'd like to start sending out to agents again, and soon. I am so ready to be done with this book. I have other stuff I'd like to work on, too.
Will be cheering you to the finishing line. ^_^
DeleteOoo rejection today that made heart go OOF, but that won't stop me from making May plans.
ReplyDeleteOverall May plans are to "make headway" on the revision of my adult literary novel and read two gothic fantasies to get a better feel for my stalled WIP.
This week, plans are to:
1. Send out three more queries
2. Finish 30 pages of revision, wherever that'll put me
3. Read 50 pages of Four and Twenty Blackbirds (Cherie Priest)
WHAT would I do without this community?
Great goals! Keep us posted on your progress.
DeleteHi everyone!
ReplyDeleteAaaaaah, this is what I need--a little #wipmadness back in my life! Things have been weird with wrapping up revisions and beginning querying. Uuuuuuuh.
Sorry about the rejection, Lora. Querying sucks. Excuse me while I barf.
Besides that. I'm wrapping up a couple of WFH books this week but then I am totally diving back into my Icelandic Sci-Fi adventure. I reaaaally miss having a big project like that to work on. So I will totally be part of the madness by next week. Miss you all!!
Hugs,
Kip
We've missed you, too, Kip! Good to have you back. We'll be here waiting for you.^_^
DeleteCompletely with you! Sometimes I do well with goals; other times, not so much. But I do believe that's one I can make a goal and stick to it!
ReplyDeleteOkay. We'll do it!
DeleteI was hoping May would be the month I finished m last revision, but so far it is going veeeeery slooooowly. I do have three weeks of leave coming up, so we'll see.
ReplyDeleteAfter a stressful April (in my non-writing life, mostly) and being sick for the first week of May, I'm feeling like I'm getting back on top of things, finally.
I have high hopes for May. Looking forward to sharing the journey with all of you :)
Here's to getting back on top. Happy to have you along. ^_^
DeleteI realized recently, at an SCBWI conference actually, that my problem isn't with setting goals. I set goals all the time. My problem is that I set impossible goals and then feel bad that I cannot meet them. If I can write x number of pages per day, then I challenge myself to write double that, and then triple that, and then quadruple that until I reach a number I simply cannot accomplish.
ReplyDeleteSo my new plan for May has been to set a writing goal each day that I KNOW I can do. So far it's resulted in me writing even more than usual!
Impossible goals set you up for failure.
It's great that you learned this lesson. Attainable goals are paramount. ^_^
DeleteSo far my May has been crazy. I committed to scoring CST 4th grade writing tests and it looks like they extended the end date to the 22nd. Plus helping out on a virtual book tour with other Muse It Up authors(which has been fun). And I'm reading through the slush with one small press. Oh, did I mention I also need to get on the ball with this second round of edits.
ReplyDeleteCraziness.
This week I plan to attack at least a couple edit chapters a day(except for the weekend). Also get in at least two YABC reviews. Mother's Day? I'm not doing NADA. I figure we deserve at least a day to ourselves, right?
Full plate, yet I already have seen that you're editing chapters. Go, Kim!
DeleteLike you, I did not set a goal for this month (Bad Barb!), and I can't believe it's the 7th already! However, I am writing every day and pulling together stray bits from various projects. That will have to do!
ReplyDeleteWriting every day is a great goal, Barb.
DeleteAMEN to that quotation!! OY! April was a tough month...or at least May has begun with the residual BANG! that means some serious re-conception of the WIP. So my plan is to get a good lay of the land and refocus the core of the novel and develop a few characters much more. (A little broad and semi-ambiguous plan!) I can hardly get my head around things this week, but next week should be better.
ReplyDeleteGood luck everyone and enjoy your Mother's Day!
Sounds like a good plan!
DeleteI'm with you! I need to work on a new project and a little every day is perfect.
ReplyDeleteYay! Keep us updated on your progress Best wishes. ^_^
DeleteI'm working on a first draft of a book in a series, and it's slow going! So in May, I hope to get another 15K written, bringing the book up to 40K. It's been nutty, though, with travel and finals and prepping for the new semester. Thanks for posting this communal encouragement!
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining us. You can do it!!!
DeleteNow that things are finally calming down again, I may just have to join in on this one.
ReplyDeletePlease join in the fun!!!
DeleteAngelina, I find that the more I plan, the less I get accomplished. I'm waiting for the Son to finish with finals so normalcy can be restored to the home front. After this weekend, I'm taking it super easy. One day at a time but enjoying myself nonetheless! :)
ReplyDeleteGood. Sometimes taking the pressure off helps the joy increase. ^_^
DeleteI think you've set great goals for yourself, Angelina. Working on what I *wanted* to work on is how I spent much of March while I waited to hear on a proposal. For May, I'm back in deadline mode, with the goal of finishing the first draft of my WIP by the end of the month. If I can get in a little promotion for my other book, so much the better.
ReplyDeleteI believe you can do this, based on the work ethic I've come to recognize in you.
DeleteI'm jumping in a bit late, but I found such great success with March Madness. Goals are what I need. One of my goals for May was to query my newest picture book. DONE! I sent out 9, so that goal is complete. A few other things I'd like to set goals for are:
ReplyDeleteWork on rewrites for YA Historical 45% done. I'd like to be at 75% done by May 31.
Work on new story idea.
Revise picture book #3.
Are there checkins, Angelina? Let me know. :))
We check in every Monday, Candy. Happy to have you back with us and great job on the goal setting and meeting. ^_^
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