August Goals

Well, July was absolutely awful. It started with a bank error, proceeded to a presidential upset that I fear skews the election towards the party that wants to kill me, and now my doctor is leaving the practice I go to and now I have to get a new one and keep my fingers crossed that they’ll do their job property. Ha ha, everything is terrible. Needless to say, I haven’t been focusing much on my goals.
 
July Goals
1. Work on notes from beta readers. It looks promising so far.
Hey, at least I got this done before the world went to hell.
 
2. Find more beta readers and writer places. Please, just don’t make me have to go on Discord. Unfortunately it seems every other social media is dead now.
Did not even attempt this. Did not have the energy.
 
3. Sigh. Once again, update my etymology pages. I keep hoping they’ll update Blogger so it doesn’t suck any more, but fat chance of that happening when it took them a month to fix the problem with links.
Somehow the least odious portion of the month, and that’s saying something.
 
I never want July to come back. I can only hope August is better…
 
August Goals
1. Actually attempt to find more writer spaces and beta readers this month.
 
2. Find something that seems fun to work on.
 
3. Birthday. I’m looking forward to it with some trepidation. Did you know the bakery that makes my favorite cake had a fire and is now closed? And there’s no news as to when they’ll open again?
 
Ugh, I just want this year to be done.

August Goals

On one hand, how is it already August? On the other, birthday month!!!!! What did I do last month?
 
July Goals
1. Reduce my blogging schedule. I know, it’s a shock. I’ve been at three times a week for over a decade now! Unfortunately, I don’t have as much energy as I used to.
Well, this was an easy one. Doing less work is not a problem for me.
 
2. Update my etymology page. You know what fun this always is.
Ugh, it’s done. Stupid Google screwing up Blogger.
 
3. Get to 90K on my WIP. I probably won’t get this far, but I’m hoping for a miraculous burst of inspiration.
So close! And since I’m writing this in advance, I may have actually reached it! Yay!
 
Not bad, in all, but they were some easy goals.
 
August Goals
1. Actually keep track of my goals this month. I let it slack when I stopped using sticky notes, but now that the evil rounded corners are gone, I can use them again.
 
2. Finish Book 2. It’s got, like, three more chapters, so this should be easy.
 
3. BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I’m going to get cake! The cake I really love from the good bakery! AHHHHHHHH!
 
I’m very excited.
 
What are you going to do this month?

August Goals

Oh man. It’s August already? On one hand, it IS my birthday month, so cake and presents. On the other hand, August already???
 
July Goals
1. Continue working on notes from beta reading (still could use more!). Not sure about some parts of it, but I do want to work on it.
I did do a great deal with this, but of course I’m too distracted by my shiny new project to finish. Insert eyeroll emoji here.
 
2. Get my latest project underway. If it actually goes well, I’ll have to tell you about it.
I’ve been working on it! Is it going well? Too soon to say. Do I want to talk about it? I vastly underestimated how self-conscious I would be.
 
3. [Heavy sigh] Update my etymology page. I hate what a chore this has become thanks to New Blogger.
Ugh, yes. I hate the New Blogger interface. Hate-it-hate-it-hate-it. I just want to be able to properly space my word lists again!
 
July was mostly successful, I guess. Also really frigging hot and humid. Though that doesn’t really have any bearing on my goals. Now for this month…
 
August Goals
1. Continue work on the new project, which is serial fiction rather than a full MS, so that’s a whole new thing to learn about.
 
2. Actually finish the beta notes (and please don’t be too distracted by the above to do it!).
 
3. BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
August is so far a humid mess of wildfires. What do you want to do this month?

August Goals

Man, it’s August. On one hand, it’s my birthday month, yay! On the other hand, how did it get to be August already?
 
Anyway, goals…
 
July Goals
1. Finish the notes on my WIP and start a new editing pass focused on improving descriptions and reactions, because I’m really bad at this.
Wow, I completed this. I made five hundred notes about things to improve and fixed most of them. I’m still not sure the book is any good, but hopefully the descriptions are better.
 
2. Update my etymology page. It’s that time again!
Did this, too! I also changed the colors to make it a little more friendly on the eyes. Still can’t get rid of those spaces, though. I might actually have to start splitting up the words into separate pages. Maybe that’ll stop it from crashing every time I try to edit it.
 
3. Start the editing notes for the new WIP. Not sure I’ll have time to get to this, but it’s on the list now so I won’t forget.
And, amazingly, I’m working on this too. I needed a break from the WIP after finishing #1, so I went back to this one.
 
Surprisingly accomplished month in terms of writing, considering how stressful it was otherwise. Seriously, July 2021, go jump off a cliff. Now for August…
 
August Goals
1. Finish my editing notes on WIP 2 and hopefully get to work on them (we’ll see).
 
2. Get back to WIP 1 and again, work on the descriptions. I like the premise so much and think it’s really unique, and I just want the writing to live up to what I’m going for.
 
3. BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY.
 
Have I mentioned it’s my birthday month? What do you want to do this August?

August Goals

Oh, wow. It’s August. Normally I’d be thrilled since it’s my birthday month, but… you know. 2020. I’m afraid if I get excited about anything my entire life will catch on fire.

Okay, goals.

July Goals

1. Finish first round of editing notes on WIP. I have over four hundred of them, mostly me telling myself to add more descriptions.

Hey, I did this, adding almost 10K more words because of it. There are still a few things that need work, but will hopefully be taken care of in other edits.

2. After finishing the above, complete the next round of structure edits on the WIP.

I didn’t complete it, but not for lack of trying. I spent the last two weeks working on it (trimming some words from the above edit) and there’s still a bit more to take care of. I’ve been doing way too much telling instead of showing in this WIP.

3. Look at the yearly goals I’m supposed to be working on that I’m sure I’ve made no progress on. Eep.

Taken care of. Now I can forget about these until the end of the year! XD

Actually not bad. As for August…

August Goals

1. Finish the edit from last month and really work on the whole telling instead of showing thing.

2. Get to the next editing pass where I work on descriptions in particular.

3. Birthday! Please don’t let that exclamation point cause the entire thing to be ruined.

This is what I want to do this month. What are you up to?

August Goals

Whoo! It’s August! The one month of the year I actually look forward to! My birthday is less than a month away!!!! Aaaaaaa!

And now, goals or something.

July Goals

1. Edit one of the many projects I have in the works. Also start planning for the story I want to write this year.

Yeah, I did this. I also didn’t just plan the story. I kind of wrote it. Twenty thousand words. Not bad.

2. Work on edits from the beta notes I should be getting.

I did another read-through of the WIP and fixed quite a few embarrassing mistakes. It looks good, but of course, I still need more opinions.

3. Do some posts in advance to get ready for my blogging break next month. That’s right, I plan ahead.

Hey, I did this, too. What do you know.

In all, a successful month. I mean, in terms of writing. I think the reason I’ve been writing so much is because I so much want to shut out the rest of the world.

Anyway, goals.

August Goals

1. Work on planning the sequel to the WIP. I didn’t expect to do this already, but everything’s been going so well on it, that I’m actually getting to the point where it’s ready to be written.

2. Keep editing. Can’t get distracted by the shiny prospect of first draft writing.

3. BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

AAAAAHHHHH! It’s almost my birthday! AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!

August Goals

It’s AUGUST!!!! The month of my birthday!!!!!!!! Presents! CAKE!!!!! EEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

Anyway, goals or whatever.

July Goals

1. Do my word search. I always find I overuse certain words and phrases so now I have to get rid of some of them so it’s not totally ridiculous. You want to know how much I use the word “even”? Because it’s embarrassing.

This was so tedious, but I did it, it’s DONE. I never have to do it again. Until the next book. Whimper.

2. Finish the short story I started. This one should be easy.

I was so creatively wiped from the above I didn’t think I’d make it, but I did it. I mean, it’s a rough draft so it’s not like it’s good. But it’s done.

3. Get ready for my blogging break next month!!! I’ll have to get some extra posts ready.

Yes, I now have two extra posts just waiting to go up while I’m off far away from the internet. The third is always the trickiest since I don’t have a fixed theme for it. I’ll have to wait and see what comes up.

So I did everything. Not bad, right?

August Goals

1. Work on the new idea rolling around in my head.

2. Don’t do anything on the WIP. I need a break from it. I know it seems weird to have not doing something as a goal, but I keep feeling tempted to tweak it some more.

3. BIRTHDAY! Birthday birthday birthday. Have I mentioned it’s going to be my birthday?

So that’s August. I have a feeling it’s going to be pretty easy to make these goals. So what are you up to this month?

August Goals

It’s August! You know what that means!

It’s my birthday month. You better all have known that. Anyway, goals or whatever.

July Goals

1. 10K more on my WIP. Go big or go home.

Did not get all of it, but I got over 5K which isn’t horrible.

2. Update my etymology page before it gets ridiculous again.

I did, and now it’s already getting ridiculous again.

3. Maybe actually do the outline. If free time starts falling from the sky.

Unfortunately, free time did not start falling from the sky. Maybe it grows from the ground?

Pretty good. A solid 60%. Which is good enough for me because I’m not in school anymore.

August Goals

1. Finish the book! I don’t know how many more words it’s going to be, but I think I’m getting close to the end. The final confrontation is close…

2. Again, start outlining it. There’s a bunch of stuff I need to figure out.

3. BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can’t wait until my birthday. There’s going to be so much cake!

Anyway, what are you up to this month? Anything cool?

August Goals

Hey, it’s August already! You know what that means!

It’s my birthday month! So obviously I have to spend the entire time in celebration! There will be cake, people. CAKE.

Oh. Right. I have goals or something to look at.

July Goals

1. See how I’m doing on my yearly resolution, because I’m betting it’s not good.

Actually, it was mostly not bad. Yay I guess.

2. Figure out if I can block off some time once a week or something for me to just write.

I still really don’t. I’m just so tired of the computer by the end of the day that when I do have free time I just want to do anything else. Sigh…hopefully that will change.

3. Write something, anything, without any strings attached (like I have to finish it or it has to have a certain word count).

I did fiddle around with some stuff, so that was fun. : )

And now, for this month…

August Goals

1. Start a new cross-stitching pattern. Hopefully it won’t take as long as the last one did.

2. Write something fun that I enjoy writing!

3. BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY!!!

Good goals, and importantly, attainable. So what are you up to now that it’s August? Any end of summer vacations? Or end of winter ones?

August Goals

Wow. July is done already. My birthday is this month, and just a few months after that, 2015 is going to be over. Am I the only one who feels like time sped up, like, a lot?

Anyway, goals. Let’s see how I did.

July Goals

1. Figure out what I want to do with the fantasy idea that I have. Obviously I want to write a book, but I have to see about having the time!

Hey, I did this! Part of me still thinks it’s a good idea, but of course there’s another part that says no, it’s too cliché, it’ll never work. Sometimes you just have to fight off that voice.

2. Work on my other projects and hopefully make enough money to, you know, live.

Yes, I did this. And I’m still alive, so I guess that’s something.

3. Start working on extra post ideas because next month is August and you know that’s vacation month. And my birthday! WOOOO!

And I did this, too. Wow, I’m really on fire. I think this has been my most successful month yet!

I did really well this month. That’s definitely a confidence booster.

August Goals

1. Try to write 10K on one of my WIPs. I hope I have the time! Maybe during my vacation.

2. Get my birthday week posts ready. These will probably be stick figure comics : )

3. VACATION!!!!!! Do I have enough exclamation points?

I think this month is totally doable. It sure is hot, though. So what are you up to this month?

August Goals

Ugh, I really didn’t get enough done in July, and I don’t even have to look at my list to know that.

July Goals

1. Do something about that query and then send out another set. Not that I’m expecting much…

Did not do this. Honestly, I was feeling too disheartened. After getting so many rejections, I needed a self-esteem break.

2. Finally get to the read aloud of REMEMBER that I meant to do months ago and never did. If I’m not too distracted by something shiny.

Ha-ha! Take that, shiny distractions! I got this done!

3. Work on recreating some of the projects I lost when my computer crapped out on me. Most of them I could care less about, but there are a couple of things I really liked, even if they’re just for me.

This too. Kind of. It’s not like it was a well-defined goal. I guess it’s a win since I can’t technically lose.

All right, let’s see what I’m up to this month…

August Goals

1. Work on REMEMBER notes. I’m only putting “work on” because it is vacation month after all. Plus…well, you’ll see in my next goal.

2. Add 20K to my new WIP. Yes, you read that right. I started another one. The idea was nagging at me and I couldn’t ignore it!

3. VACATION!!! WOO!

Well, I know I’ll be able to do number three. What about you? What are you guys up to this month?

September Goals

Hello from the past! I’m actually writing this in the middle of August because the week that you’re reading this in is part of my blogcation and I’m not going to feel like writing then. What’s it like in the future? Are there any flying cars yet? I mean, besides the one that’s half-car, half-plane.

Writing form the past might make it difficult to evaluate my monthly goals, seeing how the month isn’t done yet, but considering the fact that my month is ending early anyway because of my vacation, who the hell cares?

August Goals

1. Keep on social media and keep searching for more beta readers for my YA apocalyptic. I really hope I remember it this month. Not that I know how to go about doing so…well, the goal should be to figure that out, then.

            Dang it, I was so bad with this one. I should have joined up with Write On Con, but it really happened at a bad time for me—I was busy with stuff that kept me from the computer and then was so worn out I didn’t feel like it anyway. Bah. Excuses!

2. Add 20K to new project. It’s a paranormal with an apocalyptic twist because I can’t really stray that far.

            I didn’t quite make this, but I was close, and I did try as hard as I could to get this done. I call this one a win.

3. Add 10K to my horror side project. Also, maybe reveal the horror story I wrote to you guys.

            Not ten thousand words, no. I did work on the horror story I wrote, but there was no time to share it. I’ve been thinking of waiting until October anyway. So it will get done, just not right now : ).

September Goals

1. Work on being more social online. It’s hard for me, but I want to be more active on the sites I’ve joined and get myself more out there. Ugh, I’m not looking forward to this.

2. Add 30K to my new project. I better do it, too!

3. Actually add something to the horror side project this time. I also have a few more horror ideas I want to expand (they’re just fragments right now; I’d like some actual thoughts on what to do with them).

I hope I’m successful this time. So what are you up to this month? Do you parents have more free time now that the kids are back in school or are you busier than ever?

August Goals

Alas, this month was not as successful as previous months. Yes, it’s my fault for getting distracted by yet another project. Plus there was a week when it was reeeeeeeeeeeeeally hot out, like close to a hundred degrees and super humid. Surprisingly enough, melting from the temperature is not conducive to writing.

Anyway, let’s see what I did…

July Goals

1. Finish going over suggestions from previous readers for COLLAPSE. Maybe try to find more critique partners. I’ve got some good feedback, but I don’t know if four is enough (especially when I don’t have them all back yet).

Oh wow, I totally failed here, mostly because I completely forgot about searching for more crit partners. Um, whoops?

2. Be more present in social media. Mostly I want to leave more comments, respond to every one I receive, and return the favor.

Did this. I’m commenting more and responding to almost every one (the few I don’t is because some people don’t connect their web pages to their profiles and I can’t find them).

3. Add 20K more to New Project and finish combining the new and the old versions.

Did not do this. I worked more on the rewrite, but then I started working on a completely different project. I got that one done and even worked on yet another, but this goal is a total fail.

So it’s a failure in the sense that I have not been working on the goals I was supposed to be working on. I got quite a bit done, but not exactly on the correct things. Part of it is wanting a break from dystopian/apocalyptic writing—yes, really. Although the new idea I have is still more than a little apocalyptic…

August Goals

1. Keep on social media and keep searching for more beta readers for my YA apocalyptic. I really hope I remember it this month. Not that I know how to go about doing so…well, the goal should be to figure that out, then.

2. Add 20K to new project. It’s a paranormal with an apocalyptic twist because I can’t really stray that far.

3. Add 10K to my horror side project. Also, maybe reveal the horror story I wrote to you guys.

And the fourth goal: take a break. Honestly, I’m really busy this month outside all of my writing stuff, so I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to get done.

Anyway, what are you doing this August? Are you enjoying your last full month of summer (or winter, if you’re below the equator)?