Writing Rubrics, 3/30-4/5

Right, zo. This week has a little more flex in it--I'm busy Saturday but will have time to myself on Sunday, which means I can actually take a floating day off some time mid-week. The best part is that I sort of don't want to; maybe I'm getting the hang of this.

Day 1: Done--edited and prepared Not Providence 1.5 for publishing.
Day 2: Done--sent off a query about Done with Mirrors (fingers crossed there).
Day 3: Work on Not Providence.
Day 4: Edit Not Providence 6.
Day 5: Work on "Recess".

It may be tough to hold to my resolution to unleash another short story on the world this month--I am looking at digging out "The Color of Your Money" for editing in case "Recess" flags. I am finding Not Providence takes more time up than expected, but I don't think that's a bad thing; training for the actual writing life if it ever comes, and all that. I think I'm hitting my stride. Of course, this means that I should experience horrific writer's block any day now...

This Week's Writing Rubrics

I am right smack in the middle of another week where I have no latitude about my days off from writing, for all the right and fun reasons, which means of course that I am wishing I had that flexibility. However, inspiration seems to be relatively forthcoming so far, so I am hoping that I can maintain this with a little luck and some better sleep (a quality of life issue I have been noting has not been well-addressed in my existence of late). Anyway, without further ado:

Day 1: Complete. Second round edits on Part Four of Not Providence, plus some work on "Recess".
Day 2: Complete. Finished the next chapter of Not Providence.
Day 3: 1,000 words in "Recess".
Day 4: 1,000 words in "Recess" (or to completion if the narrative's ready to close).
Day 5: Edit Part Five of Not Providence.

I am finding the publication of a serial massively enlightening, if scary and occasionally frustrating; and even if this proves to not be as good for PR as I might like I think it will prove to have been a useful exercise for me personally, and that's reason enough to spend my time on it. My only problem is that I need to focus on Done with Mirrors--I am hoping to devote a night or two next week to that, but I may juggle Day 4's assignments to instead be to finish getting a query package together for the novel and get it sent off to an agent.

And now, I am off to drink some water, for I had wine with dinner and believe in not working hungover; and then to take a walk and perhaps purchase the next night or two's dinners. If only I didn't have to cook to feel healthy...

Our Weekly Mission Statement

Last week saw me fall short on one day--I got Days 1-4 done just fine, though one of them was a little less intensive due to a visit from a very old friend from out of town, while Day 5 disappeared into the hole of Valentine's Day plans. Given that my partner saw fit to praise my disciplined approach to this whole "budding writer" shtick I don't feel particularly bad about letting myself go for a special occasion. So, we'll call last week's mission Complete. Now, for this week:

Day 1: Finish editing "Those Who Don't".
Day 2: Sekrit Projekt.
Day 3: Post-peer review edits on "Those Who Don't"; submit to a magazine.
Day 4: Edit "A Million Stories".
Day 5: Sekrit Projekt.

Exact order of days to be rearranged as I see fit, submission to happen before midnight on Sunday regardless.

One thing I have noticed I need to change is writing more. Returning to the dating scene and a recent resurgence in my gaming activities have dented my reading patterns significantly, and it is something I need to fix. I find myself surfing through TV Tropes at the end of the night rather than writing, which is a problem both for my brain (as intellectual as TV Tropes is, I can only derive so much from repeated mention of Shinji Ikari) and for my sleep schedule, as TV Tropes keeps me vertical. So, it is time to go back to the old world of reading and dozing. I think perhaps a slightly lighter book is needed, as a break from the joyful density of Rudyard Kipling.

Coming up next: a movie review!

Progress Notes, 2/10/09

This week kicked off with me taking my first "pass" right away on Monday. This is standard behavior when one's significant other comes into town; I'm fairly certain that's written down in a manual.

The plan for this week is as follows, with the focus continuing to be on "Those Who Don't".

Day 1: Complete: Edit the aforementioned. I'm trying out a new narrative style for the story, I'm not quite sure if it gets its point across yet but I think it might. See Day 3.
Day 2: Work on Sekrit Projekt.
Day 3: Go back to "Those Who Don't" with somewhat fresh eyes. Edit to fit new narrative structure.
Day 4: Projekt Time.
Day 5: Projekt Time, or finishing "Those Who Don't".

Naturally this means that my goal of having TWD done by Valentine's Day is unlikely, unless I get a bolt of inspiration (or a good peer review) and swap Day 4 and Day 5. But I will accept having it ready to go or ready for the scrap-heap as of early next week, really.

Working on "Those Who Don't" is proving a fascinating challenge, as it has evolved so much since I started editing it; I'd almost call it an entirely different story than it was at this point, though with the same root ideas. There are things about my flaws and talents as a writer that it is revealing to me, and I think that it will both prove to be a solid story on its own, and a good lesson for future writing. But for now, I think I hear late-night Trope surfing calling my name.

Progress Notes, 2/4/09

I failed to update on the end of last week (very successful, actually), or to provide my notes for this week. So instead, we get to start with the mid-week update. I guess that's kind of like time travel, or something.

Day 1: Complete. Wrote 1,000 words for the aforementioned secret project.
Day 2: Complete. Wrote 1,400 words for same.

Day 3: Edit "Those Who Don't".
Day 4: Edit "Those Who Don't".
Day 5: Edit "Those Who Don't" or write 1,000 words as proclivity dictates.

Goals: To get the Project into working order for editing, and to get as close as possible to finishing "Those Who Don't". The hope is to have the story ready for submission before Valentine's Day, but I naturally won't push that if it means making the quality suffer.

Pretty soon, I will have to go back to Eyes of Stone, but I want to have good headway on the Project first. I realize I'm being cryptic, and that this is in danger of causing a serious case of Hype Aversion; but I don't want to say too much now, because if this idea tanks I don't want to have gotten hopes up too much. Regardless, my point is that this longer project is why I have not gone back to the novel, which is ultimately fine with me--it's giving me a chance to get my chops back together and venture into some wholly new territory before I get back to traveling a path I've mostly already paved.

Weaponized Schedule, 19 Jan 09

This last week saw one of my occasional setbacks; a variety of factors (read: excuses) led to a low energy level and a late start on Wednesday night that saw absolutely nothing getting done; this coupled with a bit of a chaotic schedule over the weekend meant I only got 3 days of editing in instead of 5, and did not make my deadline for a reading draft of Done with Mirrors. However, much as kicking myself might sound good, that doesn't do me any good, especially in the wake of some serious doubts; all I can do is forge ahead, set the plan for this week, and stick to it.

Fortunately, this week is a bit easier--I only have one day on which I am absolutely spoken for, so there is a floating day off I can use when my energy level tanks. Without ado, this week's 5-day plan:

Day 1: Edit Done with Mirrors: Touch-ups and conversions
Day 2: Edit Done with Mirrors: Character descriptions, quirks, further conversions.
Day 3: "A Million Stories": +1000 words.
Day 4: "A Million Stories": +1000 words.
Day 5: "A Million Stories": +1000 words.

Forced Day Off: Saturday; my parents' anniversary trumps writing, at least until they go to bed. Not a good day to plan doing anything.

Deadlines: "A Million Stories" must be 4000-5000 words by the end of the week, and if not finished be at least firmly in the denouement. Done with Mirrors goes out to beta readers before I go to bed Sunday.

My projects and hopes for the year remain unchanged; I do, however, have to add in more care in planning these things, and with that, an inspection of my life for places I could get more efficient and flexible.

There. Scheduling done. Show this off next time someone claims writing is easy.