Writing goals for May.

[Matnov]

Firstly apologies for the plagiarism. Not an original idea and salute to Carol for starting this in April.

My goals are as follows.

Finish my WIP before or on March 13th.
Move straight into some Zombie tosh that I have on the back burner (and which is fantastic fun to both plot and write)

Also read more. I have realised that this is an area of my life that has become neglected of late and I need to pay attention to this crucial area. Still buying plenty of books but they are merely gathering dust, much to the chagrin of my much better half

 

[Marc Joan]

March 13th 2018? or 2019?

 

[Carol Rose]

Thanks for starting it, @Matnov!

My goals for May are to submit the next two books in my new series, plus one other book in an existing series, to Evernight.

 

[Patricia D]

My writing goals are modest - write a short story I've been thinking about. Query Book 1 and return to writing book 2 of my new series. Actually that is a lot for me, plus I'm driving across the country.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I'll continue to write new poetry and short stories for competitions, though I was delighted to find one contest that doesn't mention anything about only accepting material that hasn't been published before. I immediately shot off half-a-dozen of my poems that have languished on Smashwords for four years. Printer Inks Poetry Competition closes this Friday, so if you've got any poems on their chosen theme of New Beginnings it might be worth entering; the prize is an Amazon voucher for £100.

As I've spent the last three years solidly writing and editing four novels, faffing around with competitions doesn't feel like work somehow. I think they're a great way of raising my profile as a writer, even if I'm only longlisted, and I've come to realise that there's a lot of craft involved in tailoring an entry to fit what the judges might like. Also, there are some scribes who do nothing but enter competitions, their names appearing repeatedly, which makes for hardened opposition.

Overall, entering competitions has become my second favourite writing activity, with actually creating new work the most joyful. In third and fourth place are querying literary agents and the endless tedium of editing!

 

[David Newrick]

I am plodding on with a re-draft of a 90k novel. Though I am spending a great deal of time thinking about how to make it more interesting to readers and, by default agents and publishers. To this end I am considering writing a good deal more as part of the re-draft, then going back scythe-like to cut out significant chunks of flab-like words to make it more interesting to read. So my target words for May would be around 10k to take it to over 100k. Then sharpen the scythe to cut it down again to reveal the beautiful sward beneath.

 

[Kitty]

My goal this month will be simply to add words - and to try to nail the voice of my second POV character who I haven't fully sussed yet!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

My May goals are to complete the first round of edits on a recently completed novel, and then hear it read aloud by my lovely husband (I can't tell you how incredibly helpful that is to me--to hear him interpret my characters aloud, hear where he stumbles over awkward phrases, and to find the spots where I've nailed it, too).

I'm also hoping to get at least the first half of the next Dragon Slayer book written.

And then there's marketing...fuck. May's modest goal is to contact the local library system and arrange some events, either alone or with a couple of other local writers.

And, like Paul, I really enjoy entering contests--I like the challenge they present to craft something for a specific set of judges. So I'm hoping to have time to 'play' and enter some contests in May.

 

[Sea-shore]

I have to amend my goal for May. Only half way through the new ms. Also, I can see it's going to need another few months of polishing. *sigh*

In other news, I'm starting a fab writing course at City Lit, Covent Garden. It's absolutely wonderful to be back in a classroom talking to other people who love writing and reading. 100% recommended!

 

[Matnov]

Pleased to report on a goal achieved. Finally wrote the two most glorious words in a writers vocabulary, 'The End', this morning. First draft of Metanoia(WT) completed. It is going to require massive amounts of work on almost every level concievable but it has a discernable beginning, middle and end. Which is all I ever ask from a first draft, when all is said and done. Not sure when I will drag it out of the metaphorical bottom desk drawer and dust it off in preperation for the real hard graft to begin but today I am rather chuffed.

Now onto some Zombie tosh and off to the hopefully sunny climes of the Dalmatian Coast on Saturday for a few days of chilling out. Will send you all a post-card!

 

[Patricia D]

May is moving right along without me accomplishing much in terms of writing, and it will be June before I'm settled anywhere - but I will then adopt Ray Bradbury's recommendation and try to write one short story a week. He said for a year; my version is for the rest of the year, starting the second week of June.

 

[Geoff]

Goal is rewrite of a WIP that has been maturing on my laptop, then off it goes on the Magic Roundabout.

 

[Matnov]

Well it has been a rather disjointing month, over-all. First part went like a dream and finished my WIP and went straight into some Zombie tosh without breaking step.

Then I take myself off down to Croatia for a few days. Enjoy some fantastic weather, eat some wonderful food, spend time with family and friends and plot up in my favourite cafe bar and write to my hearts content.

But after flying out of 29 degrees of Split sunshine, and landing back in a rain soaked Gatwick airport, it's all gone horribly wrong. Barely written another 2000 words and have sunk into a pathetic case of the 'woe is me'. If anybody is venturing down to the Dalmatian coast in the next few days and finds a discarded mojo, then please feel free to return it to yours truly.

However tomorrow is another day and another month. Onward and upwards. And hopefully making post with have a cathartic effect and I will pull my finger out and start hitting the keyboard again. One word after another until I have done enough and then repeat. That has to be my mantra!

 

[Kitty]

Well I think I achieved my modest goals this month, can't see much happening next month though if the sun keeps shining

 

[David Newrick]

Well it has been a rather disjointing month, over-all. First part went like a dream and finished my WIP and went straight into some Zombie tosh without breaking step.

Then I take myself off down to Croatia for a few days. Enjoy some fantastic weather, eat some wonderful food, spend time with family and friends and plot up in my favourite cafe bar and write to my hearts content.

But after flying out of 29 degrees of Split sunshine, and landing back in a rain soaked Gatwick airport, it's all gone horribly wrong. Barely written another 2000 words and have sunk into a pathetic case of the 'woe is me'. If anybody is venturing down to the Dalmatian coast in the next few days and finds a discarded mojo, then please feel free to return it to yours truly.

However tomorrow is another day and another month. Onward and upwards. And hopefully making post with have a cathartic effect and I will pull my finger out and start hitting the keyboard again. One word after another until I have done enough and then repeat. That has to be my mantra!

You know the old and truly excellent adage don't you Matnov:

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Hope that cheers you up! lol