It’s the beginning of the month, which means it’s time for another action-packed installment of MY MONTHLY GOALS!
But before we get to the main event, here’s a brief recap of what I accomplished last month. (And it’s definitely brief for the sake of post length. Definitely not because I didn’t accomplish very much. Definitely.)
JANUARY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
—I added 5,700 words to Full Circle.
I started out the year having some third act issues, so I concentrated on finishing some of the incomplete scenes in the first two acts while my brain worked on the third act problems in the background. This was marginally successful. I wrote words, I deleted words, I ended up with a problem that I shall discuss more in February’s goals. So, progress is being made. Albeit very slow progress.
—I attempted some marketing.
My January Marketing Attempt (that’s a generous use of the words ‘marketing’ and ‘attempt’, by the way…) was to offer to mail bookmarks/postcards for my books to any interested readers. It’s the kind of thing that would be handed out at book events, had I any book events on my schedule. One person took me up on the offer, and judging by the email I received in response, it may even lead to a sale. So…successful-ish? (Yes, you’re probably (rightfully) laughing at me for thinking this could count as some sort of success, but please keep in mind that I am in a serious ‘remedial marketing for anxiety-ridden dummies’ place)
(Also, if you’re in the US & would like some bookmarks of your very own, I’ll be happy to send some your way. Just email or DM me or something.)
—As of the moment I wrote this post, I walked a total of 98 miles in January.
I aim for three miles every day and was, admittedly, lazier in January than normal, but the daily average was almost 3.2 miles. That is what the kids call…
FEBRUARY GOALS
—Figure out the main villain arc in Full Circle
As is often the case in everything I write, the story shape-shifts in unexpected ways, forcing me to rethinking/redraw certain character arcs and storylines and the like. Full Circle has proven to be no different. Yay.
I started reconstructing this arc toward the end of last month and had a brief moment of thinking it might all work out with little reconstruction on every other damn part of the WIP.
Yeah. That’s over now. I wrote out everything I know and don’t know about this arc and from that developed a list of eight items that still need to be addressed in order for this arc to be complete and maybe even (that’s a big MAYBE, by the way…) make some semblance of sense. (Apparently, that’s important to a story? I dunno. That’s just what I hear.)
As much as I may like to, I don’t think I can’t put it off any longer because this arc naturally has a hand in the main plot as well as the subplot. So I think if I want to make any further progress on this WIP, I will have to suck it up and do some deep thinking.
—Figure out & complete my February Marketing Attempt
Can I just say again how much I hate this? I just feel so very clearly NOT cut out for this line of work.
—Read a damn book
Though there are, like, five new releases sitting on the side table in the living room—books I was soooooo excited to pre-order and read—I have yet to even open any of them.
Seriously. What the hell is WRONG with me?
—Walk at least three miles every day
Just looking to stay somewhat active.
And on that note…I’m outta here.
What are your goals for February?
Be safe and well, all.
Three plus miles a day is good.
Handing out anything these days is a challenge. Mailing out swag is a start.
I don’t really have an excuse for not hitting my walking goal in Florida. I don’t have to deal with any snow & ice and “cold for Florida” temperatures are still waaaaaaay warmer than they are at home. 🙂
Good luck with figuring out that arc. I always find when I get stuck on something like that, it’s usually something that happened much earlier in the book that needs tweaking. So maybe look back and see if you can figure out what that thing is.
That’s exactly what I did. I went through and charted what currently exists and where it starts to go off the tracks. I want to keep certain later parts of it, if I can, so I’m trying to work through whether that’s even a possibility. I really don’t want to kill those darlings, but I will if I have to.
January was a super stressful month, so I’m impressed anyone was able to get anything done at all.
I won’t lie. There were quite a few days when I did absolutely nothing.
Well, even finding out something isn’t working is progress of a sort, so yay? I’m sure the solution will pop up just when you think it won’t. And woo-hoo on the walking.
Yes, if I wasn’t at least attempting to address the problem or was unaware a problem even existed, I would be making even less progress than I am now. I’m sure it’ll get done. Eventually. I hope.
And the dogs make it easy to reach my walking goals. They love cruising around the neighborhood.
Your 3 plus miles a day makes me feel like a slug. Probably because I am one in the winter. It’ just so damn cold!
I don’t think I was walking three miles a day when I was in Maine. Not having to deal with snow and ice and freezing temperatures certainly helps with that!
And here I thought my 28 miles in January was good. Sheesh! Well done, you! You’d knock out that 500 mile challenge I’m doing in no time. 🙂
How about tying Love and Other Lies into Valentine’s Day somehow for your February Marketing?
So now I’m sitting here thinking, “Oh right. It’s a romance novel. That might work.”
I’m just so, so bad at this. Thanks for the suggestion!!