Your 2013 Writing Goals

[gmw]

Originally Posted by gmw

[...]I expect to publish my second novel, and to finish writing my third novel. If these don't happen then I'm in real trouble (won't be the first time).[...]

Completed the first draft of my third novel tonight (204,000 words, I imagine it will come down from that on subsequent edits). It's quite a relief to finally have the story out. Obviously lots to do on it yet, but I'll put it away for a month or two and hope that it still looks okay when I come back to it.

Now (or after fulfilling some work commitments) I can finally return to my second novel and try to get it ready to publish. It has been through several drafts already, but I haven't touched it in months. I hadn't intended to put it off this long, but the third novel wouldn't leave me alone.

[kennyc]

Wonderful!
Congratulations gmw!

I've been scarce around here (and will likely continue to be scarce) but I'm quickly approaching what I'm going to call completion of my science essay/article compilation I'm calling "How do we Know?" which will be a collection of 13 shortish (1000-3000 word) non-fiction articles but with a bit of creative non-fiction slant to them, but not totally personal essays. I need to complete one more draft essay and then pull it all together into the full book. It going to be a bit shorter than yours gmw at only about 20-25k words. I hope to have it completed by end of July and will likely self-publish, but still considering options.

I will be doing a full mid-year status at the end of the month and will post my more detailed progress, plans, changes then.

[VydorScope]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Wonderful!
Congratulations gmw!

[kennyc]

This being the last day of the first half of the year I've assessed my current status.

As of the last week I've completed the draft of "How do we Know" which consists
of 13 science articles/essays on a variety of topics from the Milky Way Galaxy to Cellular Communications, and Human/Artificial Intelligence. It is about 25k words total and I've worked through revisions on all of the individual pieces (some several times) and need to do a full final revision and will be ready for self-publication in the next few weeks. (unless I change my direction at the last minute)

I've completed 4 additional pieces for my personal memoir collection "Growing Up Stories"

6 additional creative non-fiction essays (some published on my blogs)

2 fiction pieces
and
16 poems

Of course many partially completed pieces of fiction, nonfiction and a bit of work towards a novel.
I'm guessing maybe 50k words total which would average out to about 275 words a day, really only 1/4 of what I was hoping for at the beginning of the year, but still feel reasonably good about it.

[VydorScope]

I am behind...but I am an artsy type now right? So that is okay... only about 45k words in to book 5....

[cromag]

I am such a slacker!

But I've got two short stories near completion and three past the outline stage.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by VydorScope

I am behind...but I am an artsy type now right? So that is okay... only about 45k words in to book 5....

Excellent!

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by cromag

I am such a slacker!

But I've got two short stories near completion and three past the outline stage.

That's good stuff!

I think I'm a slacker too since I'm supposed to be approaching this as a full-time job...(at least in spirit if not remuneration).

[gmw]

Originally Posted by kennyc

[...]I'm guessing maybe 50k words total which would average out to about 275 words a day, really only 1/4 of what I was hoping for at the beginning of the year, but still feel reasonably good about it.

Poetry has got to cut the word count down a bit, Kenny. It's been many years since I wrote any, but I seem to remember it being a very slow business. ... Come to think of it, the non-fiction isn't likely to happen quickly either (the research to output ratio is pretty high).

I've managed a higher count, mostly written in the wee hours of the morning, but most of that has been first draft stuff. Now that it's time to go back and prepare the previous novel for publication, my average is going to drop back pretty steadily for a while.

[kennyc]

Yes to all of that. Thanks.

[kennyc]

After a really busy week I've completed one of my major goals the collection of science essays "How do we know?"

Now I need to get moving on the memoir collection or something....

It's always a bit strange finishing something up eh? Not sure what to do next.

[gmw]

Congrats Kenny.

As for what to do next. I keep thinking that it should feel good, relaxing or something, to get to the end of something major, instead it just feels empty. ... But, by the grin at the end of your post, I suspect the void isn't going to remain empty for you for long - that's got to be a comfort.

[cromag]

Originally Posted by kennyc

After a really busy week I've completed one of my major goals the collection of science essays "How do we know?"

Now I need to get moving on the memoir collection or something....

It's always a bit strange finishing something up eh? Not sure what to do next.

Woo-hoo!

Now, back to work!

[kennyc]

Ain't it so!

Thanks Man!

[M.T. Miles]

Congrats on finishing your project. Enjoy.