Goal Check In - August

Zebra at the Roger Williams Park Zoo. Providence, RI.

I started 2016 with seven writing goals:

1. Finish the three novels I started in 2015.
2. Write and submit a short story each month. (These can be separate stories.)
3. Edit a novel and send it out.
4. Do all the “homeworks” from season 10 of Writing Excuses.
5. All of the NaNoWriMo’s.
6. Join and continuously participate in a critique group.
7. Author visibility.

I have decided to add one new goal since then:

1. Listen to all of the currently posted Youtube video’s of Brandon Sanderson classes.

I have decided to delete one of the original goals:

1. Do all the “homeworks” from season 10 of Writing Excuses.

Simply put I decided that writing and editing were going to help more than those homework's were. I've already listened to all of the podcasts from that season and they were useful, but have decided to refocus by deleting this goal.

As of this point the new goal will be replacing the old goal as #4.
 
Progress since last month:

1. I reread what I had of Animal Companions. It'll need a radical rewrite before I can get to finishing it. Mind Magic is currently simmering on the backburner.
2. Did a major edit on Selfie. Still needs two more rounds before submission. I have minor outlines for another three pieces done, and one anthology that I want to write something for. No idea for that particular story yet.
3. I, finally, decided that I need to do a radical rewrite on Moon Murder. Now that the decision is made the rest of the year should be much more straight forward. This is the novel I plan to finish this year. (Also an important decision that I've been delaying on.)
4. I am up to date on all posted Brandon Sanderson videos, including notes from each class.
5. I finished Camp last month with just north of 20k words. I consider that pretty respectable for a summer Camp, wish I had been a bit more realistic about that goal from the start.
6. I submitted my first week submission on the 7th, and I haven't sent in my second week submission yet (it's currently the 15th). So I'm running a little behind, but still within the realms of catching up. There has only been one other submission from others so far and I have critiqued and sent it back.
7. I made an Instagram account! I also added buttons for my Twitter, Instagram, and FB to a couple of my website pages. Please consider following me! (I promise more doggie photos!)

 
Quantifying goals for the upcoming month:

1. I'm going to try making a Wiki for my outlines. It's out of the box, and it should put my love of adding unknown information to good use.
2. Write a first draft of one short story each week, totaling four.
3. Make a full Wiki for my Moon Murder novel. This will include all information presented in the first draft.
4. Continue to watch and take notes on the videos. Once they are all posted I'd like to compile my notes and print them into a "writers toolbox" reference piece for myself.
5. Not applicable this month.
6. Submit 4 pieces and review 12. If the critique group doesn't submit then continue to critique the full novel I'm reviewing for a friend. She'd like to have my full review back soonish so that she can work on her outline for the next novel. I'm going to aim to finish it this month. Currently on page 76 out of 155.
7. Make an author page on Google+ and Tumbler. Continue to post on all accounts. Then start working on an emergency supply of blog posts.

Bonus goal:

1. Read and review a piece for an indie author friend of mine!