• What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?
• Describe what you worked on.
• Set goals for next week.
• Did you learn something during this week?

Here is a list of things that you can do each week as we work on our novels (suggestions welcomed).

• Writing on a novel
• Characterization
• World Building
• Relevant research

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Last Week's Goals

I made progress with last week's goals even though it was not *exactly* what I had planned to work on. I did do the world building for the "quest," but not so much on my outline. I'm happy with what I have and that's important.

My goals for next week:

• World build Culture 1 and 2
• Work on Project: Life outline

This week I need to focus on the two cultures I have in the book. Much of the conflict will be between these two people on their joint effort to solve the novel's main problem. This may take the majority of the week because I want to ensure I have good details here. If I have the chance I may incorporate some of that in my outline. One thing I do need, however, is to have more discipline. I need to put more time into the writing than I do.

What did I learn this week?

Nothing really much to say here unfortunately. I'm just happy to say I made some progress last week.

DREAMER'S ROSE: I've got notes for the revisions.
I started a little, with a possible new beginning. But I'm not sure of it, yet.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Rewrite of a good portion of the first half.
I've been giving this some thought and I think I have a plan of attack. The first thing this needs is to lose about 10,000 words, 15,000 if I can manage it. That might clear up some of the other problems along the way, if I can manage it.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY: Make revisions as the chapter critiques come back.
Yes.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Work on the query and synopsis.
Not so much. I did however start on a blog, which I can cite in the query letter. If I can get the blog going, that is. Check for an update later in the weekend.

SEVEN STARS: Get reimmersed in this.
Sort of. I decided to stop worrying about what kind of story it is and just tell it. I did get partway into the scene that's been holding me up.

OTHER: Finish revisions on Mage Storm and start submitting it.
Yes. It's out there on it's first submission. Fingers crossed.

MISC. Try again to install the router so I won't have that kind of computer problem ever again.
No. My shoulder has been bothering me all week. I'm not moving computer equipment around, even relatively lightweight stuff, until it stops.

Next Week's Goals:

DREAMER'S ROSE:
Work on the revisions. This will be something I do during breaks on SEVEN STARS, hopefully.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Now that I've got an idea how I want to proceed, get started trying to cut 10-15,000 words. I want it under 100,000 words. With luck, this will also solve at least some of the other problems, too.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY:
I've got a chapter exchange going on this one. Make revisions as the chapter critiques come back. And think about how I want to change the beginning. It needs to be tightened and heightened.

BLOOD WILL TELL:
Work on the query and synopsis. Prepare to submit it again--and again . . .

SEVEN STARS:
Get through this pesky scene that's been bothering me. Just get it done. I can fix it later. When I can move on to some fun stuff, hopefully this will start moving again.

OTHER:
I still need to work on revisions to Dragons are Forever, The Seeker.
Update my new blog and try to keep it updated at least once a week. I should have an update by Sunday, hopefully.

MISC.
If my shoulder allows, try again to install the router so I won't have that kind of computer problem ever again.

Spent the last two week brainstorming a novel. Today I started the chapter outline.

My goal is to finish the chapter outline by end of next week -- 50 to 70 pages, I hope.

I'm having some structural problems; things just aren't quite tying together correctly. I've already decided to cut at least one character (and I really liked him, too. Oh well, this just wasn't his book, I guess).

My next step is actually going to be to do a little research. A friend of mine, who lists costume-making as one of her many talents, recently took apart the sleeve of an old costume to figure out how it worked, so she could re-create it. So what I'm going to do is take a few novels by authors I really admire (I'm doing Fool by Christopher Moore, The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Heinlein, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, if I get that far), and outlining them. I'm hoping that will give me a picture of what a novel looks like when it's in outline form.

I'll be happy to share it when I'm done, although I suspect the main benefit will be from going through the exercise itself.

• Take one last look at the long summary
  Did that and also revised query letter
• Start sending out queries
  Sent out some equeries
  

Next Week's Goals

• Think about starting a new project or two.