• 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 did not do nearly as well this last week. I only got 1,000 words written during my lunch break. I had a project due at work that gave me some problems so that distraction threw me off a bit. Still, 1,000 words is better than nothing.

My goals for next week:

• Improve scene details
• Write detailed scenes

Hopefully I will be able to get back into the flow of doing my lunch writing. I have lost a couple days already due to that project.

What did I learn this week?

I once again learned that even taking a day off makes it difficult to get back to writing. I am having a hard time starting up my lunch writing again. Hopefully I'll get better next week.

Symbiosis

Science fiction, possibly could be classified as hard SF. I've only written 8,000 words so far.

This is the first 13. I know it reads strange, but the prose is only like this for Chapter 1, which is only a page or two.

quote:

---

Darkness, complete. Optic nerve inputs diverted. Host consciousness feedback detected. Risk negligible, disregard. Assuming motor control.
Hands wrap around cold metal. Arm thrusts forward into unsuspecting flesh. A sharp, gurgling gasp. Warm liquid sprays on face, tastes of iron. A voice rises to anger. Comprehension suppressed. Body pivots, arm snaps, steel flies. Angry voice silenced. Simultaneous thuds on ground. Retrieve projectile. Retrieved.
Legs move and arms pump. Action potentials modulated, muscular contractions optimized. More puzzled voices advance then recede. A shout from behind, rushing footsteps follow. Body weaves effortlessly between sensed obstacles.

---

I really do want to get back into working on this novel. I keep coming up with short story ideas that keep sidetracking me from the novel. My plan was to alternate writing chapters in the novel with short stories, but I haven't stuck to that plan very well.

* What were your goals last week and did you accomplish them?

My goal was to do a final edit on my WoTF entry and submit it. Mission accomplished there.

* Describe what you worked on.
My WoTF entry and two critiques for my local writers group.

* Set goals for next week.
To put the final polish on my memoir piece and submit it to Glimmer Train's October contest.

DREAMER'S ROSE: Work on chapter exchange revisions as they come.
Yes.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: Let it rest for a while longer.
Such an easy goal.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY: I hope to get back to this one in October.
Well, it's only the first of October. Not yet.

BLOOD WILL TELL: Send two new queries out.
Nope.

MAGE STORM: Sweep through for one more edit, polishing and looking for places where I need to get deeper into the POV.
Done. Ready for readers.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Make some revisions to a short story and then decide what I'm going to do with it next.
Yes to the blog, no to the short story.

Next Week's Goals:

DREAMER'S ROSE:
Work on chapter exchange revisions as they come. Continue to think about how I will change this to YA and if it's worth it.

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE:
Let it rest for a while longer. When I've finished the revisions on its sequel, I'll take another look at it.

THE IGNORED PROPHECY:
Time to start thinking about getting back to this.

BLOOD WILL TELL:
Send two new queries out.

MAGE STORM:
Start working on the synopsis. *sigh*

SEVEN STARS:
Start really working on the world building and at least a rough outline for this.

OTHER:
Update my blog twice a week.
Make some revisions to a short story.

Almost forgot, Quarterly Submission Stats:

THE SHAMAN'S CURSE: 23 submissions, 23 rejections. Currently tabled for a partial rewrite.

BLOOD WILL TELL: 33 submissions, 1 request for partial, 26 rejections. Will continue to query until something breaks or MAGE STORM is ready to take over.

"Mage Storm" (the short story, not the novel): 5 rejections and it's been sitting for over four months at a sixth market. Wish I was confident that was good news and not just a result of their backlog.

"The Bard's Gift": 6 rejections and sitting for over two months at a seventh market.

"Becoming Lioness": 6 rejections and sitting for a month and a half at a seventh market.

Two rejections on a fourth story that is currently pulled for revisions.

quote:

---

I know it reads strange, but the prose is only like this for Chapter 1, which is only a page or two.

---

Mainstream novel: I ran through the first few chapters and found areas that would benefit from rewrites.

"Agents of the Fourth Wind" (SF): There's a particular 'vehicle' in this novel that does not exactly adhere to the laws of physics as we understand them. This past weekend, I worked on more if its design specifications.

UPCOMING WEEK
"Metzgerhund Empire" (YA): Complete the last few scenes of the last chapter, and rewrite the agent query letter.

Mainstream novel: I’m anticipating getting back to a more consistent schedule sometime during the coming week.

"Agents of the Fourth Wind" (SF): I’m anticipating getting back to a more consistent schedule sometime during the next century.

BLOGGATHAH
No new entries this week, but here’s the link, just for fun.

NOTES
Short story overview: Now that one of my science fiction short stories has been completed and submitted to the Writers of the Future contest, I have decided to tackle three of my shorter works. Part of me wants them completed because they've been hanging around for way too long, but the more accurate motivation is because I want to take a sabbatical from my longer, more complex stories. One of these short works is based on a societal trend. One is based on a condition of suburbia. And the third is my first-ever attempt at flash fiction. Given their simplistic nature (relative to my previous works), my belief is that this new workload will free up enough of my brain cells to where I can concurrently make significant progress on some of my novels.

Fires of Alexandria - Going to start my alt-history novel this morning after I get some coffee and breakfast. Plan is to have it done by March.

Ghost and the Nether - Going up to Dean Smith's workshop in Oregon next Sunday to work on my submission package. Then I'll send out to editors.

The Digital Sea - No replies from editors recently.

Short stories - Have about 10 stories out. Got a nice personal rejection from Asimov's on a new story, that made me feel good. And another story is on the final round at Apex, so crossing my fingers there, supposed to hear back this week. Got another 5-6 rejections for others in the last week. Need to finish a few edits and send out two new stories.

I'll try not to rattle the pots and pans to loud till everyone gets up.

W.