Looking Back at 2014

What a year it was, too. I not only published my first fantasy novel, I wrote and published my first short story series, in a new genre no less (urban fantasy). That in addition to continuing work on my contemporary novels. It was a year of growth, learning, and stretching, some of which shoved me right out of my comfort zone. Thankfully, I've adapted and work goes on.

Early in 2014, I posted my goals for the year. So, how did I do on meeting them?

Writing goal for 2014 - 300,000 words - met and surpassed.

435,107 words of fiction

  47,662 words of non-fiction

482,769 total words written in 2014

Incomplete Projects completion goal - finish 3 long novels that had been started before January 1, 2014 but not completed in 2013 - BUST!

I only finished one incomplete novel. I was initially annoyed with myself over this one, but then I realized I had written a non-fiction project, a contemporary short novel, 2 short story collections (13 stories and 3 stories respectively), and 1 novelette from start-to-finish during 2014. That in addition to completing the previously unfinished novel and making additions to others. Not shabby at all!

Publishing goal for 2014 - 3 novels (2 contemporary, 1 fantasy) - met and surpassed.

Published: 1 non-fiction book, 2 contemporary long novels, 1 fantasy long novel, & 1 collection of urban fantasy short stories (individually AND as a collection)

I had also decided I was going to surpass my previous daily word count accomplishment of 9,081 words written on 12/22/2013. I aimed for 10K in one day. I hit it and shot right past it to reach 11,158 words written on July 28, 2014, then I beat THAT one with 11,492 reached on August 17, 2014. I’m not sure I’ll be able to top that in 2015, but I’d sure like to try.

I also created 22 book covers (front, back, & spine on each), 12 separate e-book covers, and 88 memes for my various projects.

Busy year.

LOOKING AHEAD

2014 is now behind us, and 2015 looms ahead. That means time to set goals for 2015.

Writing - 500,000 words of fiction (not to include whatever I write on a non-fiction book I need to finish)

Incomplete Projects - finish 3 long novels that are currently incomplete

Publishing - 7 books - 2 contemporary long novels, 2 fantasy novels (1 long, 1 short), & 2 collections of short stories minimum. The spare can be any genre or length (as long as it's a collection and not a single short story).

2013 in Review

Me editing - photo taken by my mom

Do you ever struggle through a year, feeling like it takes Herculean effort to accomplish even the smallest things? I'd bet we've all been there, done that. But, have you reached the end of that year and looked back only to realize you accomplished a lot more than you expected?

2013 was like that for me. The year was difficult in more ways than one. I won't get into why. That would be an entire book. But I will say that I struggled to write in the midst of it all. Editing wasn't too bad, most of the time, but writing was harder than it's ever been. I knew I wouldn't reach the bar I had set in 2012.

For the record, in 2012, I:

1. wrote over 550K words - yes, that's over a half million words;
2. edited over 5K pages of existing material;
3. wrote 3 books from start to finish - 2 novels & 1 novella;
4. completed 2 old projects;
5. made significant additions (5K+) to 1 old project;
6. made minor additions (less than 5K each) to 5 old projects;
7. began 6 new projects; and
8. published a novella.

It was a busy year.

I went into 2013 with 2012 setting the bar, but I didn't have the focus or energy to match. When I realized I wasn't meeting that standard, I got discouraged but powered on, figuring I'd do what I could with the focus, energy, and all that I had. Keep on keeping on.

Then I got a surprise at the end of the year when I tallied everything up. Did my work in 2013 measure up to 2012? No. But....

In 2013, I:

1. wrote over 290K words;
2. edited over 5K pages of existing material;
3. completed 3 old projects;
4. made significant additions (5K+ each) to 7 old projects;
5. made minor additions (less than 5K each) to 2 old projects;
6. began 1 new project; and
7. published 2 full-length novels.

As I sat and looked at that, dumbfounded, I realized something. In a year that felt like it had been nothing but difficulties and struggles, I had still managed to make significant progress in my writing. Something else occurred to me - how much of that would NOT have been accomplished if I'd given up when I realized early in 2013 that I wasn't operating at my normal level? Most of that list.

What 2013 taught me is that, even when I think I'm falling behind, I need to keep moving forward, no matter how slow progress may seem. I may not accomplish what I WANT, but I'll still accomplished more than if I'd quit.

For 2014, I've set what are, for me, very realistic yet challenging goals:

1. Write at least 300K words;
2. Finish 3 incomplete projects; and
3. Publish 3 novels - 2 contemporary, 1 fantasy.

Only time will tell if I can meet those goals.

What about you? Did you meet your expectations last year? Whether yes or no, what did you learn that you've carried into 2014? What goal(s) have you set for 2014?

November!

It's nearly November. Two more days.... That means just one thing. NaNoWriMo is right around the corner!

If you haven't experienced the madness of NaNo, you've been missing out. Writing 50,000 words in a month may seem like an insurmountable goal, but I've done it multiple times - and not just during NaNo. Whether it'll work for you or not? How will you know unless you try? ;-)

I'm not as ready mentally as I have been in the past, but I'm hoping my brain will cooperate come November 1st. This year, I'll be working on a fantasy novel. That's a sizable shift for me, but all my background materials are ready. Mostly. The fantasy world creation is pretty well done - what I need for this novel anyway - with the exception of the map I need to complete. Knowing me and my extreme pantser style, I'll probably do that map as I go. Hey, it's what I do. he he

The most fun little piece I created for this novel? An insect that chirps through parts of winter - the snow doesn't put them off a bit. In fact, it's part of their life cycle. Of course, most of the details I put into it won't be used in the book, but it sure has been fun to create those little guys.

Anyway, now's the time to set your eyes on that 50K goal for November. Get those fingers limbered up and your writing software booted up (I use WriteWayPro). No time for procrastination!

Are you doing NaNo this year? If so, what are you planning to work on? Are you ready to hit the ground running on the 1st? Or are you in panic mode like so many, scrambling to get ready?

Where's Your "Wall"?

Photo courtesy of ccmackay
@ morguefile.com

No, I'm not talking about your Facebook wall.  *G*

We writers all have a "wall". I was talking recently to another writer about it. She compared writing to running a long distance marathon. At some point, when running (or even walking), you hit a wall, that point where you just KNOW you can't go any further. You need to quit.

Photo courtesy of click
@ morguefile.com

The "wall" in writing is, as I've discovered, that certain word count or range we have to reach before we can finally get our minds into the writing groove and things flow the way they should. And it's seldom child's play. Sometimes the story helps. Sometimes it gets stubborn and pushes back.

My "wall" is right around 1,500 words. Sometimes I'll get a few hundred words in, or even 1,200 or 1,300 words in, and think "That's it. I'm done. I can't go any further. I just don't have what it takes." Just like a marathon runner. BUT, just like a marathon runner, if I can keep going, push past that wall of "I'm done", I get a second wind, get into the rhythm and flow of the story, and I can generally go for hundreds or even thousands of words without stopping.

Sometimes, getting TO that 1,500 word point is a special form of torture. I eke them out a half dozen words at a time, maybe one or two hundred at a time if I'm lucky. But they come slow. If I quit before I reach that 1,500, it can be hours or even days or weeks before I pick up my writing again due to discouragement or simple lack of "inspiration." If I discipline myself to plant my butt in my chair and push the words until I reach that point, the flow suddenly breaks free and the story generally writes itself.

"But pushing makes for stilted writing," you may say? Well, yes, it often does. But who publishes their first draft anyway? All of us writers edit what we write. We all have to refine and deepen our stories beyond what we get with the first draft. So anything that's stilted can be remedied then. So the problem with the first draft having stilted sections is what exactly? (Take a hike, perfectionism.)

The benefit to pushing through the wall?  I have 1,500 words I wouldn't have had before, plus whatever comes afterwards that flows so nice and easy. And I don't allow the fact I'm sick, tired or simply not inspired to stop my writing in it's tracks. This is how I can have a good day with over 7,500 words written. If I let the wall win, I'm lucky to have 1,000.

There's one fact to writing. Writers write. We write when we're well, sick, happy, sad, wide awake, tired, inspired or totally uninspired. We write. Period.

(By the way, for those who are curious after my post from last week - I did finish my NaNovel on the morning of the 24th with just over 80K words written in November. I decided not to stop there since I'd set aside November to write and started a new novel the evening of the 24th. I certainly didn't have time in November to finish it, but I made some wonderful progress on it.)

So where's your "wall"? And how often do you let it win? Have you found any tactics, like many marathon runners seem to, that help you push past it? (Thanks again, Terri, for the perfect analogy!)

Down to the Wire

Well, we're moving into the last week of November, and for many like myself, that means the final week of NaNoWriMo. One thing this past month has shown me is just how much I can accomplish even when my life goes totally topsy-turfy for a week or so in the middle of something like this.

A good chunk of the second full week resulted in very little being written. Thankfully, I anticipated that those days would be hectic with little, if any, time to write, so I powered ahead during the first 12 days to get as far ahead as possible. I managed to hit 50K on the 13th. Woohoo! But I wasn't done there.

My actual goal for November is to write the entire book, not just 50K of it. As of last night, I had reached nearly 80,000 words and counting for the month. I've got just the epilogue left to write and this project is done. Then I have the next project ready to start.

I knew from past experience than I can, indeed, write an entire novel in a month.  I've done it twice (and one of those months, I wrote a novel AND a novella and really shocked myself).  I just need the hours to sit in front of the computer and make myself do it!

Photo courtesy of wax115
@ morguefile.com

I'm closing in on my goal. How are you doing with yours?

Push... Push... Push...

Photo courtesy of Melodi2
@ morguefile.com

No, I'm not giving birth. Though in some ways, it feels similar. The creative process can be a matter of push, push, push to get the words out, to meet those deadlines or goals. (Thankfully without the pain of childbirth.)

We're now the second weekend into NaNoWriMo. I'm thrilled with how I'm doing so far. I've bypassed my early self-set goal, and I'm rapidly closing in on the 50K win. After that comes the push toward my REAL goal for the month - finish the entire book. If I go true to form, that means a total this month of 80-90K. Will I make it? Only the Lord knows! But I'm sure gonna shoot for it.

And when all else fails, I'm gonna
Pray
Until
Something
Happens

How are you doing with reaching your goal for November, whether self-set or for NaNoWriMo? Are you happy with the progress you're making? If not, and you haven't given up, what are you doing to try to fix that?

Almost That Time Again!

November 1st is coming fast. And with it comes NaNoWriMo! Woohoo!!!

For those of you who don't know what that is, or what all the excitement is about, NaNoWriMo is short for "National Novel Writer's Month".  It's an annual event that takes place in November.  Over the course of the 30 days of November, writers from all over the world get together, virtually speaking, to write their hearts out to reach the 50,000 word goal.

50,000 words in 30 days may sound unreasonable or out of reach, but it's do-able for many people with some dedication and self-discipline.  That actually comes to 1,667 words per day.  I'm sure I'm not the only one who writes more than that in emails each day.  he he

I'm hoping to add a widget to my blog as we get closer to the 1st so others can watch my progress if they feel so inclined.  (Just waiting for the widgets to be updated to 2012.)  If you're a fellow WriMo, find me on the NaNo site as userID "xandert" and we can be writing buddies.

So, are YOU up to the challenge of NaNoWriMo?  If so, join in the fun!

Writing Lessons of 2012 - Pt 2

Photo courtesy of Jade on morguefile.com

Last time, I shared what I've been up to over the course of about the last year as far as writing and editing. So what has all this writing, editing and tracking madness taught me, you may wonder. Well, here it is in a nutshell:

1 - I'm capable of far more than I ever dreamed possible. I've spent years selling myself short, doubting myself and my abilities. The Lord has used the last year to show me He's gifted me far above what I ever imagined. But, I have to choose to utilize those gifts. He won't make me do it. But you know what? I'm much happier, content and at peace when I go with His flow instead of my own.

2 - Stretching is a good thing, regardless of the outcome. Being stretched isn't all that comfortable, particularly when we aren't sure about the outcome. Will we succeed? Or will we fail? If you're anything like me, going into something without knowing you can have victory over it can be a very scary thing. But if we don't try, and risk failure in the process, we go nowhere. If we stretch and fail, did we make progress? I bet we did, and we probably learned some stuff in the process. So stretch for that goal even if it feels just out of reach.

3 - I need to be kinder to myself. I tend to set way more reasonable goals for others than I do for myself. In fact, the goals I've often set for myself weren't just unreasonable, they were often unattainable. Funny contradiction to what I wrote above, isn't it? Not really. At least, those of you who are perfectionists probably recognize the dichotomy of ideas there. (See my posting about Flylady and writing if you're curious about more on this.) It's okay to set a goal and give myself permission to not meet it. If I don't make my writing or editing goal for any given month, the world won't end.

Come to think of it, if the world does end because I don't make my goal, YAY!!! I'd certainly trade this life for eternity with the Lord. Wouldn't you?

4 - I put this last, but it's hardly the least important. In fact, it's a doozy.

I work best if I work WITH my body and brain instead of against it. Not exactly a startling revelation, I know. But maybe not as obvious as you would expect. Sure, I have to make sure I get up and move around when I write a lot, or my back and shoulders get REALLY unhappy about too many hours in front of the computer. And I have to make sure I don't get so involved with my writing that I forget to eat, go the bathroom, get things to drink, etc. You know. All those mundane things life requires. But I'm talking about more than that.

With all the writing I've done in the last year as a result of ACFW's Novel Track, NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo, I've noticed definite patterns and trends to the way I work. Not just to writing or editing, but when I do best with both. I have struggled with Seasonal Affective Disorder (aka S.A.D.) for a good portion of my life. (Contrary to popular belief, yes, you can struggle with this even in sunny Arizona, depending on the severity of the case. I don't even want to think about living with it in less sunny climates. It's bad enough as it is in Arizona, thank you very much.) As a result, I've spent many years dreading the onset of winter with the shorter days of sunlight. As I tell people, "Winter and I are not friends."

But I think this winter will be different because the last year has taught me something valuable. I do my best, and most productive, writing during the winter months. Who knew!?!? I've realized with all the tracking I've done this past year that my creativity flows much stronger and clearer during the winter. Summer? Bah! Oh, I can write during the summer, as proved by two successful Camp NaNo adventures. But it's not the same. In winter, the ideas flow fast, easy and feel like a flood at times like opening a faucet fully. In summer, it more resembles pulling teeth. With a spoon and no anesthesia. June, I struggled. July, I took a break (sort of anyway). August, I struggled.

Here's the interesting thing. Only writing is a struggle in summer. Editing is no problem. The opposite is true in winter. Editing in winter feels like trudging through half-frozen mud.

Which brings me back around to the S.A.D.

S.A.D. affects brain function and the brain's use of neurotransmitters and such. It's not there just in winter, as is commonly believed. It's there all year-round, affecting different parts of the brain at different times of the year. My brain shifts gears with changes in the seasons. When it does so, things that are easy part of the year became hard in another part. So writing in winter? Easy. Writing in summer? Hard. Editing in winter? Hard. Editing in summer? Easy. I'm not saying it doesn't require work when something is "easy". Anyone who has ever written knows even when the ideas really flow, it's work. But it's nowhere near as difficult to get it done when they're flowing as it is when you have to drag them out the rooms of your mind kicking and screaming.

This is what the last year has taught me, above and beyond everything else. My brain is hard-wired a certain way. And I need to learn to go with the flow, work WITH the cycles of my body instead of against it. God created me this way. Though at times I'm baffled by this and wonder what He was thinking, He knows best. I just have to accept it and learn to roll with it.

So what have I learned this year? To recognize the gifted woman God has made me to be and appreciate His wisdom in making me the way He has, even if it doesn't make much sense to me at times. To be more patient with myself when I'm unable to make goals or meet my own expectations (particularly if they're unreasonable), but to keep setting goals and stretching for them, even if the outcome isn't what I hoped for.

But more than all of that, for the first time in my life, I'm looking forward to winter. I can hardly wait to see what this coming winter holds as far as writing.

Another photo courtesy of Jade on morguefile.com

So what about you? What have you learned about yourself this past year?