2013 Writing Goal Catch-Up

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Hi all.

I fell off the wagon a few weeks ago, and have not updated all y’all on my writing progress for the year.  This happened for a number of reasons, partly because I was really really busy.  Partly because in early May I decided just to take a couple weeks off from writing because…well, because.  I had just finished a novel and felt like taking a break.  Sue me.  😉

I finished up Pericles at the end of Week 17.  So let’s catch up with the last several weeks:

Week 18 – 0 words

Week 19 – 0 words

See?  Two weeks with no new writing.  Moving forward:

Week 20 – 1,568 words

Week 21 – 2,393 words

Week 22 – 3128 words

And that takes us through the month of May.  Total words for May = 7,089 words.  Total words this year as of end of May ~ 102,000 words.  Not my worst month of the year, but really lacking compared with the last couple, and compared with what I need to do to meet my goal.  Of course, again, my weekly goal is based on three entire months of NO writing at all.  That said, I am below the glideslope to meet my goal for the year, so I do need to step it up.

Ok, so the month of June.  Week 23, last week – 4,227 words.

Week 23

Again, not up to my stated weekly goal, but if you follow my progress it’s on a steady glideslope upwards.  So far this week I have 3,248 words down.  I expect to fully meet my weekly goal for the week, and likely surpass it.

So life is good.

Ok, different topic.

I thought I was done with The Pericles Conspiracy as of the end of April.  Well…not quite.  I got some feedback from beta readers saying the ending blows.  Completely, and totally.  It was bad.

I’d like to say that stung, but I’m not some emo bitch and have no desire to pretend to be one in order to somehow conform with some dumbass stereotype of what a writer should be.  I have received far worse professional feedback in the past, let me tell you, and not-so professional feedback too, for that matter.  I’ve learned how to take criticism.  Rule 1 of being a submariner = show no weakness.  Which means get used to forceful backup if you’re screwed up, because if your shipmates don’t speak up when they know you’re wrong, everyone on the boat could die.  It’s that serious.

Which is why I see writers getting all whiney about a review, or fretting over a rejection, and I want to reach through the computer screen and choke the life out of their candy asses.  Seriously, grow up folks.  Sheesh.

Anyway, the feedback was correct.  Looking at the MS for Pericles, I realized I had tried to be a little bit too cute.  I went for an ambiguous ending that leaves people thinking, but instead cut off the story without any resolution to speak of.  Bad, bad, bad!  Bad writer!  Of course, I had clearly in mind what comes after the last scene I wrote.  I just opted not to write it.  Well that’s silly.  So last night, I cranked out a 2,300 word epilogue that resolves things quite nicely, I think.  I’ve gotten good feedback on it so far, so I think it was a good addition.  We’ll see what the rest of the beta readers think.

So that’s what’s going on here.  Continuing to write and make progress.  Training for another triathlon at the end of the month.  Playing with the kids.  Having fun with the better half.  You know, the usual.

Ok, time to hit the rack.  Have a good one, y’all.