books – Page 45 – Meilo Zaborowski: Author

Goal Update 11/2

Goal 1) HTWAN story

My Goal: 505 wpd, 1515 wpw
Where I planned to be: 39895 total words
Where I am: 39903 total words
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
My impression of this week’s lesson (Lesson 31): Why couldn’t I have gotten this lesson TWO WEEKS AGO???

Seriously, because of when I bought the course and doing monthly payments, I don’t get my lessons until Wednesday each week. So my words for Sunday were a pitiful 109, and Tuesday came out to a not-much-better 195. I’ve been struggling to come up with SOMETHING to get me going.

My words after working through the lesson and FINALLY having everything click on Thursday were only 353, but at least that only left me with 483 to go today to hit my total goal for the week. (I had… quite a bit of buffer there, thankfully.) So I just barely squeaked in. I’m both relieved and a little exhausted.

Goal 2) Some Kind of Savior

My Goal: 1 lesson per month; Lesson 19 by 11/2, 5 scenes per day
Where I planned to be: Finished with Lesson 19
Where I am: Finished with Lesson 19 (barely)
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
It feels like it’s been a crazy week, with us moving locations at work, but I think the main downer has just been scrambling for words. Which put me behind on my homework, which put me at crunch time for this. But I only left five scenes to go on Thursday, all of which are short due to being at the end, so I was able to fly through them today.

I really like what I got today, so here’s a short snippet.

NOTE: The following material is a copyrighted excerpt from raw, unedited first draft, which may contain typos and spelling or grammar errors. Please do not point out corrections or make suggestions as I will not see them during revision. Please do not quote this material, as it may not survive to final draft.

The rest of the group was watching the three of them expectantly, none of them fluent enough in Krasnian to understand.

Finally, Mischa asked Judith, “How many of them?”

“At least five. Why?”

“That’s way too many,” Rebel said in Krasnian. “Three, and you me and Jordan could probably manage. But five…”

“I may not be as young as I used to be, but I can still fight,” Dmitri said, catching on. “Just don’t ask me to run,” he added with a laugh.

Rebel shook her head. “That still leaves us one short.”

“You guys are killing me,” Jordan said. “Are you chatting or are you planning?”

Goal Update 10/26

Goal 1) HTWAN story

My Goal: 505 wpd, 1515 wpw
Where I planned to be: 38380 total words
Where I am: 38755 total words
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
Sunday was bad. Not the worst writing day ever, but not great either. Tuesday I got a great scene, with a neat little twist, that gets my MC out of a really tight corner. Or, it will, later. And Thursday I also got a great scene, and while I thought my original twist was great, I got a nice surprise twist out of it too. My villain is… really fucking awesome. I love her. But that bitch is scary. I would not want to get on her bad side.

Goal 2) Some Kind of Savior

My Goal: 1 lesson per month; Lesson 19 by 11/2, 5 scenes per day
Where I planned to be: ~20 scenes in
Where I am: 19 scenes in
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
You know you’re getting somewhere when you have to keep stopping to remind yourself that you’re trying to fix the story because you’re getting sucked into the story. Otherwise, so far so good.

Goal Update 10/19

Well. Happy late birthday to me. I’m 28 as of yesterday, and I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this here yet, but my ultimate goal is to have SKoS published before I turn 30.

That’s only 2 years from now. And based on my history so far, it’s also not a lot of time.

I’m really hoping I can stick to my goals and have the revision done by the end of the year, so I can do… all the other stuff I need to do with it before publishing, hopefully sometime next year, if I can swing it. Picking a title, making the cover, writing copy, getting the manuscript edited, formatting, figuring out where and how to sell it, and what is marketing? we just don’t know…

My biggest problem will be the money, though. I need to get this blog a real domain name, and hosting. Even if I went through WordPress itself, I’d have to pay a year at a time. Not cheap. I’d also really like to send SKoS off to a professional editor, but that is… really expensive. So, if anyone reading my blog would like to help out, Support Me on Ko-fi, if you can (please don’t put yourself out if you can’t afford it… trust me, I know what it’s like.) I would really appreciate it and be forever grateful, even if it’s only the minimum donation.

Goal 1) HTWAN story

My Goal: 505 wpd, 1515 wpw
Where I planned to be: 36865 total words
Where I am: 37306 total words
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
I feel like I’m dragging. Thursday went a little better than the beginning of the week, but I’m not really digging what I’m getting here. It seems clunky and awkward. Might have something to do with still not knowing how to end this thing. I feel like I’m standing on the edge of a ravine, and I can see the other side, but there is a daunting, yawning chasm between here and there, and the only way across is a tightrope.

And for anyone who doesn’t know me, my balance is shit.

Goal 2) Some Kind of Savior

My Goal: 1 lesson per month; 5 scenes per day for Lesson 18; Lesson 19 by 11/2, 5 scenes per day
Where I planned to be: Finished with Lesson 18
Where I am: Finished with Lesson 18; 5 scenes into Lesson 19
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
I’m slowly getting there. We’re in the home stretch. 3 more lessons.

Lesson 19 is gonna be brutal. Not nearly as bad as 17 (do not get me started about Lesson 17…), but not the relative cakewalk of 18. I may have to work extra days if I wanna get this one done by Nov 2. Worst case, if I only do 3 scenes per day, I’ll have to work 5 days a week. If I can swing it, I’ll try for 5 in a day to keep my working days down. I still have school and the day job to contend with, after all.

But I am so, so, so tired of looking through all these freaking papers. But I know I’m close. That’s what keeps me going.

Goal Update 10/12

I will be the first to admit, this week got away from me a little. So much to do and not enough time. I finished reading Chuck Palahniuk’s Lullaby (which I INHALED, oh my god, so good), so that’s something, I guess. But I am gonna have to find some time this weekend between our local Pride event (which was AWESOME) and other obligations to finish up my homework for the week. Don’t worry, it’s not due any time soon; I’m just trying to keep on top of my online classes.

Goal 1) HTWAN story

My Goal: 505 wpd, 1515 wpw
Where I planned to be: 35350 total words
Where I am: 35708 total words
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
Now I’m definitely slogging. It’s like, I know stuff needs to happen, but I don’t know what or how to get me to the end I’m thinking of. (Hey, at least I sorta have an idea of an ending now, thank you Lesson 28.) I just have to keep plunking words down until either things fall in place or I can force it, and just fix it later.

Goal 2) Some Kind of Savior

My Goal: 1 lesson per month; 5 scenes per day for Lesson 18
Where I planned to be: 30 scenes finished
Where I am: 23 scenes finished
On Target or Behind: Behind, but I’m not gonna stress about it. I still have another week.

How’s It Going:
I think this could be working. As I read through what I’ve cobbled together so far, it’s… not the worst thing I’ve ever read.

And now for something completely different

NOTE: The following material is a copyrighted excerpt from raw, unedited first draft, which may contain typos and spelling or grammar errors. Please do not point out corrections or make suggestions as I will not see them during revision. Please do not quote this material, as it may not survive to final draft.

“So you’re not at home?” Magdalene’s voice had begun to shake. The operator started to say something, but at only a glance from hwer, he bit off the words.

Judith sighed over the commlink. “What did I just say, chikld?”

Magdalene tapped her commlink, ending the conversation, and looked back up at the operator. “What could toyu possibly have to say for yourself?”

“I just-” He pointed vaguely at her. “You’re bloeeding. Your hand.”

Magdalene looked down at her hands, spreading her fingers. Her nails had dug four crescent makrs into her right palm, blood trickling slowly from them. There was a bloody fingerprint on the face of her commlink.

Goal Update 10/5

How is it October already. And why is it still hotter than the surface of the sun?

Goal 1) HTWAN story

My Goal: 505 wpd, 1515 wpw
Where I planned to be: 33835 total words
Where I am: 34395 total words
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
Well, apparently. I felt like I was slogging, but I somehow managed to get way ahead on words? The whole process continues to confuse and astound me. Because I still have no idea how this ends. Half the time I have no idea what’s happening in the scene I’m writing. But by damn, I’m gonna write it.

Goal 2) Some Kind of Savior

My Goal: (originally) 1 lesson per month; now planning to finish Lesson 18 by 10/19
Where I planned to be: working on Lesson 18
Where I am: 10 scenes or 40 “pages” in
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
~~The scenes are made up and the pages don’t matter.~~ Been able to work through 5 scenes a day (though I skipped Tuesday because homework and headache… not a good mix.) Should be able to get this one in on time at this pace, though.