novel – Page 41 – Meilo Zaborowski: Author

Goal Update 3/14

Due to the coronavirus bullshit, I’m now on extended spring break. Which I guess is good for my writing work, but I’m still upset. I like going to my Cisco class. And I still have to do my Linux work because it’s online anyway.

GOAL 1) PUBLISH SKOS

My Goal: Spend at least 10 mins, 3 days/week minimum
Where I planned to be: Spent at least 30 mins
Where I am: Confused
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
Surprisingly, my last round of covers went over really well on the forums. I’m not quite there, but I’m getting damn close, and that’s something.

Although, some of the conflicting critiques are… hmm. First my colors are too subdued, now they’re too bright. And I have all the elements in there that supposedly indicate urban fantasy, but these covers don’t “feel like UF”. And it seems like every font I’ve used is wrong, even the ones that are supposedly good for UF. Idk what you want from me.

GOAL 2) REVISE SYCU

My Goal: 2 Lessons per month/ 1 Lesson every 2 weeks; 3 chapters per day
Where I planned to be: Lesson 3, through chapter 16
Where I am: Lesson 3, through chapter 16
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
…heeeeeeey, macarena!

Goal Update 3/7

GOAL 1) PUBLISH SKOS

My Goal: Spend at least 10 mins, 3 days/week minimum
Where I planned to be: Spent at least 30 mins
Where I am: Spent at least 30 mins
On Target or Behind: Probably on target

How’s It Going:
Someone from the forums offered to beta read for me! I’ve seen him around on the forums, and he seems to know his stuff, so I’m excited. He liked the first chapter at least, which I posted on the forums with my request.

Finally finished up enough covers to throw on the forums again. At this point, I’m afraid of the response, so I haven’t even looked. On the bright side, I do think I’m getting better at this, at least.

Still hoping to hear back soon about my content edit from Matt. I got all excited when I saw an email from Holly, but it was the DM from the guy offering to beta. Which is still pretty good, but.

GOAL 2) REVISE SYCU

My Goal: 2 Lessons per month/ 1 Lesson every 2 weeks; 3 chapters per day
Where I planned to be: Lesson 3, through chapter 9
Where I am: Lesson 3, through chapter 9
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
So this is the lesson that points out to me that this story isn’t quite as good as it looked on first read. I have a lot of scenes that are missing an antagonist and/or conflict and/or a twist. Fortunately, some of them I already have ideas on how to fix this.

But I can tell that my main issue is gonna be consistency. Because I wrote this thing five kinds of out of order, and while I’m proud of past me for trying to organize stuff into something almost coherent, cleaning up all the loose ends is gonna be… well, an effort in literal cut and paste.

Fun stuff.

Goal Update 2/29

GOAL 1) PUBLISH SKOS

My Goal: Spend at least 10 mins, 3 days/week minimum
Where I planned to be: Spent at least 30 mins
Where I am: Idek anymore
On Target or Behind: ?

How’s It Going:
I’ve been slowly working on making covers that better fit the genre I’m going for. Most of my time has gone to looking for pictures to use. Working out layouts in my head.

Still waiting to hear back about my content edit. I’m hoping I hear something soon.

GOAL 2) REVISE SYCU

My Goal: 2 Lessons per month/ 1 Lesson every 2 weeks; 3 chapters per day
Where I planned to be: Lesson 2, through chapter 16
Where I am: Lesson 2, through chapter 16
On Target or Behind: On Target

How’s It Going:
This week has been hell. I had to take some time to do some high-level adulting, which not only cut into my time to work on my books, but also my time to work on classwork. Which I just so happened to have more of because it’s midterm week. Bleh.

But I got Lesson 2 done, and that’s what matters.

Goal Update 2/22

GOAL 1) PUBLISH SKOS

My Goal: Spend at least 10 mins, 3 days/week minimum
Where I planned to be: Spent at least 30 mins
Where I am: Spent at least 30 mins
On Target or Behind: We just don’t know

How’s It Going:
????????

GOAL 2) REVISE SYCU

My Goal: 2 Lessons per month/ 1 Lesson every 2 weeks; 3 chapters per day
Where I planned to be: Lesson 2, through chapter 8
Where I am: Lesson 2, through chapter 7
On Target or Behind: Behind

How’s It Going:
*internal screaming*

Goal Update 2/15

GOAL 1) PUBLISH SKOS

My Goal: Spend at least 10 mins, 3 days/week minimum
Where I planned to be: Spent at least 30 mins
Where I am: Don’t talk to me.
On Target or Behind: Who knows?

How’s It Going:

GOAL 2) REVISE SYCU

My Goal: 2 Lessons per month/ 1 Lesson every 2 weeks; 3 chapters per day
Where I planned to be: More like where I should have planned to be, see below
Where I am: Lesson 2, through chapter 1
On Target or Behind: See below

How’s It Going:
It has occurred to me that I’ve made a huge mistake in making this goal. I wasn’t specific enough, and didn’t take into account what I would need to do in the amount of time I’d given myself.

There are 21 Lessons in the HTRYN class. My goal is December 31st. It’s halfway through February, and I’m not even halfway through Lesson 2.

This is a problem.

My current pace will not work. To meet my goal, I can’t just do one lesson a month. I need to be averaging almost two. And I already know Lesson 17 is… a lot. And so is 21. So I really need to ramp this up.

If my math is right, I have 45 weeks left (technically there’s a few extra days at the end of the year, but I’ll most likely need that padding), and if I do half a lesson a week, I can finish on time.