ROW80 Sunday and the End of Round 1

That snow is melting so fast with sunny days, at least until today. A few clouds do not take away from my sheer joy at warmer temperatures! So here's my update for the last week's progress:

1. WRITING Weekly goal: √ Add 1K words to Seventh Tapestry = 1022. √ Add 500 words to family history = 501.
2. BLOGGING No progress at all on this Weekly goal: Post x3 (2x ROW80, 1x Travel blog, 1x Writing blog). Writing blog: review Annis Cassels new poetry book. READ BLOGS x7. 
3. CRIT Novels-L = Crit x2 for the month. √ Critted Bob White. Half way there.
4. MARKETING = √ Added Writer’s Digest review to Author Central. √ Sent 3 books to Mandy for ACX. PENDING: No progress yet. Send out newsletter update by end of March (content = Writer’s Digest, ACX preview + bounty link, PB giveaway?).

Best Writing Moment: This week, I haven't written every day, like this morning, far too easily distracted by research -- and a new project (the next book in my romantic suspense series that is too enticing). My writing partner reminded me again that in a first draft, it's really OK to just write. And so, this afternoon, I did just pick out an incomplete scene and wrote. Happiness is words on the page.

April 1 begins Round 2. Check out our website at A Round of Words in 80 Days for how to get started! Or you can swing by our Facebook page to catch up on how other ROW80 writers are setting goals and measuring progress. Many thanks to Eden Mabee, Shan Jeniah, and Denise Young for all their coordinating AND encouragement. Happy spring!

Made you smile, didn't it! (Meme)

ROW80: Happiness is Sunday night!

So it's Sunday night. The snow is finally melting. Time to make plans for the coming week AND measure my progress (somewhat mixed but real progress). I'm smiling!

WRITING: Weekly: Add 1K words to Seventh Tapestry. Add 500 words to family history. UPDATE: Almost added 1K words to Seventh Tapestry (how about +920). Met with my champ editing partner. Only edited for 1 hour this week on family history (deadline May 3).

BLOGGING:  Weekly goal = post x3 (2x ROW80, 1x Travel blog, 1x Writing blog). UPDATE:  Posted ROW80 x2. READ BLOGS x7. Commented on x5. NOT YET: Writing blog: Review Annis Cassels new book of poetry. 

CRIT Novels_L = Crit x2 for the month. Not yet.

MARKETING:  Set up ACX/voice actor for Years of Stone and Rivers of Stone. UPDATE: Really excited about this one. My first choice for ACX/voice actor said YES! Now need to get the formal paperwork online at ACX.  NOT YET: Send out newsletter update by end of March (content = Writer’s Digest, ACX preview + bounty link).

OTHER: Actually resumed water aerobics this week x1 and walked 4/7 days. Worked on taxes and have a quilting project ready to go. Made a great dinner for family tonight -- Bacon-wrapped pork loin with apples! Served with fresh green beans and fruit salad.

BEST WRITING MOMENT: Thinking about how to add depth to my characters in the current wip, I checked out Psychology Today from our local library. Bingo! Lots of discussion about personality and motivation. One nugget from Editor Kaja Perina (page 3, July/August 2018): Pay attention to actions, not words (funny advice for a writer). Look for the small moments of DOING, not grand gestures to reveal the essential character of a person. 

(Source: Emily Coates)

So, it's great to be home. Almost back to a 'real' schedule. If you would like to know more about A Round of Words in 80 Days, CLICK HERE on our blog or over on Facebook to catch up on how other ROW80 writers are setting goals and measuring progress. WHY NOT JOIN IN? May your week go well.

ROW80: Snow and slow . . . progress!

Last night, we got somewhere between 5-6" of new snow. I'm grateful the heating system still works and that even in March, those snow plows are out, clearing the roads. And I'm warm and inside, clearing my desk. Here's my progress report for this week so far:

WRITING: Weekly goal to add 1K words to Seventh Tapestry by next Sunday. Add 500 words to family history. Update: +250 on family history, but only +280 on Seventh Tapestry. Slow progress!

BLOGGING: Weekly goal = post x3 (2x ROW80, 1x Travel blog, 1x Writing blog). Update: Posted Weds ROW80 today (on time).

READ BLOGS x7, or one every day. Update: Read 4 so far, and it's only Weds.

CRIT Novels_L. x2 for the month. Update: No crits . . . yet. Just got my account reactivated.

MARKETING.  Set up ACX/voice actor for Years of Stone and Rivers of Stone. In progress. Send out newsletter update by end of March. Nothing yet.

Best writing moment: Realizing that writing progress is not always measured by counting words. 

I'm not happy with the depth of my character description or the settings. So, I'm wrestling with what to add, where, and why. What descriptions are unique, bring supporting characters and settings to life, without overpowering or slowing the story. 

And, at the same time, I'm thinking about (and writing and rewriting) what happens next. Yes, I have an outline, a very rough, working outline, and yes, I'm first-drafting, about 70% done. Maybe I'm getting ready for the first edit through, and maybe I'm still just drafting. 

from Dan Delatorre, "Little Things to Keep You Going"

Thank you, Eden and Shan Jeniah, for facilitating ROW80. If you would like to know more, click to visit A Round of Words in 80 Days HERE on our blog or over on Facebook to catch up on what other ROW80 writers are doing. 

WHY NOT JOIN IN in setting goals and measuring progress weekly!

ROW80: Happy to be home, but it's still snowing!

The short summary of last month? We arrived home to find two feet of snow after four incredible weeks in Seville, Spain (think 70F sunny days every day, incredible monuments, museums, and food). I discovered sangria, and, another surprise, added 10K to my current wip.

But jet lag aside (seriously), here are my goals for the coming week:

WRITING = Weekly goal to add 1K words to Seventh Tapestry by next Sunday. Add 500 words to family history.
BLOG = Weekly goal = post x3 (2x ROW80, 1x Travel blog, 1x Writing blog).

READ BLOGS x7, or one every day.
CRIT Novels_L. x2 for the month. 

MARKETING = Set up ACX/voice actor for Years of Stone and Rivers of Stone. Send out newsletter update by end of March.

Best Writing Moments: No Game for a Dame, by W. Ruth Myers, my current read, is giving me writing lessons. This fascinating crime drama, with a wisecracking female protag, puts me right back in the Depression Era (1930's).

Myers is showing me how to write more descriptive (and unforgettable) settings and introduce characters with telling detail. Just one example, her opening line: "The guy with a bad toupee strolled into my office . . . " And, because she's writing from first person, she's expanding my sense of how to make my female protag more connected to other characters without resorting to 'back story dump'.

It's a first draft, Author Kitty!

Thank YOU for reading my post -- and for being a steady member of ROW80. I am grateful for the discipline, encouragement, and that sense of connecting to other writers that reporting in and reading others' posts brings to my writing.

If you would like to know more, click to visit A Round of Words in 80 Days HERE on our blog or over on Facebook to catch up on what other ROW80 writers are doing. WHY NOT JOIN IN in setting goals and measuring progress weekly!