ROW80 Aug28 check-in: Baby Steps

This week has been a bit challenging, and I'm still trying to figure out how to report in for A Round of Words in 80 Days without getting overwhelmed.

So to keep it simple, here are my goals and progress for this week:

• REVISE 1-2 chapters for The Seventh Tapestry. 50% done. Meet with critique partner. Scheduled for Friday.
• READ 4-6 blog posts – WEP/IWSG and ROW80. 100% (Read 8 so far).
• MEMOIR: Do something! Anything! 100% Actually wrote 200 words after several months of  nothing.
• OTHER: Work on quilting comfort quilt (50%). Read 3 writing magazines by Friday (33%). Take care of Jack the Cat every day this week (100% so far). 

More on the writing: The writing is really uphill right now. My new first chapter starts in the middle of the action, making most of the first 8 chapters back story. And these 8 chapters have been revised time and again. So, instead of moving through final revisions, I'm back to reinventing the front section of my story.

What helps? Asking what comes next. Scaffolding ideas at the beginnings of new chapters. Thinking about the emotional cues that motivate my characters. Updating synopsis and chapter summaries so they are current. Cutting out scenes that don't advance the 'real' story.

Catching up on reading that backlog of writing magazines led me to a gem by Matt Bird, "The Secrets of Story" in Writer's Digest (October 2018), which led me to buy his book (it arrived today). So my progress may be slow, but I'm feeling stubborn and tenacious.

Meanwhile, have a good week. Write a lot. Share your thoughts with other ROW80 writers participating in A Round of Words in 80 Days -- also on Facebook.

And here's that comfort quilt, my first attempt at machine quilting!

Round 3 ROW80: August 21 Update

Feels like almost 100 years and not just 4 months since I last connected with you folks who are continuing to write, set goals and post progress each Weds and Sunday for A Round of Words in 80 Days.

So, I'm back. Yes, I still have been setting goals and making progress (including major changes), but in charts and diary entries to myself. Our lives have been full. I tell myself that every decade has its own unique challenge, but one of the biggest has been a little less stamina. Yet, I'm stubborn and so will persevere.

Writing Goals Met:
--Overall goal: Finish draft for The Seventh Tapestry. Currently working on close review of first section and major rewrites (new first chapter affects all that follows). Mon-Weds: Reviewed 4-5 chapters each day.
--Writing blog: Today posted poem about Frida Kahlo for WEP/IWSG's August Challenge. You can read it HERE if you like.

Making Some Progress:
--Read blogs by others x7 each week. So far have read 6 posts.
--Followed up with trusted voice actor who's recording Years of Stone and Rivers of Stone for ACX release late fall. Despite some setbacks, she's back on track.

Nothing Done Yet:
--Work on memoir. Send Chrissy draft. This project is so big, I'm just not certain where to start or what to do next.
--NOVELS-L crit 2 subs by other writers each week. Plan to start subbing my own chapters for review once my current round of editing is reasonably on its way.

Set Aside for now:
--Marketing. Don't even want to think about it! Maybe start a promotion in the fall.

That's it for Wednesday night update. May your week go well, and may you enjoy these last two weeks of summer as those green leaves turn to brown. Beth