January Results
The first month of the year starts with the most potential, but also happens to be the craziest due to weather, work, and everyone getting sick. This January was better than last January in regards to sickness, but still crazy. And I rocked it.
- Short Stories Written – 1 (with another in progress)
- Short Stories Revised – 3 (with another in progress)
- Short Stories Submitted – 1 new + 17 resubmissions
- Crits: 5
- Read: 2 (it was a Tami Hoag month)
Did I mention I received 15 rejections this month? Whirlwind! In addition, I did some minor work on the novel to prep for the revision, and I started my VP letter for the workshop application. I couldn’t seem to switch tracks to get to the picture books though. I might drop my count to 6 instead of 12 for the year. It’s off topic of my focus, so I’m not really worried about it just yet.
February Goals
For February, I’m expecting some insanity. Hiring/interviewing at work, training another person, learning some new tasks myself, and preparing my family for a vacation. I think my goals might be a little more hopeful than practical, but better to aim high and miss it for legitimate reasons than laziness. 😉 I’ll be revising the novel using Holly Lisle’s How To Revise Your Novel class. I’d started it before, but the novel I used was so badly messed up (formatting issues, I couldn’t even read the thing) that it broke any motivation I’d had. This project is better for learning a new method. The catch however, is that I’d like to use the first 8k of this novel to apply for VP. Which means, I might just give the first 3 chapters a rewrite first then worry about the official revision.
- Shadow of Blood: revision
- Short Story Drafts: 1
- Short Story Revisions: 2 + submit both (these two are close, so it shouldn’t be too hard)
- Crits: 4
- Read: 1 – 2
I honestly don’t know how long this revision is going to take. The first half of the novel needs rewriting due to the writing being five years old. The second half was rushed a bit, so I’m sure I need to add in a lot of background details and link information I missed in the first half. I’m planning for a 6 month revision. It used to take me a year to revise a novel when I went chapter to chapter and took my time. I’m motivated. This novel is getting revised and critiqued, and then I’m cleaning it up to submit it. Submission may not be in 2012, but it’s coming. I even have a sequel in mind.
Good luck to you and your projects for February, writing or otherwise. Dawn
DAWN BONANNO 
I noticed the rejections seemed to be flying this month too. Maybe all the editors made new years resolutions! Good luck with your goals.
Well done for hitting those January goals, Dawn. Sounds like some good goals for Feb, too! 🙂
I’m visiting from W1S1, Good luck in achieving your ambitious goals. I’m a much slower writer.
Congrats on your W1S1 success
Congrats on completing your W1S1 goals and accomplishing so much in a crazy month! Best of luck in February.
Crazy how rejections seem to come in waves, but every one of them = a brand spankin’ new sub. =] CONGRATS on reaching your January Write1Sub1 goals!
Congratulations for January, and good luck for February!
Thanks Lydia!
Your list of goals met is amazing, but your list of goals anticipated is too. Best of luck! I love it when I get to cross at least a few things off my list.
I wouldn’t worry too much about revising writing because it’s five-years-old, unless it has too many contemporary references. Giving yourself six months to revise is a doable goal. Good luck!
Thanks everyone. I’m not really worrying anything other than finding my writing time for now.. life is crazy!