Ready with a new set of goals

Last Sunday evening I reviewed my work count on my current novel (which I really need a working title for, even if I’m not even close to giving it a permanent title). I stood at 42,876 words, which is 61 % of the goal of 70,000 words. Which leaves about 27,200 words left to write. I thought I have been at this second novel forever, but I only actually started it ten months ago. Which means that in seven weeks, or say 50 days, I’ll have been working on it for a year. And that means that I only have to average 550 words a day to finish the rough draft in a year. Is it really possible for me to do that????? I’m stunned, utterly stunned. Coz I think I can make it.

Or that’s what I thought a week ago. Since then, I’ve worked on it three days, writing 415 words, 944 words and 422 words. For a total of 1,781 words, or an average of 254 a day, which is half the pace I need to set. Oh, well. I will keep plowing ahead.

The other thing I did this week, which was probably more important, was to write up a press kit for “Where the Sky Meets the Sand”. It is nothing fancy, just some blurbage including what the book is about, what its message is, an about me section and the other books I’ve published.

Last week, I also got the final draft of the front and back cover of the book. Both that and the interior will go through the final proofread over the next few weeks, so it is getting close. I still haven’t gotten a release date, so I hate to start booking any signings, but I can at least start researching them (which I was supposed to be doing back in January!).

 

A week ago, though, I promised that I would get on track and start tackling specific goals in a specific time frame. I think I’ll just take it a week at a time for now. Here we go:

(Hold it, first I need to change the calendar to July! For Pete’s sake.)

1)    Write 500 words per night for four nights. Yes, I know that is behind my goal of 500 words every day, or 3500 per week, but I am going out of town for a long weekend, so am not sure how much time I am going to have. Plus, the kids will be home for the Fourth.

2)    Finalize the Press Kit.

3)    Research venues for book signings and / or readings. I actually did start a list back in January like I was supposed to. I just need to find it and update it.

4)    Non-writing things to do:

a.     I need to secure some speaking engagements and / or craft sales for the Nonprofit. I have been really dragging my feet on that. Summer’s half over and I have nothing to show for it. Drat.

b.     Some of my scrub tops for work are getting pretty ratty, so I bought some fabric for one last Friday. I’d like to sew that this week, but if I get it half-done, I’ll be happy.

c.       Scan another dozen of my mom’s old pictures into the computer. I have still not made a dent in the boxes of Mom’s stuff in the spare bedroom. I don’t know what to do with any of it, except for the pictures, so I’m going to keep plugging away on that and not worry about the rest.

How’s that sound for the start of a new set of goals?

Hope you all have a good Fourth. And good luck with your new set of goals.