Writing Update - May

Melissa:

Well, it was a tough go this month. My time has become divided among a few projects I was working on, and not all are WIPs. I started a content editing page where I advertise my content reading services to authors. Then I was preparing for Balticon, where I was a panelist on five different panels (and can't wait for next year to do it all over again!). To end the month I found a local literary festival I wanted to attend, many local authors and it was free to get in. Had to go! lol.

As for my journey with words this month... er, *looks to the side and floor* I'm guilty as charged. I wasn't as productive this month.

In all of this I found that Jayda's story and world were to in depth for me to try to grow and workout with everything else I had going. I want to get through her story and make it happen, but I think I need a time where I can sit down and do nothing other than her story. Maybe when I'm on vacation in July?

So I ventured to another little piece I have, a Steampunk Romance of a fairy tale remix of sorts. The story has taken on a feel of it's own, away from the fairy tale I was using as a base for it and I'm excited for that.

Another thing I'm excited to be working at again, Flash Fiction shorts with Jackie and Blodeuedd. *sigh* These are fun and make me curious for what I could expand on. We did two this month, one had a science fiction flare to it as the second was more of an urban fantasy.

As for words... According to RoTaJanNoWriMo (which includes 10% of words read in re-writes) I got out 3,047 words. That's not much. But it is re-writes and they take me FOREVER.

The actual numbers my projects increased by, 2,761 words:
Steampunk Romance:  1664 words
Flash Fiction 2:  468 words
Flash Fiction 3:  629 words


Jackie:

Unlike Melissa, I didn't have a whole lot going on during the month of May. Naturally, that should've meant so much extra time to work on my writing. Turns out, not so much. Most of me free time was used planting my garden and finally enjoying any nice weather that came my way. I caught up on reading as well, using these as research (that's how I justified it anyway) in what to do or not and maybe ideas of how to improve my work. The good thing is that the more I read great writing, the more I'm convinced to keep trying...not to say what I have or will have is great, but that's the goal eventually (one can hope ;).

I totally agree with Melissa about her struggles with Jayda. I have the same issue and really, it's just that I have no idea where to go from here. More needs to be added but I feel I need to absorb my first draft, wear it like a second skin, so I know it all inside and out as I try to expand and alter what I already have to make it even slightly palatable. It's intimidating as hell, hence the constant procrastination.

In the mean time, I did write the two Flash Fictions, as Melissa mentioned. Also, I woke up one morning after an incredibly vivid dream and started making notes for a new project, potentially a YA one. If I can get a bit of world-building done, this might be a fun one to work on. Lastly, I actually did some research for the WIP that I most want completed as well as a few notes. Here's my tally:

Flash #2       467
Flash #3     1190
YA outline   757
WIP            450
Grand total 2864

I would be happier with that number if it was a weekly total but at least it's something anyway.



Melissa:

Okay Jackie. After seeing the month we had, I'm going to set a goal. June is going to be a month of setting new habits (or attempting to). I'm going to exercise and re-write alternating days during the week, Sunday through Thursday. I'm hoping to get at least half way through this story. Now remember, this story is just shy of 40,000 words so shouldn't be to bad. I would like to say I'll get through the whole thing, but there is loads to grow so at least half way is my starting goal. But I'm going to push for more.

Jackie:

I'm going to try to work on the same kind of every-other-day schedule as Melissa, providing I can keep it consistent around real life events too. Of huge note for me is an event featuring Diana Gabaldon on the 20th, which should be amazing :)  For the writing, I would like to see at least 10k added to my work in progress and then maybe a 2 or 3k extra words from Flashes and other notes I make along the way. I've been lax in actually getting the work done so if I can meet this goal I'll be happy; if I can beat it, crazy happy dancing will ensue ;)

Have a great June all!