With the festive period behind me, I am now looking forward to the chance to sit down and get some solid work done. That does heavily rely on my children sleeping past 5 am which currently seems to be a task beyond their grasp.
While I will never complain about the extra time with them, it does hamper my writing time as that hour between 5 and 6 is probably my most productive time of the day in terms of having nothing else to do at the particular moment.
My goals for this round were rather simple ones. Edit and Read was what they boiled down to.
I am happy to report that after (a whole) 2 days of the round I have hit my target both days. Granted not in the quantity I would like, but certainly to the best of my ability give the hectic days I have had.
Editing is going smoothly, I am 71 (A4) pages in with about 80 to go. I am now entering that phase were I am wondering if I am editing well. Am I missing things, am I changing things that don’t need to be changed? I am aware that too much tinkering in areas that don’t need it could lead to structural weaknesses in the long run. That is just how my mind works, and so I should feel comforted by this, as it means I am on the right track.
I do intend to try to find a BETA reader of two for this novel, get an opinion other than my own before I release it to the general public and that makes me feel a little better.
In terms of reading, I have actually read both days, and am on a streak that stretches back to before Christmas. I am about 65% of the way through Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade, a fabulous author that happens to be a friend of mine. I started the book on January 1st and hope to have it finished by the end of the week. I am not sure what is next on my list. I have quite an eclectic mix of genres to read, and so after a YA novel I think a change to something more horror / fantasy related might be nice. I do have Bedbugs but Ben Winters in paperback which I am dying to read… oh wait, there we go, I now know what is next on the list.
I have a good feeling about this round, about this year in general, and while I am not looking to move house within the next 2 months at most, I am expecting minimal disruption to my writing time and so should still be able to meet all my goals.
I know it is only two days in but how are you all feeling about this round? Did you go for a safe bet of goals for the opening round of the year, or did you throw caution to the wind and lay down a gauntlet for yourself?
Official Site of Alex Laybourne - Author 
I’m quite excited about this year, Alex, but didn’t make any resolutions. Rather I guess goals or targets but they’re subject to change, and yes, they are quite a gauntlet including promoting my book when it comes out including book signings and blogging, etc., reading a lot more than I did last year, and reading genres connected to my fiction writing such as horror/fantasy (last year it was SF), finishing my novellas and trying to keep to 40,000 words for each of them and no more than 120,000 words in all for the whole anthology (corresponding to what my publisher mentioned), writing more from scratch and using less of my previous writing, which has changed and hopefully improved, worrying less, focusing less on money, traveling in the new year, and many more goals and targets which are personal as well as business related. I guess I set down a gauntlet but no resolutions and I didn’t put it into words or writing, it’s in my head that I want to continue what I started last year.
That’s the spirit. I also want to be less concerned about money. I often let the fact that we live on a very tight budget get the better of me, although that may be linked to me previous comment about my ‘low periods’. I want to just relax this year, take what life throws at me money wise. I can do it in all other areas of my life but not with money or mess in the house. OK with three small kids there will be mess and that I can deal with in my stride but the extra mess can work on me. Not this year, I am just rolling with every punch that comes along.
It’s nice to have a beta reader, mine is my wife but I think she is predjudaced, alwasy on my side. Between the editing and the stories running through my head, including a horror story that is screaming to get out, I may do pretty good myself this year. Keep up the great work sir. After Tarnsman of Gor your Highway to hell is next on my list.
I’m so glad you are enjoying Forbidden Mind! 🙂 And I’m glad you are staying focused on your writing. I know how hard it is with young kids in the house. It gets a bit easier when they are all in school!