For June 2021 I was aiming for 20,000 words written, 1 video per week, 20 blog posts, complete the first draft of Homestead.
I did not hit a single one!
I only wrote 6783 words. I posted no videos at all. I wrote 19 blog posts (so close!). Homestead just stalled and I haven’t been able to get it started again. On the plus side though, I did edit 64,805 words though. I also red-penned 38 pages as well. I did finish the first draft of a bounty hunter story as well.
Homestead really has crashed and burned. I like the setting, I feel like the characters have got a lot I can work with, even the story feels good. It’s just not ready to present itself to me. Maybe a little more time and it will
There was a little work on a story called Saliva, but can’t decide whether whether to leave it as a flash story or if I should expand it. I’m going to let it sit, and even if I work on trying to build something more and it doesn’t work I can still just use that first snippet as a flash piece.
Black Blood got another edit pass. I think it’s coming along nicely, but it’s still a long way off completion.
When I red pen a draft it’s also an out loud read of the story. I’m a big believer in this method as it can present elements that I might have missed otherwise because when you’re hearing something read it’s a lot different to when you’re not hearing it. It especially works when it comes to dialogue.
The story I read aloud was a story for a kidnapping anthology that has the submission window coming up.
The last story I worked on last month was Isolation, and its very early on in its conception but I’m liking what I’ve got so far. It feels like something that I’m going to be able to build on.
I also got my zombie novella back from my editor. Um, there’s a lot I’ve got to think about with it. A few years ago I would have dived in and started tweaking straight away, but I don’t feel ready to do that yet. I’d like to read the notes twice more, making notes myself as I go.
I did a load of brainstorming as well.
Although I got nothing ticked off my goals last month I still got a lot done. I’d like to keep more on target going forward, I really don’t like all the bouncing about I seem to do.