I made it through the week again, very slowly recovering from the virulent bug that seems determined to test every physical system as I continue to anti-biotic and nutraceutical it into submission… The good news on that front is that I had a little more energy of an evening this week, and managed a few nights to add some words to that story I really wanted to finish. Over three nights, I wrote 1,203 words and completed my first draft.
Finally.
Today I got feedback on it… and … I need to rip apart the end. Again.
😛
I just can’t seem to get past the rushing-to-the-final-words weakness of my first drafts. Ohwell. That’s why they’re first drafts, and why I solicit feedback.
The other two, though… I was told they’re officially spooky, now. So revisions work for me as well.
🙂
Amazingly enough, I also managed to tame the procrastination beast enough that my schoolwork was done early this afternoon. It’s left me somewhat at loose ends tonight, as usually at this time I’m stressing out about making a midnight deadline. This way is obviously better, but I spent more time than I’m used to digging into my various tracking spreadsheets to figure out what I’ve actually earned in royalties. I had managed to break $100 in my first year, but sales slowed down so dramatically that even with almost double the number of books out, there have been months this year when none has sold. Adding it all up based on actual receipts and KDP reports, though… I suppose there’s still a chance I could match last year’s revenue… it just doesn’t seem likely. So I’m again reminding myself of Dean Wesley Smith’s series on “Think Like a Publisher“: I’m in year two of my first five-year plan. I think I’ll be able to continue on a pace of 3 releases per year at a minimum. I’m taking advantage of an increasingly select set of promotional opportunities, and hoping that people who find my stories like them well enough to come back for more. I’m close enough to 100 total copies sold that I have some confidence that there’s a paying audience for my words.
So I have to remind myself of Gandhi’s wisdom, above: “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” I enjoy my writing process–the twists that present themselves to me frequently make me giddy. Playing with the next-draft versions satisfies my editor-self in a different way, feeding my inner perfectionist.
My goals, then, have to remain focused on ongoing new-word production. I’d like to try for 2,000 words this week and see whether I can make more progress on book 3 of my Red Slaves series. I’ll also need to revise that short story. This is also mid-term week again, and we need to get ready to travel back to Virginia to spend Thanksgiving with my family, so there are lots of reasons my goal may be overly ambitious. But with frigid temperatures limiting the amount of time we want to spend outside, my hours of walking can now be converted to hours in front of the keyboard.
We’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, check out how the other ROW80ers are doing with their goals.