Daily Goals Progress (Accountability and Encouragement!)

Posted by: @doctorjest

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Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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love this idea - do you have a list of the bulletpoints and you apply them to every story or is it individual each time? I myself tend to write overly chill protagonists so maybe I should take a leaf from your book

It's a real mix of bullet-points. For this one, I have a specific detail noted for research to validate the correctness of details, and a couple of detail notes about things I'd like to change or refine because they feel like missing pieces, but I also have some more generic ones, which are along the lines of:

• Sensory hooks
• Emotional intensity
• Specificity in details

These are things that just strengthen the writing in the post edit, in addition to things like simple logic checks--have they done everything they should do, and have they always done everything because it made sense to them, rather than because the story required it? Mostly they have, but sometimes, you find things that make less sense when you question them. And you can become a bit blind to those questions in your own ideas.

 

This interesting stuff... sounds like we might benefot from a masterclass thread from you on your process at some point if you're willing. I always love hearing other people's approaches

Sunday: 1643 words written, which is too bad, as its a flash, so thats entirely too many! And then i did a tiny smidge of editing. But much, much more is apparently needed.

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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This interesting stuff... sounds like we might benefot from a masterclass thread from you on your process at some point if you're willing. I always love hearing other people's approaches

That would imply I'd actually mastered something! I'm definitely still learning over here. But I do have a collective bag of things I've learned, some mine, many from other folks, and a few I'm still trying out to see how well they work for me. I can't claim it adds up to a specific effective method, though, as I'm horribly scattered in my approach, and I ignore or discard my own advice half the time!

Anyway, my weekend's mostly been spent on editing and revisions, mostly chalking off some of those aforementioned bullet-points. I still have a good number to go through before I'm done, though.

My final editing total for today is having edited that 1643 written, down to 999 words, to get it under 1000. Now *that* was hard work  😓  

Well, I think I'm finished with major edits, and I'm leaning into minor pieces and style now. Today's edits were the largest, looking to bring down the word count, but it actually ended up 300 words longer, mostly because of adding a new half-scene that was necessary to heighten the emotional stakes and raise the intensity and urgency of the story as it moved through the second act.

Even without that, though, I do have a knack of having my early edits make my word count longer, not shorter. I need to feel like I'm fully finished before I'm ready to actually go through and do the hard word-culls to bring it all together. That being said, I'm really happy with the shape that it's in at this point, and that's nice--I don't feel like there's anything terrible missing from it, and I think I've gotten most of the roughest edges buffed out by now. I'm likely blind to something or other, still, but I think it's coming together nicely at this point.

Posted by: @doctorjest

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Well, I think I'm finished with major edits, and I'm leaning into minor pieces and style now. Today's edits were the largest, looking to bring down the word count, but it actually ended up 300 words longer, mostly because of adding a new half-scene that was necessary to heighten the emotional stakes and raise the intensity and urgency of the story as it moved through the second act.

Even without that, though, I do have a knack of having my early edits make my word count longer, not shorter. I need to feel like I'm fully finished before I'm ready to actually go through and do the hard word-culls to bring it all together. That being said, I'm really happy with the shape that it's in at this point, and that's nice--I don't feel like there's anything terrible missing from it, and I think I've gotten most of the roughest edges buffed out by now. I'm likely blind to something or other, still, but I think it's coming together nicely at this point.

This is too funny - I thought I was the only one where editing meant *more* words lol

At least for the first couple of passes. Congrats on the hard work, sounds like you're on track and the story is shaping up nicely!    

For myself yesterday was mainly my day job, but I did do 'refinement' passes on the flash fiction I started this weekend (definitely *not* for the WOTF competition) and I think overall I did improve it, though at 10:30pm last night I did get to the point of making changes and then thinking "No, that made it worse!" so I had to close the wordprocessing document and walk away as I was clearly too tired to be editing at that point. AT least I realized it before too much damage was done (I hope...)

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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This is too funny - I thought I was the only one where editing meant *more* words lol
At least for the first couple of passes. Congrats on the hard work, sounds like you're on track and the story is shaping up nicely!    

I do think it may be normal for certain kinds of writer, or maybe even for most. I had an actual outline in mind for this story, and still ended up with notes to add this scene, add this detail, add X, and so on, so my edit sweep tends to go through with me cutting out this, trimming that, and then add add add the new stuff, so my word count is going down-down-down-VERY VERY UP-down-down-UP AGAIN as I go through it. But from here, it should mostly start trending down.

I hope.

I wrote 482 words today. Far less than my 1113 of yesterday, BUT I also edited my 6K entry for Q1. Thrice.

Posted by: @marius

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I wrote 482 words today. Far less than my 1113 of yesterday, BUT I also edited my 6K entry for Q1. Thrice.

Yay for 482 and edits! That's still a lot.

Also, just because it stands out to me - the word "thrice". I use it, but I'm from the UK. Even there I think its understood but not as common these days but most times I use it here in the US people look at me crosseyed. Some don't understand, some understand but think its very weird. Same as "fortnight". Very clear to me, but last time I used it in the US I was asked if I thought I was Shakespeare using that kind of language and one person in the room thought I meant in four nights....

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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...last time I used it in the US I was asked if I thought I was Shakespeare using that kind of language and one person in the room thought I meant in four nights....

I mean, in fairness to that person, that's really not a bad guess when held against fortnight's etymology. Just fourteen, instead of four--if it had been a four-night, instead of a fort-night, they might even have been right! But yeah, I think they'd be very surprised by how common that word in particular really is.

I also use thrice, but rarely. And as another former Brit, it's probably more normal for us as a gang. I also occasionally use thee or thy--from regions close to me, more commonly than exactly mine, but another example of older language lingering in more common parlance in odd corners of the country. Plus bits and bobs of specifically local language, and some odd words and phrases that have apparently wandered over the Scottish border for a day out.

Yeah I was being archaic deliberately. It appears I can't pull that off as an ESL 😅 Let life be short, else shame will be too long!

Posted by: @marius

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Yeah I was being archaic deliberately. It appears I can't pull that off as an ESL 😅 Let life be short, else shame will be too long!

Apparently you pulled it off perfectly as the effect was achieved! In all such situations - assume the fault lies with me, not you

Ah, busy work day today, so only some minor editing (not even word totals, just re-wording I think) and a bit of a craft book read.

Busy for me here. I'm on holidays, but I'm running everywhere for Xmas shopping and such. This eats a lot of my writing time. I still managed to edit and send 2 more pieces in subs, but it seems the rejection time is in average so much longer these days (I currently have 10 subs pending, some for nearly 6 months). I hope the Rs won't come collectively on Xmas day, lol.

And I still don't have my piece for Q1. I'd rather speed up!

@hannya you can do it!  

just keep going!

So far today I've been caught in a never ending editing spiral and finishing up some beta-reading of v41. Phew. At least the latter is done 🤪 

This thread is separate from the Writer's Aspirant thread, but it's meant to be supportive of it - check ins or report ins on daily weekly or whatever frequency just to help people stay on track so they don't get to the end of the month and think "Where did all the time go?" and have none of their goals achieved.

To that end - hopefully helpful rather than intrusive (feel free to let me know if you do, or do not want poked!) we are MID MONTH and I thought I would send a friendly reminder to all who expressed December goals over there to see how they are doing.

So, to that end:

@doctorjest

@toddjones

@hannya

@m-norris

@marius

@adrian

@pdblake

@mulch

@joel-c-scoberg

@tiinag

@kz_richards

@tj_knight

@ease

How are those December goals? Are you on track? Consider joining this thread for some more on-going daily support but at least use this as a mid-month check-in!  

We can do this, together

For my own mid-month checking I am lagging on two of my goals:

- finish up one of the craft books

- finish draft 0 of my v42q2.

For the former I'm chipping away at it before bed each night but work trip coming this week so its in sever jeopardy as I won'tt be carrying books on flights with me.

For the latter, I'm right now at my local cafe, laptop ready, and as soon as I finish this post....well maybe "ready to go" isn't quite accurate, but you know. 'trying' lol

My monthly goals have been creatively rearranged.

Mid-month progress:

• Draft Q1 WotF story completed. Working on edits for final draft, but running out of time - augh!
• Draft Q2 WotF story 70% completed (was going to be Q1, but don't have the middle right so switched gears)
• Identified and started 'smoothing out' edits for three stories for Story Unlikely for end of Jan submission
• Submitted WotF Q4 finalist story to Clarkesworld. Fingers crossed.

Posted by: @toddjones

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My monthly goals have been creatively rearranged.

Mid-month progress:

• Draft Q1 WotF story completed. Working on edits for final draft, but running out of time - augh!
• Draft Q2 WotF story 70% completed (was going to be Q1, but don't have the middle right so switched gears)
• Identified and started 'smoothing out' edits for three stories for Story Unlikely for end of Jan submission
• Submitted WotF Q4 finalist story to Clarkesworld. Fingers crossed.

Great job on turning that Q4 around so quick! I'm still to send mine out

But you seem right on top of it with 1 and 2 above - and I think rearranging goals is fine especially given you did it 'creatively' 🤣  

Posted by: @gideonpsmith

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Posted by: @doctorjest

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Well, I think I'm finished with major edits, and I'm leaning into minor pieces and style now. Today's edits were the largest, looking to bring down the word count, but it actually ended up 300 words longer, mostly because of adding a new half-scene that was necessary to heighten the emotional stakes and raise the intensity and urgency of the story as it moved through the second act.

Even without that, though, I do have a knack of having my early edits make my word count longer, not shorter. I need to feel like I'm fully finished before I'm ready to actually go through and do the hard word-culls to bring it all together. That being said, I'm really happy with the shape that it's in at this point, and that's nice--I don't feel like there's anything terrible missing from it, and I think I've gotten most of the roughest edges buffed out by now. I'm likely blind to something or other, still, but I think it's coming together nicely at this point.

 This is too funny - I thought I was the only one where editing meant *more* words lol

At least for the first couple of passes. Congrats on the hard work, sounds like you're on track and the story is shaping up nicely!    

For myself yesterday was mainly my day job, but I did do 'refinement' passes on the flash fiction I started this weekend (definitely *not* for the WOTF competition) and I think overall I did improve it, though at 10:30pm last night I did get to the point of making changes and then thinking "No, that made it worse!" so I had to close the wordprocessing document and walk away as I was clearly too tired to be editing at that point. AT least I realized it before too much damage was done (I hope...)

 

Editing often means adding more words for me too, especially on the earlier drafts. I had a rare story recently that I cut from about 500 words to 400. I was hoping to submit it to Flash Fiction Online, but they only accept 500-1,000.

I am laser focused on word count right now. Pushing to 140k.

But...

The first draft may not be that long after all.

So it's The End or 140k, whichever comes first - counts.

Posted by: @alexh

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Editing often means adding more words for me too, especially on the earlier drafts. I had a rare story recently that I cut from about 500 words to 400. I was hoping to submit it to Flash Fiction Online, but they only accept 500-1,000.

 

 

maybe add the 100 words back...? 🧐 

Posted by: @tj_knight

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I am laser focused on word count right now. Pushing to 140k.

But...

The first draft may not be that long after all.

So it's The End or 140k, whichever comes first - counts.

👍

how far off are you? are you on track? 

I did 5,500 of my 10.000 words so far. I Also submitted my Q1 entry so I should have a bit more focus the rest of the month, but it's also x-mas time, so we'll see

@gideonpsmith 

Around 130k. Lots of bits and bobs to fill in. Nothing linear. When it's cohesive, I'll write the final two words of this first draft. I've got two weeks!

@tj_knight 

&ct=g

Had to go and fish out my December objectives, lol. I had no idea what they were:

December:

• I'll sit down everyday at my laptop. Let's put some words on that blank screen. DONE (so far)
• Submit something to WOTF, not sure what yet, but I've got options that need some edits. NOPE
• At least one new story drafted. NOPE
• Keep on submitting/resubmitting. No less than 5 subs out. 10 out at the moment
• Thrilled to have been asked to participate in the selection/edit phase for one of the mag I read for. I want to learn as much as I can from the editors as to how they handle these final steps, and I'll help as much as I can. Selection done and authors notified, I so enjoyed the discussion around our favorite pieces.
• Plan for 2025. I'm a mess as a rule. But being a mess doesn't work anymore as I progress. I created an Excel table so that I can track my activity in 2025 + I started rearranging my files.

And that's it for now. I see what's pending is mainly about drafting new words + submitting to Q1. Not the easiest, but 2 weeks remaining!

Posted by: @hannya

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Had to go and fish out my December objectives, lol. I had no idea what they were:

 

Which was part of the reason for this thread having done that multiple times myself - set goals which were great and meaningful and then completely forgotten to work towards them. This threads about helping eachother make that progress! 

Great job on the progress you've made so far - and 2 weeks is a long time for words

@gideonpsmith Thanks for the check in! It's defintiely helpful. Last month, I thought I set my word count goal 2,000 words fewer than I did, and I only made it by dumb luck and (what I thought) was over achieving. Looking at goals at least once after making them is helpful. Who knew?

For this month, I'm a couple hundered words behind pace for my word count goal, but I should make that up today. Hopefully the holidays don't throw off my pace too much. If I stick to that word count, I'll definitely finish a draft of another story (as long as another pesky idea doesn't distract me), so that's going well. I submitted my Q1 story today, and I've been overachieving on my reading and submitting goals. So far so good!

Well, I'm done with my major edits, and I'm into scalpel revisions now. There's almost certainly more room to improve this, but I'm getting to the stage where I feel happy that the story is mostly solid, and doesn't have any major issues left to address. I just need to make sure I don't pull the trigger prematurely, so I'm going to hold the story until near the deadline, to make sure I don't get caught out by something I think of in the next fortnight.