The Writers Aspirant Accountability Thread

I have somewhat of a draft on a new flash story, so that's a little progress on my goals.

I am still having really hard time re-writing my unfinished story(/ies). I just can't get the characters or voice or something right and it's frustrating. Part of me wants to keep moving on to new stories, but I also hate accumulating the pile of sad, unfinished stories.

On a positive note, to help myself refresh my creative mind, I started a poetry class. I have been writing some poor poetry and enjoying it! Figured it might help to get back on track with prose eventually. Main thing is, I am writing.

@tiinag yay for the poetry class! I have been reading poetry craft books lately though I don't really write poetry. Let us know what you learn! (and if they rec any specific craft books - I'm always looking for more )

Posted by: @annax

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Here’s my January 2025 Goals:

- write my Q2 entry

- write at least 5k words in a different genre

- write at least 60k words in a novel

- at least start writing Resnick entry

 

Thanks for holding me accountable! @ease

Checking in:

I wrote 5k words in a different genre (a weird romantic horror and obviously weirder kink). I'm writing it for someone. It's not something I would ever write. Or maybe I should never say never. lol

I did not finish my Q2

I did not start my Resnick entry

I wrote 14k words last time, added another almost 10k, so total 24k-ish words

I want to finish this weird thing I'm doing and then I can go back to my Q2. Hopefully, with some time away from it, I can look at it with fresh eyes.

@ease Mid month nudge accepted. I have written my story for another market (goal 2), and I no longer feel pressured to win ASAP (goal 1), so I’m killing my January goals. Since I finished early, I will go back to working on my Q2. Yay for no more writers block!

Thanks for the reminder @ease

Even though I've only noticed it now, lol. So I had no precise objectives for January...

Posted by: @hannya

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I've set up some high-level goals for 2025. First, 60k words. I have too much to edit, so new words are not my priority. I also will keep on slush reading. I aim at a minimum of 100 short stories submissions, and in parallel, I'd like to start or rewrite/edit longer formats. I'm now waiting to see how I want to start. January will be contributing to these objectives, but I'll let my mind meander along those lines.

So far, I have around 13k written, so it's all good. I also submitted 9 or 10 times, so I'm in line. Slush reading is rolling, and it's quite intensive as the mag had paused during the holidays, so we need to catch up. No longer format worked on, but I've got 2 new flash drafted.

Posted by: @writhmic

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• Plot a couple novel ideas: I'd like my 2025 project to be writing a novel (and hopefully the first I'm proud of!) so this month will be coming up with the idea
• Plot out my Q2 story. If I start writing it then that's a happy bonus.
• Ensure my first Writing Workshop through Starspun Lit runs smoothly  
• Read. Read. Read. I can't remember the last time I had the time to read a book just for fun and, boy, do I miss it.

January isn't quite over, but I figured I'd check in since I completely forgot the goals I'd set for myself.

1. Not even one 😅 With the semester at school ending, I didn't realize just how much work and energy it would take to keep up. I'm onto my next semester now, and I'm actually taking a creative writing course. I'm hoping that will help those creative juices flow again. It's also nice to know that the course will let me focus on writing without feeling like I'm sacrificing time spent on schoolwork.

2. Yeah... no. I went through my past entries and realized my style of writing isn't quite where I want it. I found a recent story of mine that really feels like me so I'm working on revising that for plot and taking notes on the style before starting Q2.

3. Yes!! It went really well, so I'm stoked about that. Our next goal is to publish issue 2. We're currently looking for fantasy stories to illustrate and publish in Feb, so if ya'll have anything sitting in the trunk, send it our way! (website link in signature)

4. Check! I read 3 books this month, and I was the happiest I've been in a while. I don't think that level is sustainable considering the goals I have set, but I'm aiming for at least 1 book per month going forward. Definitely more in the summer though. And maybe that summer can start in April...

Posted by: @joel-c-scoberg

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January goals

• Write 10,000 words on my novel

I'll just focus on my novel, I think, otherwise it'll never get drafted! I don't want to be too ambitious or spread myself too thin.

Thanks for the mid-month nudge, which by the time I've gotten round to responding is an end of the month check in!!

Well, I didn't hit 10,000 words. Or, really, any words on my novel this month. I've been finalising my story for Vol 41 of WotF (it's off to the printers !) and the cover reveal is 1 February 2025, which I am really excited about.

One of the pre-Hollywood items on my to do list was to set up a website, which I finished this month (www.joelcscoberg.com) and was actually a pretty big endeavour for me. Mostly because in doing so, I realised how little I know about IT beyond word processing apps and searching the internet!! But, it is up and running now and I will aim to post at least one blog post or update a month.

I was also editing short stories for upcoming submissions I have in mind, so I feel like, even though I didn't do a great deal on my novel (or anything!), it was still a productive month.

And here goes, it's a day early, but...

February goals

• Submit at least one short story (aim for three, including one new story)
• At least one website blog post
• Progress my novel (at this stage, any progress is progress)

End of the month checkpoint. I didn't have precise objectives for January, more high level ones for 2025.

Posted by: @hannya

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January, I don't know yet. I've set up some high-level goals for 2025. First, 60k words. I have too much to edit, so new words are not my priority. I also will keep on slush reading. I aim at a minimum of 100 short stories submissions, and in parallel, I'd like to start or rewrite/edit longer formats. I'm now waiting to see how I want to start. January will be contributing to these objectives, but I'll let my mind meander along those lines.

January was:

• 17k written. That's quite of chunck of the 60k I planned for 2025.
• 6 pieces edited: 4 of them fully, 2 still need some work.
• Slush was crazy this month: 100 stories allocated, only a dozen left in my slush pile.
• Nothing on longer formats yet.
• However, 1 drabble and 3 flash stories drafted. Not good ones, but any new word, experiment, finished first draft is a win.
• More than 30 flash read and critiqued for my flash challenge group.
• 13 subs (and 1 acceptance, YEAH).
• Learning: 1 lecture on emotional writing, 1 self study (over a week, by reading articles and stories) about original formats in short fiction.

February will be:

• Minimum 10k.
• 3 more flash drafted.
• 3 pieces edited, even if not fully.
• At least 5 submissions.
• Keep the slush pile at a managable level.
• Start on a fantasy novella I've been asked to beta read (at least reading + draft comments done)
• Learning: at least one lecture/workshop/self-study.
• Keep on filling in my follow-up table.

And maybe take some time to breathe too, lol. January has been very busy.

Sorta, kinda reached January's goals. I started off aiming for 30k words but dropped it to 25k and managed a tad over that.

I'm doing a new round of therapy for the old PTSD so I'm going to have to be kind to myself for a while. February's goal is only 20k words, though I hope to finish the first draft if I can.

Didn't make that 20k this month. Got stuck at 12, but not for lack of trying. My son was ill a lot and since my wife is the main breadwinner while I pursue this ridiculous dream of becoming an author, I tend to be the one to take care of him in these cases. I did gain some confidence in my writing these weeks though. I really think my current novel has potential.

I'm gonna try for 20k again in february. Shorter month and also a big family visit planned in the middle, but you know, aim for the moon 🤞

Down goes January. Time to plan for February.

February Goals

• Continue pushing toward finishing the first quarter of the novel I've been working on
• Refresh myself on the story that was originally intended to be my Q2 submission. That story has picked up and moved out of my brain, but I know where it lives. I bet it comes back if I ask nicely.
• Research more on options for increasing my professional presense
• Keep feeling out those writing boundaries.

And the January update

• Set and stick to boundaries around writing time. Put down the pen or keyboard when it's time for family, health, or work. The ideas aren't going anywhere. Not if they're truly good ones. - 👍 
  • I've gotten really sucked into working on a novel again, which has been fun. Everyone in the house still seems to be eating, breathing, and sleeping. I set up some Dr.'s appointments. Money's still coming in from work. All good.
• Don't start anymore stories. Work on what I have - 🤨
  • I wrote a couple outlines that popped in my head. I'll call that a mixed result.
• Continue approaching my writing habits with curiosity, not acting out of fear or expectation on what productivity looks like - 👍 
  • I felt some personal judgement creeping in around my plan to edit and resubmit a previous entry for Q2, but I've rolled with it well enough. I've done a lot of thinking on working to moving my writing in a more professional, potentially profitable direction, which I'm still pondering. I may be perusing some of the other threads here at some point to see if there's any nuggets to glean on that front in the upcoming month. 

January Goal: 1. Write and submit two sub-1000 word pieces.

I reported 50% success mid-month and I'm glad to report 100% success now months over

maybe I should have set tougher goals? Maybe.

February goal:

1. survive

(Note, I will likely only report back if I am successful)

Posted by: @annax

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Here’s my January 2025 Goals:

- write my Q2 entry

- write at least 5k words in a different genre

- write at least 60k words in a novel

- at least start writing Resnick entry

 

Checking in:

I did not finish my Q2 entry, but I did start it, so I guess that counts?  

I wrote 15k words in an weird erotic horror, so that was definitely new to me.

I did hit my goal of writing 60k words, but I have to admit that it wasn't all one novel. I wrote several stories here and there, did a lot of editing, and did work some on my novels. So this goal was a plus and minus. Overall, I wrote a bit over 70k words.

I did not start my Resnick entry. I have several entries for Resnick that I had started in the past, but that doesn't really count for this one.

February Goals:

- write a 75k word novel
- read a book from a friend that I'm now wanting to go back and start over just because my perspective is a bit different now and I'm not as rough around the edges when I give feedback back
- work on my Q2 entry

That's it. 3 simple goals.

Well I didn't outline a new novel in January. I did however, study character. I got rabbit-holed by the enneagram personality types and I love it/them (If anyone wants to chat about them, please send a PM.).

I did have a possible idea for a short novel. Just the initial spark that may develop into more. So we'll see about that.

Still editing the epic. Once that's done I can focus on which project I'll tackle next. And I'll be keeping it under 70k... That'll seem like a short story at this point. Haha.

Fantastic work on the self-reports, @writhmic, @joel-c-scoberg, @hannya, @pdblake, @marius, @mulch, @gideonpsmith, @annax, @tj_knight, and your achievements over the last 31 days. I also enjoyed reading the variety of goals for February, spanning from writing and entire freaking novel to 'survive.'

As my mantra has been recently; "we do what we can because we must." - i.e., we do as much as we can, even if that's only (relatively speaking) a little.

@ajschultz6, @clfors, @kz_richards, @toddjones, @storysinger, @physa, @pegeen, @kent, @jeschleicher, @sconn,  @ericstallsworth, @tiinag, @olivia-ava, @abeona, @bon, @thewritingwolf, @robot_drew, @mgamblesee - how did your Januarys (Januaries? Ew, no) go? What do you have planned for February?

Posted by: @ease

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January goals:

• Translate 3000 words of dictation (expecting/hoping to smash this). SUCCESS - 6400, plus a thousand or two on another project. Not too bad.
• Finish reading the second cyberpunk novel. SUCCESS! Altered Carbon is fantastic, but I felt it didn't quite stick the landing. Also Project Hail Mary (admittedly not cyberpunk) is bloody fantastic. One of the best audiobooks ever.
• Read my friend's ARC (a forumite/WotF winner is being trad-published! I'm so proud of her). FAILURE - I got sent to Ohio, which resulted in hours and hours in the car every day, which is great for audiobook listening but not so much for reading.
• Write/edit every day (this is actually an annual goal). SUCCESS! There was one morning where I woke up horrified I'd forgotten to edit the day before (thanks, 7 hours drive!) but then remembered I did dictate some of a short story.
• Run at least once (not really writing related? But writing is life, and living requires health, so sorta?). FAILURE - with a week lost to Ohio, and it being even colder there than it is in Maryland, I wimped out. Didn't even go to the gym.

So I either beat my goals by far, or failed miserably. Hmm. Need to level that out a little. I did well with my non-writing goals (not pictured above), so I'm not beating myself up.

For February, I have a large work presentation coming up, that will (hopefully?) result in an even larger work presentation, as well as Valentine's Day, making it up to my wife for being away for a week, and two of my kids' birthdays. Goals are going to be appropriately modest.

• Write or edit every day
• Finish reading my friend's ARC
• Get something ready for a writing workshop
• Try not to cry about missing Superstars

Here's an extra optional assignment for everyone: what's the best line you wrote last month? If you can't narrow it down to a line, what's your favorite scene you've written? (Don't copy and paste the whole thing, just give us a summary).

@ease no update since my mid month report. I wrote and submitted a flash in January. My February goal is to complete a decent draft for Q2. I’m about 30% there right now.

Posted by: @toddjones

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January 2025 Goals:

• Review/Edit/Submit three (3) stories for Story Unlikely end of January submission - COMPLETED
• Complete draft of new short story for Q2 WotF - Have two started, but completed draft story not finished
• Added goal: submit at least one (1) story to a market other than WotF - COMPLETED (Submitted to Analog)

February 2025 Goals:

• Complete draft of at least one (1) new short story for Q2 WotF (have two started)
• Review/Edit/Submit at least one (1) previous WotF HM or higher story to a market other than WotF
• Review/Edit at least two (2) stories from other writers 

Well done everyone. Some great inspiration here for sure. On my January goals:

Posted by: @adrian

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1) have a very simple WotF story concept and very rough outline, with some kind of choice at end. Something that would translate into 4-5k words max. (I'm not sure this will actually do as well as a longer piece, but I need to free up some time! 😀 ) - DONE, BUT ALMOST CERTAINLY TOO LONG AND MIXED FEELINGS ON ORIGINALITY OF THE IDEA, BUT OH WELL, I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT.

2) actually get some stuff done on my novel. Ideally a few rough outlines of the major arcs. - WENT WELL. LOTS OF GOOD OUTLINING AND WORLD BUILDING. KIND OF DON'T WANT TO SHIFT BACK TO STORY ABOVE NOW, HAHA.

3) outline the first chapter of my novel. - NOPE. STILL MULLING OVER HOW AND WHEN IN STORY TO START.

Generally happy with how the month went. Not sure this will be my best WOTF entry ever, especially if I really try to keep it short, but will try to be efficient with my time on it at least (we'll see how that goes)...

Oh yeah, February goals:

1) finish novel outline and world build and a first draft of a first chapter.

2) finish a very rough spaghetti on the page version of a WOTF story.

Let's see... In January I did go back to a WIP I was most recently working on, but instead of managing to re-write it, I just cut out half and could not think it through. I also read through the pile of unfinished stories, and none of them felt right at the moment, I'm not drawn to any of them to figure out how to fix them. That said, each has some elements I enjoy so I am sure eventually those stories will emerge in some form.

The flash I drafted mid-month is still not complete, but I actually like it(!), it just needs a bit more editing.

I started mulling over a story idea for Q2, picking setting/characters that I want to spend more time with, things that bring me joy. I'm still in the outlining phase.

I started self-directed poetry class, doing it in a leisurely pace. It has been good, using the brain and language in a bit different way. 

February goals:

Finish editing flash story (and send it somewhere if fits)

Outline Q2 - draft as much as possible

Continue poetry class (maybe even re-work some of the poor poems into better ones)

Posted by: @annax

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February Goals:

- write a 75k word novel
- read a book from a friend that I'm now wanting to go back and start over just because my perspective is a bit different now and I'm not as rough around the edges when I give feedback back I did this already! I'm really happy I got it done. I need to read more, but I'm focused on writing right now.
- work on my Q2 entry

- Do a complete overhaul of Book 1 in the vampire series so I can self-publish it again in March 2025.

That's it. 3 simple goals.

 

Any mid month updates? My mid month update, given my goal was 'survive' is that so far its going well, but there have been moments and the months not up yet 😉

I still haven't cracked open a book - this year. I'm hoping to get the V. 41 ARC so I can read some excellent short stories!

Posted by: @ease

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For February, I have a large work presentation coming up, that will (hopefully?) result in an even larger work presentation, as well as Valentine's Day, making it up to my wife for being away for a week, and two of my kids' birthdays. Goals are going to be appropriately modest.

• Write or edit every day - FAIL - I lost my writing mojo and missed a day, and the real lame thing about a really low bar/easy goal is that when you fail it you feel extra useless, which probably added to my funk. So I then missed a few more days. Back on the wagon now, though.
• Finish reading my friend's ARC - INCOMPLETE 
• Get something ready for a writing workshop - FAIL -  I mean, I had something but not enough. Must improve!

Checking in early as it's my kid's birthday on February 28th. Work presentation did indeed lead to a larger work presentation, and then many more after that. No upside for me yet, though, but lots of extra stress which I am 'bravely' blaming the masses of red text above on. Gotta shake off this funk and get back to writing!

Posted by: @joel-c-scoberg

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February goals

• Submit at least one short story (aim for three, including one new story) Mostly done - I submitted three stories, though none were new. Although, I heavily edited a R story and sent that out, so I may count that as like 25% of a new story.
• At least one website blog post Done, I posted a bit more than that (4 I think). I also set up a newsletter and signed up to Bluesky, and ordered business cards ahead of Hollywood, so I was kind of busy on the promoting myself side.
• Progress my novel (at this stage, any progress is progress) Fail! Nada, nothing, zilch. Next month is the month for progressing my novel, I swear.

Despite no progress on my novel, I feel like February has been productive. I've got a lot of stuff done on my website and a newsletter (sign up on my website if you're interested!), so my pre-Hollywood checklist is shrinking. And a bonus I submitted short stories. I had wanted to have a novel ready before Hollywood, but that will never happen now. I'm hoping to have a solid outline and the first few chapters.

March goals

• Submit at least one story
• One blog post / newsletter
• PROGRESS MY NOVEL (if it's in CAPS it'll surely make a difference to whether I do it, right?)

My February goal of 20k words was achieved, just. I exceeded it by just 79 words.

I think I've probably only got around 6k, maybe a little bit more, left on this novel, so the goal for March will be to just get the damned thing finished.

Secondary goal is to edit a short I wrote a while back that hasn't seen daylight since I finished the first draft, maybe start another. Then get going on another novel while this one stews for a while.

My february goals was 'survive' and I am happy to report that happened!

In addition I:

wrote 5 flash stories, made 12 submissions, have submitted the non-fiction piece I had pitched the month before and just finished last night working on the final edits with the editor. 

Flash Fiction Online for which I slush read has also been open so I have been reading for them and managing to stay on top of it.

Today I am working on a poem. I don't know how to write poetry but I'm trying to learn in the service of my prose style as I like more literary writing. 

oh and after warbling on about the non-goals I did last month I forgot to do what I came in this thread to do - state my goal/s for this month

March Goal: keeping it simple - get a Q2 finished and submitted! There's a long way to go on that road so I'm not sure if it will happen, but thats the goal

Posted by: @marius

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I'm gonna try for 20k again in february. Shorter month and also a big family visit planned in the middle, but you know, aim for the moon 🤞

Mission accomplished! Did just under 21k. Also got 2nd place in the biggest SF/Fantasy writing contest in The Netherlands. There were 225 entrants, so doesn't even come close to the scope of WotF, but my story has been published in another short story collection. Small victories.

I'm going for 20k words again this March. Seems like a challenging, but attainable goal for me.

Oh yeah, February goals:

1) finish novel outline and world build and a first draft of a first chapter. Kind of done. Got some broad outlining done. Got a sense of a first chapter, in terms of broad thoughts, but can't seem to get it properly down in a draft. Likely something missing there still. 

2) finish a very rough spaghetti on the page version of a WOTF story. Done. As in bullet point ideas. But that is a long way from any kind of finished story, so this month had better go well!!

March goal: Finish a Q2 story and submit it. 

That should be fine. All fine. Right?