With social media fragmenting, I’m bringing back my old “You Tell Me” Wednesday discussions to try to get good old fashioned blog conversations going. If you’re reading in a feed reader or via email, please click through to the post to leave a public comment and join the discussion!
With everything going on in the Pasadena area where I’m based, I haven’t yet had time to do much in the way of goal-setting or value-checking for 2025. (I’m reminding myself this is okay).
But what about you? Have you settled on any writing goals for 2025? Want to share in order to put it out into the world and hold yourself accountable?
Take to the comments!
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Art: Seaport at Sunrise by Claude Joseph Vernet
To finally finish the novel I’ve been workin on, on and off, for about forty years.
Unfortunately, that was my writing goal last year, too.
You’ve got this! 💪
David. Same for me. This is the year. We can do it.
You sound like me–30 years! I’ve finally got the first 70 or 80 pages to a beta reader. Of course I knew that my ms wasn’t perfect and I’d need to make changes but when she was confused at a certain point, I felt shock and consternation. But the pages I reworked are next level! It’s going to be a long slog! Best wishes for completion of your opus!
Finish the current WIP by April then start sending out queries to agents. Continue sending out queries for YA ms. Go back to an old draft of a YA ms and make it something fresh and new now that I have some ideas for it. All while trying to figure out how to move to New Zealand. JK. Maybe. We’ll see.
I’m on the final read throughs of my WIP! I’m hoping to get the book out before summer reading season. The first read-through is refining what I’ve got, responding to feedback by a couple of beta readers and an editor. That part is almost done–just nine more chapters to go. The second, which I should be able to start by the first of February, I’m going to read aloud. A friend of mine who got a Hugo award was asked to read his winning short story for an audio version, at a professional studio. It turned out that, in the process of practicing to read aloud, he found some awkward sentences. And then he had to decide whether or not to edit those sentences, or leave it in the (award-winning–no pressure, right?) original form. Ever since, I’ve done a final read through aloud, even at novel length. The cover art I’ve commissioned is done. Interior design and cover typography (I’m a book designer, so I’ll do those parts) will come next. So … early April? This is the first of a new series that will be at least eight books. Since my most recent writing experience was tying up a six book series, I’ve forgotten how crazy intense it is to start a new series. So much depends on it being a success!! Argh!
If you hire a narrator, or even narrate the audiobook yourself, you’ll thank yourself for doing that final read-through out loud. Narrators are always wishing their authors had done so!
I’m probably not in a position to answer this; still stressed from the local natural disaster. What will our Altadena friends do with their artistic careers this year? How will they continue? And yet, I know they will. I have no excuse.
My most recent novel takes place in Pasadena and my query will have to change a bit, but I’ll continue sending those out. Not really a writing goal, but writing-adjacent.
Since the fires my current WIP feels lame. I was only working on a first draft. I don’t know what to do with it. Maybe throw it out, try something else.
I’ll be mixing translation (books 2 and, if possible, 3 of my trilogy) and writing (a short-story collection) this year. Last year was hard, so I have not full-sized historical novel planned for this year.
My single writer’s goal is to find a way to incorporate my proposal (nonfiction) within the “submittable” form — that most agents now demand — without losing all the formatting.. This singular issue has plagued my submissions for more than three years.
Aloha Nathan,
For the first year after my Kula, Maui neighborhood burned down on August 8th,2023, I could do nothing but try to slog thru the horrendous mounds of insurance and disaster paperwork. Writing anything in that state of mind seemed impossible. By the beginning of last summer I was so done with it all and then I read one of your blogs that asked what was our favorite short story collection. Mine are all Irish, but as I was walking around thinking about it, a big light bulb went off in my head. I could write a short story to just try and get back into the writing groove and get myself out of this fire funk.
I had a little something that had been swimming around my brain for at least twenty five years and damn, I may as well get that out of there and a short story wouldn’t take to long. I was so excited I looked up short story competitions to give me that added deadline. I quickly found the Writers Digest Short Short Story contest with a submission date in the fall, perfect.
I wrote it in two days amidst total chaos in my house and neighborhood. Then, of course , it took four months with my dear friend and gracious editor, Mr. Paul Wood, to get it polished and under 1500 words. We did manage to come in at 1420 words that I adore. It’s just the little wickedly funny thing I was looking to write, I suppose.
After that was done and successfully submitted I thought hey, wait a minute, I just can’t stop now. So I pulled out my most beloved unfinished children’s story and decided that I would make it my New Years goal to finish. But then, while digging thru my many scribbled on and tattered notebooks ( one of the only things I grabbed out of my house as we were ordered to evacuate was my stories !) I came across two quirky little western tales that were both just beginnings and damn if it didn’t hit me again. I could put both of these little diddes together and have something going….
It’s going to be a busy year and I would like to thank you for the much needed inspiration. And damn, I sure hope I win that thing. I sure could use some exposure way out here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on a little speck of lava rock. Many Mahalo’s
Oh, gosh. I almost forgot to post my reply. (I hate it when that happens!) Nobody will see it by now, but that’s OK.
I hope this year to craft a query for my second memoir. My original goal was to get it done in 2023, after a year plus of trying. That didn’t happen so I pushed my finish date up to 2024. That STILL didn’t happen. I put a little more polish on my MS, but the goal is the query.
It’s no good to have a finished MS if you don’t submit it to someone. There’s no guarantee anyone will even look at it since memoir by unknowns like me is a hard sell, That’s why my query has to be exceptional, stand out above the crowd. I know, I know… delusional. But if it’s not even submitted, there’s a 100% chance it will never be seen.
(BTW, my memoir is called “The Apple Green, Metal-flake, T-Bucket Hot Rod: Three Tales From the Life of a Reluctant Private Eye.” I’ve mentioned it here before. It’s from 1968 when I worked for a top-notch private investigator in Oklahoma City. The lead tale is when a missing person case dropped into the laps of the boss – Glenn D. Magill – and me. (Pardon the cliché.) What it took to find this person – who REALLY didn’t want to be found! – makes for some intriguing reading.)
Wish me luck.
I see them, at the very least! 😂
And good luck!
Jan 22 (wed) 2025 – “Hump Day”
Good grief! I started to type my comments in the Website below.
Since late June 2024, I had contracted COVID-19 and sepsis. Both long gone. Never want COVID again. As the remaining year progressed, I’ve realized myself moving and doing things slower. (I’ve reached the 7th decade of my existence – my other excuse.) Those “excuses” reflect my delay with my Story (memoir). The latest title, “The Dotty Madame & An Orphan Boy”. Too long? Well, it’s fluid.
For years (I won’t disclose when I began “typing”), I’ve been tinkering with the Story. Had issues with my “typing” style (voice). That took some effort to achieve. I also had issues with how much should I disclose in the Story? Will I get sued? Will I tarnish someone’s reputation? Since I was never asked to sign an NDA, I decided to go forward, but nicely. Then I wondered if I had gathered enough sources to back up my words. Today, I feel confident of what I have collected and content with my style.
Now, it’s just a matter of assembling the pieces together and smoothing out the rough edges. I’ll admit, I didn’t start out with a “tree” or, those English teachers say, “make an outline”. Instead, I “typed” as the words and thoughts flowed. Give me credit, at least I limited the memoir to cover the period from my birthdate to age 18. What occurred that time made a good ending point.
In 2024, I began to get serious with the Story. Noticed, my writing style (voice) changed a great deal. Part of that was due to the meds I had been taking. Since my doctor changed one of my meds, I’ve been thinking much clearer. In rereading my old typing, I couldn’t believe that I had input that GIGO. I was embarrassed to say the least.
My resolution in 2025 is to focus on “updating” the entire Story. I cannot start in order, beginning from chapter one, page one. The task is sometimes tedious, although, in some instances, I found myself drawn too “close” to the scene. As an example, while “typing” one scene, I made a sudden outburst to my partner, Turtle. He was merely watching TV and upon my entry to his space, I hollered at him for no apparent reason. He responded rightly by not moving or saying a word. After my brief and less than spectacular spiel, I recoiled to my room and hid. The following day, I apologized.
Avoiding that, I jump about in the Story. That’s just how my mind works. Whatever verbiage spills out, gets typed. I also find it cumbersome to start my day “typing”. It takes me hours of watching the morning cable news to sit myself down before the computer, but, once I’m seated, the work commences. (Sometimes, I wish there were more hours in a day, so I can really make an accomplishment. I’d also need a boost in energy.) Most days, I manage to turn off TV and begin typing by noon. I can remain plugged in for hours at a time. (I swear, the TV emits subliminal messages to its viewers. Don’t turn off the set….)
Turtle’s sister (Salt Lake City resident) told him she’d gladly mention my Story -either in print / ebook form- to her book reading club. That was a surprise to me. I never asked for her opinion, nor has she seen the Story. Guess she’s trying to push me to finish it.
So, that’s my aim in 2025. Getting the job done.
Sounds like you’ve been through a lot, and here’s hoping you can push forward to the finish line!
Mr. Bransford, based on your comment and tonight’s TV shows, “Ghosts” and “Matlock,” both having legals issues, I’ll make a 180-degree turn on my work. The Story will take a “novel” turn. Thanks.