Sunday, January 30, 2011

New Goals!

Okay, so I've been slacking a bit lately. School has been crazy with all the snow we've had, and the new semester has started. Before I mention any of my goals, I'm going to mention one thing.

This Friday, the fourth, is my eighteenth birthday. I'm so excited! My status as the biggest Harry Potter nerd around will be confirmed. I can't wait!

Now I should probably mention my goals.
My awesome epic writer bestie, Kaitlin, just recently finished her first novel. She sent it to me a couple weeks ago to edit, and I just haven't really had the focus to get through it. On Microsoft Word, with the "Track Changes" option open, it is five hundred and eighty five pages. This is where my first goal comes in. I don't want to let her down at all. So here's what I am going to do:

1) I will edit ONE HUNDRED PAGES a day. I know this sounds ridiculous, but my deadline is the sixth. I have one week to do about five hundred pages. I KNOW I can do this.

2) Even if she wants this or not, I am going to write a lengthy critique. What I liked and didn't like about her book, some suggestions to add more flavor, and some other little comments. So far, what I've read is amazing. Awkward, but amazing.

That's really it that I can think of with goals that deal with Kaitlin's book. I have one week to complete edits/reading. I know I can do this, for her.

Now for my own personal goals:

1) Once I'm done editing Kaitlin's book, I want to write at least ten pages a day for my own book. I've been working on mine for a couple years now and all I have is seven chapters that have no particular order. I have the prologue, chapter four, seven, twenty five, and thirty. I have nothing in between. (I am just guessing on the chapter numbers. But that's just what it seems to be right now...)

2) Once I have fifty, yes fifty!, pages done of my book, I am going to print it out, and start revising. I'm not going to wait to edit it all at once, because that would just take way too long. I am going to edit fifty pages at a time to make the workload a bit lighter. I may even ask others to edit at this point as well.

That's it for my most recent goals. If there are any changes of my own goals, I will update. HOWEVER! My goals for Kaitlin's book are NOT going to change. I will do this so I do not let her down.

~Am

3 comments:

  1. Hell yes I want a lengthy critique. Be as mean as you want, I can take it (hopefully :P).
    And geez 100 page a day. I apologize for such a freakishly long book.

    And - Awkward, but amazing. That made me laugh so hard :)

    Funny about the fifty pages thing, because that was the exact same thing I did! And, PLEASE send your stuff to me, I will edit/revise/critique back for you, my love <3

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  2. 1) Ten pages a day is approximately 2500 words. I think you may quickly find that to be an unreasonable limit to put on yourself so early in. Don't push yourself too hard; just be consistent with your writing and you'll do fine :)

    2) Certain edits you won't be able to make every 50 pages or so. For example, continuity edits to ensure that your story flows together at a decent pace is really something you can completely revise once you have your 1st draft WIP finished.

    Nonetheless, best of luck!

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  3. Thanks, Brad!
    I understand what you're saying. I should probably set a little lower goal...
    As for the edits, my 50 page edits would give grammar and spelling (because my computer decides to not correct my spelling mistakes) checks a bit more frequent checks. As for the flow of the story, it would be a shorter time to go back to check if it is constant.

    Thanks for reading my blog, I really appreciate it!

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