It’s been a while since I’ve participated in the Round Robins. This is not because they aren’t fun or worthwhile, but merely because I haven’t been motivated/inspired. The last few times I’ve signed up, I’ve flaked. I hate flaking. This time, I’m determined to participate. 🙂 This topic, writing goals, to-do lists, and current projects for the year, will help keep me on track for what I want to accomplish. (Perhaps if I write it down, it will make it so. LOL)
I have a couple of projects I’m working on right now. I have a contemporary romance that is back from the editors titled Last Chance. It started as a novella in 1999, became an eBook in 2005 (still novella-length), and is now a category novel. I spent last year in a critique group working through it. I haven’t opened the edits. Perhaps I’m afraid of what I’ll find. LOL Or maybe I’m focused on my newest WIP. (Let’s go with that. LOL) However, the intention is to get a good marketing plan together and release it with a bang. The critique group is full of men who write science fiction and one who wrote romance. While not the men’s genre, they liked the story. (Which goes to show men that romance can be entertaining and a good read.)
Currently, I’m working on a new contemporary shifter romance for an anthology that releases in June. The length is supposed to be between 15,000-25,000. For many of you, that may seem like a drop in the bucket. For me, it could take me another 2-3 months to write. We’ll see how it goes. As of now, I’m 800+ words in. The story centers around a wolf shifter and her bandmates. As Last Chance was a little heavier, my intent is for this story to be light. We’ll see how that turns out.
I have one more story that I’d like to expand to 30-40k titled “The Samurai’s Duke.” I wrote it for an anthology that released in December (A Winter Anthology). It’s a historical romance set in Regency England with a female samurai as the heroine. She’s half-Japanese and half-English. Obviously, this is in an alternate universe, because, other than some trade with the Dutch, Japan was closed to the West at this time. It’s received a mix bag of reviews, although mostly positive. Those who didn’t like it were more concerned about the fact I played with history. All of the others thought it was an intriguing and fun story.
This is actually quite a lot of projects for me. Normally, I only complete a novel a year. my intent is release Last Chance, submit the story (yet to be named), and expand The Samurai’s Duke. Will it happen? Well, it remains to be seen, but if it does, perhaps all you can help me celebrate. How? Still to be determined. LOL
What are you projects, goals, to-do lists this year? It doesn’t have to be writing. Just anything you want to accomplish.
If you enjoyed this topic, find out what others in this month’s Round Robin group have to say:
- Skye Taylor
- Victoria Chatham
- Beverley Bateman
- Connie Vines
- Bob Rich
- Anne Stenhouse
- Diane Bator
- Fiona McGier
- Judith Copek
- Rhobin Courtright
#writing #todolist #writinggoals
Most people don’t realize that all writing takes a lot of thought and time followed by numerous edits and revisions. One novel a year is great. You’ve done a lot and as far as history goes, it is often written from a specific point of view and time shows the past can be very different from how it has been portrayed. So yes, it is possible for a Regency-era English-Japanese woman to be in England. If not in this universe, then maybe an alternate one. Good goals!
We’re learning new things about history all of the time. It’s true that the victors usually write the history. In this case, it was probably unlikely. The shogun was very anti-Western/foreigners because Western ideas upset the power “balance” and was a threat to the ruling class. Oddly enough, when you think about Western society at the time, there was still very much a ruling class in Europe, although not so much in the States. 🙂
Your female samurai character intrigued me as I recently came across an article on just that subject. Plus the fact that it is a Regency – seems to me I should read this!
I think she’s intriguing, too. It’s an opportunity to show the pitfalls she could/would have faced in a world where she really belonged, but not in the eyes of some of the English (nor the Japanese). I’d love it if you read it and gave me your honest opinion. I love reading Regency romance, but, the moment I started writing it, I realized just how little I knew and how much research I needed to do. LOL
Trying to get a third novel in a series out the door. Crazy, but it started out as a short story and is now 90K. Got overtaken by events last year – another manuscript suddenly made more sense.
Good luck!!
That’s amazing, Jim. 90k? Sometimes, short stories have a way of doing that. The female samurai story really needs to be longer, but I’m currently distracted with this other one. LOL What’s your current one about?
Thanks!
Marci, that sounds like a good plan. There is nothing wrong with living in a fictional universe. After all, even something set in the “real” world, the fictional parts are… guess what, fictional. If you can have a wolf lady, why raise eyebrows at a Samurai lady in Regency England?
🙂
Bob
Historical fiction readers can be finicky about that, Bob, but I think I’ll lengthen it anyway. It has a lot of promise and could be a lot of fun to write and research. 🙂
You are going to be one busy lady this year. But it’s good to be busy, I think. I am a list maker – for almost everything, like packing for a 4 week vacation, getting ready for company, maintenance for the house – you name it and I love checking things off and the feeling of accomplishment. So, why have I never actually written a writing goal list – and checking things off? Not to late to start, though, right?
It’s never too late to start. We’ll see how far I get through that list, but I’m working on it. I don’t make a lot of lists. Well, I generally don’t write them down, which hasn’t always worked that well for me. And, when I do, I don’t always look at them. I’ve gone to the store, purchased groceries only to remember the one thing I “forgot”. LOL
You are a very busy woman, Marci! Between your publishing commitments and your writing, as well as nurturing other authors, you have a full plate. No wonder you “only” get 1 book published per year. Considering how many people write none, you should be patting yourself on the back. All we can do is keep on writing, and hope our words find readers. Best of luck to you in your goals.
Oh, I’m no longer publishing people anymore, although I do help people who want to publish their books get them published. Somehow, I’m still busy, and writing can be a slow process for me. However, I’m still writing, and that’s a positive thing. 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Fiona. 🙂
Sounds like you have a solid plan with lots of works getting finished and interesting plots and characters. Good luck with your goals.
Thanks, Beverly. I’ll be working on them.
It’s good to hear about your writing projects and goals. I put self imposed deadlines on myself so that I can move on to the next writing project. Right now I’m working on my novella. Good Luck and happy writing ✍️
If I have deadlines for others, or a deadline set by others, then I will stick to them. If I set my own, I tend to ignore them. LOL
Thanks! It’ll just be buckling down and getting it done.
Hi Marci, Nice to see you in the RR. Lots of good projects here and maybe you’re the kind of writer who can slide into one when another is stalled. Keep safe, Anne
Thanks, Anne. I’ve decided to see if I am the kind who can slide into a different project when one is stalled. The stalling of a project is the main reason it takes me so long to write a book. Perhaps flitting from one to the other will help me move forward. 🙂
How awesome! Sounds like you have some great plans for the year. By the way, I love living in a fictional universe as well!
Plans are all well and good. Now, to execute them, right? LOL Thanks for stopping by, Diane.
You have so many projects in the works. Publishing one novel a year is a a reasonable goal. Especially, since the research require to complete your current novel sounds extensive.
Yeah, the last one I published took me a couple of years to research and write. The one that I need to go through the editing comments started years ago. When I expanded it, that also required some research. Honestly, though, it seems like most of them require some form of research. Perhaps the appeal of writing stories stems from the required research because authors just have inquisitive minds. LOL
Thanks for stopping by, Connie.
Coming in late to the comments. Had a problem finding this part of the website.
You have an ambitious schedule and seem very focused. I liked how the men appreciated the romance. Wish I could do more short fiction. You are writing in several genres and that must be difficult, at least it would be for me.
Great post.
Hi Judy,
I want to redo my website, but I don’t really know how I want it redone yet, so I have this one.
I’ve never really thought about how many genres I write in. It’s what my muse wants, and she gets what she wants. LOL
Thanks for stopping by. 🙂