I’ve tried to start four different posts on where I’ve been for the past year or so (the USA Today Bestselling post is one of the last ones on this blog! Wow!). It always devolved into rambling after the first 1000 words (holy cow, that’s a lot of words to read on a blog post!). So, I’m going to just pick up and move forward. 2014 was one of the most extreme rollercoaster years of my life. I didn’t enjoy it much and was glad to see it go. I did, however, gain a really large fanbase (thank you, readers, for all the love and support last year), and had a few record highs in my writing career. Real life, however, beat me and my family over the head with health (and therefore) financial issues.
I’m back. I’m writing. And I’ve missed you guys!
This time I think I’m going with a simplified format for my writing updates. This is the first post of the quarter, so I’ll set up the quarterly goals for you. Weekly goals will follow. And any updates I have writing-wise.
I’m participating in this year’s Round of Words in 80 Days. It’s a self-paced writing challenge that helps you keep track of yourself in each quarter. They’re already two weeks into this round, but you can join any time. If you’d like to join them, HERE’S THE POST about ROW80. If you’d like to see who else is involved in this round of writing, check out the linky list HERE.
Quarter Goals
Finish books, launch the JDR Creatives website and brand, and get a handle on my writing schedule.
Books to finish
I have four active pennames. Dawn Montgomery you already know. One is an Urban Fantasy, science fiction, and dark fantasy writer. The other two are for short fiction in various genres. In May, I’ll be releasing a cookbook with my husband (from his recipe site), so I guess you can add nonfiction and another penname to that as well.
Dawn Montgomery
- Write: Devil’s Due (63k, 1/3 done already)
- Write: Voodoo Carnival serial finished (24k to go)
- Write: Spaceport: New Tortuga spinoff series launched with first title (50k for the series, first story 10k)
JW (urban fantasy, sci fi, and DF)
- Edit and Publish: Last Rites
- Write: Holly Savage serial (50k)
DM (short fiction writer)
- Write: A single short work for a “best of 2015” collection (3-5k)
- Publish: the award-winning story from a previous collection
RB (short fiction writer)
- Write: 15 short fiction titles (3-10k each)
- Publish: 3 short story collections
April Goals
Dawn Montgomery
- Devil’s Due 25% done
- Voodoo Carnival Serial finished
JW
- Rewrite Last Rites, 25% done
DM
- Publish the award-winning story
RB
- Write 10 short fiction titles this month
- Number completed so far: 2
- Number remaining: 8
April 15-21
I don’t do word count goals anymore. They’re intimidating when I have a hectic publishing schedule. It completely overwhelmed me last year, the sheer number of words I tried to write. Instead, I focus on how many Pomodoros it takes for me to get a book done. A Pomodoro is a time management technique that uses a 25 minute on-task timer with a 5 minute break after. I write and/or edit for 7-15 hours a day. That’s a lot of poms! By breaking it down into manageable and focused chunks, I’m able to get a lot more done.
Dawn Montgomery
- Complete 40 Poms on Devil’s Due
- Finish Madhouse on Sunday – 24 Poms
- Start Freefall on Monday – 14 Poms
JW
- 11 pages of rewrites by next check-in (3 poms per page)
DM
- Publish the story
RB
- Write four short titles (2-3 pomodoros each)
Total hours spent in the chair writing new content: 48 minimum
Total hours spent in the chair working on rewrites and edits: 16.5 minimum
Expected work week: 64.5 hours
The Write Way, My Way 