Hello Weekend Writing Warriors.
I’m almost ready to share snippets with you again. I’ll be back very soon.

This will be my tenth round of 80 days. A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays.

I ended my last round with lots of forward movement after moving slowly at the start. Looking back, I recognize the nerves and other personal issues that were standing in my way. By the end of the round, I was so hungry for progress, I almost wore myself out trying to catch up to my goals.

__________

You may remember I was polishing a WIP at the end of the last round. I may not have told you, my publisher released a submission call in March for a new anthology. The call was right up my alley, romance in the work place. So, while polishing the WIP I had wanted to have finished last December, I was also looking at a ticking clock on a fabulous opportunity since submissions were due by April 11th. I made notes of the plot points that popped into my head, but I stayed focused on polishing my WIP.

I finished my last read through on the WIP on March 26th and hit send. By the 27th, I was in crazy plotting mode for the submission call and then I got an email … ACCEPT! In one day, my publisher accepted my book. WAHOO!! 😀 Party, shimmy, shake, back to work.

I started writing the submission call on March 29th. I averaged 900 words a day and finished the first draft on April 7th. At that point, I thought I had either the best thing I’d ever written or a worthless piece of junk, lol.

I spent three very long days polishing and worrying I was just wasting my time, but I kept going. I love these characters and I love the fast pace of the story. It’s sexy. It’s heart wrenching. It’s submitted. Yes, I hit send on a 10k story I started writing not even two weeks ago. I think I’m nuts, definitely sleep deprived.

Even if they don’t accept it, I’m proud I tried. 🙂

__________

It’s tempting to take some time off. I’m so tired. However, I don’t want to lose my momentum. I have two WIPs to finish polishing and another I need to start writing. I will also have a new book to promote this round. I have added items to my goals to guard against burnout.

My main goal will be to find a balance between it all.

My goals below are in addition to my evil day job, volunteer duties, and my family.

The Goals – Round 2 2014

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
• Take care of and be kind to myself (start w/ a relaxing ritual, the healthy journey, and daily breaks from technology)

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

What you might have missed here this week:

What’s In a Cover – my guest post at BTS eMag Daily Blog
Inside Look with Erin Nicholas author of Up by Five
Inside Look with Lynn Rae and Peri Elizabeth Scott authors of Prohibited
Mid Week Tease – Not What He Expected

This will be my ninth round of 80 days. With each round, I try to start smarter, more effective. Well, effective for whatever my current mind space looks like, lol.

A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays.

ROW80 has helped me keep my eyes front and butt in the chair. Since starting ROW80, I’ve been published twice by the lovely Evernight Publishing, but I’m desperate to have a backlist. I’m also desperate to publish fabulous books. These two needs are warring with each other. For me, it takes time, lots of time, to polish my writing. Hitting send too soon is the worst thing I can do right now. I need to remember this as the pressure builds on the need for that coveted backlist.

To add to the pressure, the WIP that has my full attention has been giving me trouble for months. The ending has been changed three times and it’s still not right. Finally this week, I’m seeing some progress. A read through with a new end in mind has landed me in the middle of the WIP and things are finally coming together.

This pin caught my eye the other day. I need to remember to listen to my characters. They know the way. I’ll work at shoving away the outside stresses and allow my writing/editing time to be with me and my characters alone.

I’m trusting my muse this round and I’ll arm her with what she needs. Time and attention. I believe if I put in the work and commit to my characters, that backlist will be mine.

My goals this round will be much the same as last. I’ll continue to reach for focus and work on not letting the pressure bubble over.

My goals below are in addition to my evil day job, volunteer duties, and my family.

The Goals – Round 1 2014

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
• Take care of and be kind to myself

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

>> Click here for my Evernight Birthday Bash Post <<

This will be my eighth round of 80 days. You’d think I’d have a workable plan by now, but nope, I don’t. Each round has been different from the last. Life just keeps changing. That is the constant.

A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays.

Last round was different from any other because I worked with an editor for the first time, my debut released, and I was promoting my book. While all that was going on, I was also trying to finish/polish a novelette. I did hit send a few weeks ago and while I wait I’ll be working on another novella. I don’t know if I’ll get published again, but I’m going to work my ass off and give it all I’ve got.

It’s really easy to let your writing time get swallowed up by life in general, social media, and all the promotion opportunities. I see now more than ever how important it is to get your name out there, BUT I’m here because I love to write and that needs to remain my biggest focus.

My goals below are in addition to my evil day job, volunteer duties, and my family. I’m keeping the list short and sweet this round. My goal is focus.

The Goals – Round 4 2013

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
• Take care of and be kind to myself

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

Be the best you can be was my goal for Round 2. I added 14k to my WIPs. Typed “The End” twice, finished many rounds of edits, and hit send twice. A couple days after the round ended, I received my first ever accept! Quite simply, this was my best round of 80 days ever. I wasn’t looking for perfection. I was looking for progress. I didn’t achieve perfection, but I certainly obtained progress. Be the best you can be is a great motto, but every motto needs balance and I’m still struggling with balance.

A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays.

Progress, Persistence, and Balance <~~ what I want for Round 3.

What does that really mean? What am I really looking for this round? I want to read books. I want to study my craft. I want to finish polishing my two almost ready WIPs. I want to type the end on a brand new WIP. I want to find a way to finally fit Nia studies into my week and I want to have some fun. I also don’t want my life to crumble around me as I work at getting my debut ready for its release.

My ROW80 goals are all in addition to my already full schedule of evil day job, mom, and home maker responsibilities. It’s up to me. The power is in my hands. It’s my choice to be here. It’s my choice to show up and push for my dreams.

Good habits have been my friend the last couple of rounds. Although I have no plans to try and cement my day with rules, I’m looking to build on my healthy patterns and take advantage of my day.

My goal is to be the best me I can be in my balanced life. I may not always be perfect, but I’ll keep showing up.

Do you have a strategy for the next 80-days? Kait’s post today to start the round is a great place to start.

The Goals – Round 3 2013

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
• Complete tasks as they are sent to me by my publisher
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep, and my calorie limit
• Weekly Nia study (i.e. studying the theory or song/movement structure)
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities
• Organize something in the house each week & clean something in the house every day

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

Be the best you can be. It’s that simple and it is my goal for this round of 80-days. A Round of Words In 80 Days or ROW80 is the writing challenge that knows you have a life. Join in at any time. State your goals and check-in on Wednesdays and or Sundays. Have you read Kait Nolan’s post that started this round? Be The Best You and State Your Round 2 #ROW80 Goals. It’s a great empowering read and a fabulous way to start this round.

I’m not looking for perfection here. Nope. I’m looking for progress in this marathon of a writer’s journey.

Progress. What does that really mean? What am I really looking for this round? I want to finish edits on two projects. I want to find some beta readers. I want to start writing that next book. I want to read books. I want to study my craft. I want to find a way to fit Nia studies into my week and I want to have some fun.

My ROW80 goals are all in addition to my already full schedule of evil day job, mom, and home maker responsibilities. It’s up to me. The power is in my hands. It’s my choice to be here. It’s my choice to show up and push for my dreams.

Good habits have been my friend the last couple of rounds. Although I have no plans to try and cement my day with rules, I’m looking to build on my healthy patterns and take advantage of my day.

My goal is to be the best me I can be. I may not always be perfect, but I’ll keep showing up.

Do you have a strategy for the next 80-days?

The Goals

• Spend at least 1-hour a day with my characters
• Daily progress in writing craft, word count, editing, and/or plotting
• Workout a minimum of three times a week and round it out with plenty of water, sleep, and my calorie limit
• Weekly Nia study (i.e. studying the song/movement structure)
• Stay on top of my co-op preschool Treasurer responsibilities
• Organize something in the house each week

Here’s to a fabulous round of 80-days.

What you might have missed here since my last check-in:

A Chat with Maggi Andersen author of A Baron in her Bed
Flash Fiction #39 A Hard Climb
Spotlight: His Desire, Her Surrender by Malia Mallory
Spotlight: Destiny Gift by Juliana Haygert
Spotlight: A Hell Hound’s Fire by Siobhan Muir