Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Aug 1, 2024 2:58:45 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words So closing out the month... Goal: To log a minimum of 4 hours per week on a Lego task relating to MOC work
I almost did this twice, and I think it should have been five times? Definitely at least four. I got all the loose lego sorted and put away but that's all I managed.
Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
I think I added 6k or so to Book Two's draft this month which is appalling. Project: Art Prompts
I completed the Costume + Singing prompt (as I posted earlier this month) but I only half-did the Dragon + Rarepair prompt (it still needs painting) and I didn't touch the other 3 prompts at all, let alone anything I wanted to do ready for prompts in August
Project: Sketchbook
Not a damn thing
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Aug 1, 2024 3:13:08 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal: To survive the summer with my sanity intact
To be revisited.
Because obviously this ^^ is a ridiculous goal but I wanted to get this post up, as I have updated my progress thread like clockwork this year and I think it's important to 'stay engaged' even if I'm not actually doing anything. But I'm having a bad time right now mentally. Not 100% sure why. Anyway, I can't summon the energy to even try and pretend that any goal I set is possible. Everything feels like too much. I really hate summer. It is the most miserable time of year. I'm not sure if that's what is behind this extended malaise or something else but either way I just need to survive right now.
Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
I hope very much to write more of Book Two. I had hoped that I would finish the draft by the end of August but that was before I had an utterly abysmal July so that's not going to be happening now. Still progress would be good.
In the next couple of weeks I should hear back from my beta/editor. I think the 4-5 weeks is up by mid-month. Perhaps if I'm not subconsciously dreading the hammer falling, then I'll do better. Either way it's a step forward. I guess I may need to switch to working on revision/edits for this, based on feedback. That will impact Book Two time but is still a step forward.
Project: Art Prompts
I have a lot of prompts I would like to do. I had picked out 8 for AU August, and I signed up for 2 for Timeless Fest. Then there's StarTrekFemSlash early September. Let's be real I'm not going to be able to do a fraction of that. Even if I was having June levels of feeling good, I would still have struggled. Now? No way. So let's set a minimum:
- The Darkest Timeline (Timeless Fest) - Moving in Together (Timeless Fest)
I actually signed up for those so I really should do them. Everything else is just between me and my to do list, so it's not like it will be a problem if I don't do it (I will only disappoint myself).
Project: Sketchbook
I really would like to get back to this. Although my wallet might not thank me haha. I said if I did 100 heads I could get the Ohuhu bleedproof sketchbook and marker set off my wishlist. Still I'm not going to improve if I don't practice. I broke the blank page. The sketchbook has been started. So the hardest part of the battle is over. I just need to get back on the horse and keep going.
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Aug 4, 2024 10:02:43 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal: To survive the summer with my sanity intact
It's the 4th and I've done nothing but I didn't want to not update because it's Sunday/end of the week. This is me 'checking in' and trying to at least stay engaged with what I'm wanting to do.
So yes. Still here. Still wanting to do stuff. Just nothing happened in the last 4 days apart from surviving I guess ^^
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Easily Distracted
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Post by Kandybar on Aug 5, 2024 10:12:47 GMT -5
*leaves lots and lots of hugs* I'm sorry you're struggling. I hope your mojo comes back soon!
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Aug 11, 2024 6:17:50 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal: To survive the summer with my sanity intact
Well... a work in progress.
Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
Not touched.
Project: Art Prompts
A little bit of progress. Just a tiny bit.
I found references and did an initial rough sketch for the "Darkest Timeline" prompt. Also found references for the "Moving in" drawing but I haven't done that yet. I need to refine the Darkest Timeline sketch, fix it up a bit, then copy it to the good paper and colour it. But I have at least started.
Project: Sketchbook
I did ONE head. Just one and it didn't turn out very well. Turns out taking a month off means I promptly forgot everything, who would ever have guessed? /sarcasm (seriously I always do this it's so annoying). But again something is better than a big fat nothing I guess.
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Aug 18, 2024 8:13:24 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal: To survive the summer with my sanity intact
So I actually did some Lego MOC yesterday (which was last months goal). I think my mess of a Pirate Restaurant stands a chance of being finished at some point (this project has been lingering for years).
Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
Not touched.
BUT
Book One has been with the beta/editor for a while. I did think last week that I should have heard something but resolved to leave it until Monday (tomorrow). Well last Wednesday I had an email of "almost done, just double checking some stuff give me a couple of days" and I figured I would get it maybe Monday. Well it hit my inbox yesterday afternoon. Have I looked at it? No. It was too late in the day to dig into something like that on Saturday and Sunday is a 'day off' (a stupid statement given everyday is a 'day off' at the moment as I'm being so useless but ehhh).
I'm thinking I'll look at it tomorrow - if I can summon the courage.
Project: Art Prompts
No progress.
I did withdraw my sign-up for the event so now nobody is expecting anything from me, and so I can continue to be useless /sigh (I don't want to be useless).
Project: Sketchbook
And again nothing.
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Easily Distracted
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Post by Kandybar on Aug 19, 2024 15:21:55 GMT -5
Have you looked at the editor feedback yet?
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Aug 25, 2024 11:09:56 GMT -5
Have you looked at the editor feedback yet? Thanks for asking! *hugs* 115,786 / 75,000 words Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
So I did have a look at the editor feedback. I read through the two reports, and looked at the comments on the first couple of chapters. It’s a lot and not entirely what I was expecting. I mean I don’t know what I was expecting. I knew that I needed neutral eyes on it because obviously I know what I intend, and I don’t know if I have made that come across - clearly in places I haven’t. But some of those places I am surprised about. Honestly as much as I know I can’t be precious about it, it did rock me back on my heels a bit. I have poured so much effort into this reboot and I had an emotional response. It was overwhelming. I wasn’t sure where to begin. Anyway I haven’t done much with it thus far. In the end I printed out the two reports, and I also printed out a copy of the draft version I sent. I figured what I would do is mark up my copy based on the feedback. I find it easier to revise on paper, for all that I feel bad about the trees. I have a large monitor that can show 3 documents side by side, but it’s still not the same. Referencing and marking up and scribbling. I don’t know, I need paper. Once I got over my emotional response I figured I need to really analyse the “why” of the feedback. I don’t have to agree with her suggested solutions, but if I want to keep what I’ve written, I need to address the issues that have been raised. Make my point clearer in essence. Now I could lie and say that I took this week to mull it over in my subconscious and get some distance from my emotional response. Not a total lie I mean I think that’s been helpful. But a bigger reason for me not doing anything more was the new Warcraft expansion dropped on Friday. It’s an event that happens once every 2 years basically and so I figured I could take the weekend to dive into the new content. My plan is to start looking at the draft again tomorrow. Fear will have my brain seeking distraction but I’m going to do my best. I do mean it when I say I want to write, and I want my story to be the best possible version of itself. As I mean it, I need to back it up with action and I’m going to endeavour to do my best.
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Post by Kandybar on Aug 26, 2024 10:38:30 GMT -5
Yeah, you absolutely don't have to take the editor's feedback, but it is always good to understand *why* said feedback was given (and then disregard as necessary), and also to look for patterns.
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Sept 1, 2024 9:35:45 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words
Let's close out this utterly abysmal month.
Goal: To survive the summer with my sanity intact
Well I'm still here. Sane? Erm... haha joking (well...) - oh and see what I did there? Apparently my editor noticed I like the "..." in my draft. I hadn't quite realised that about myself before now.
Honestly getting back on the proverbial horse is the hard part. I'm hoping my brain will cooperate when it's ready.
Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
I've read through and made notes on the comments of a good chunk of Act 1. This should not be taking me anywhere near as long as it is, but honestly I have barely touched it. I don't know if I'm struggling to focus because of mental health, because it's facing up to a lot of work, or because I'm a little obsessed with The War Within (WoW expansion) right now. The latter has definitely been a focus. I've sort of been "no lifing" the game since it released and I still don't think I can get done what I want to do before the new raid opens. When they first announced the profession changes before the last expansion I knew I was going to hate it, and it is such a problem, but I digress.
Anyway there is a definite theme with the comments. I might need to change a scene or two but thus far it looks like some minor revision in how it's written, rather than any huge rewrites. Buuuuut I will need to brainstorm some fixes and I'm not sure what to do about some of it yet, so there might be more rewriting. It's not so much a plot problem (yet) but more a tension/pacing thing? Keeping all the subplots/POV characters feeling equally relevant.
Ok so to close out the month I'm pretty sure this ^^ is all I have done on it.
Project: Art Prompts
Mmm yeah this on ice.
As a month thing I found some references and did the beginnings of a sketch but that's it.
Project: Sketchbook
Nothing this week.
One very bad head this month.
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Sept 1, 2024 9:50:08 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal / Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
I'm in a similar position today as I was on August 1st. I wanted to make this post but mentally I don't see the point. I have zero confidence in myself to be able to do stuff. It's just a bad time.
BUT part of me feels like maybe August was so awful because I just gave up. Maybe if I set a goal it will help? Of course the many, many months/years in the past where I have set goals and then done nothing says otherwise. It's like I'm either going to do things or I'm not. Whatever I do goal-wise makes zero difference in the matter. It's stuff like this that really makes me question how much control I actually have over myself but I digress.
I don't quite dare email my editor tomorrow to book the second round slot BUT I'm going to aim to feel confident enough to do so by next Monday. She's booking around 6 weeks/2 months out at the moment so technically I feel like I should be able to email tomorrow (probably should have emailed last week). However, I don't want any issues. I want to be ready to send the revised draft to her, and I want to feel like I did everything I wanted with it and not that I did it in a panicked rush to make the slot.
As a side note I think I need to firm up my schedule or maybe not book the two-pass thing. The wait is crazy long. I mean I initially booked in May. Turnaround needs to be faster. From me as well, I mean I have lost so much time this summer Anyway my goal is I want to be finished or almost finished with the revisions to send to the editor by the end of the month. I want Book One complete with a metaphorical bow on it before the end of the year. I had hoped for more but as per usual I have let myself down on that.
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Sept 8, 2024 12:12:59 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal / Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
Ok so last week I finish making my "overview" notes based off my beta/editor's notes on Book One, and I think I have a handle on what I need to do. I emailed them to basically say "do you think I can fix this by changing how I wrote it, rather than substantially changing the plot" and they said yes - so big relief there! I still have some thinking to do. I feel like I might need to change up something structurally but anyway, I'm not going to make anymore progress half-heartedly poking at it.
I need to lock in my slot if I want it all edited by the end of the year and that will give me a deadline (and hopefully help me focus, please don't let this be famous last words). Anyway, I'm hoping I'll crack on with it next week. The weather is set to be a bit cooler and I could really use that. I'm sick of it being hot and having to have windows open etc.
Cross fingers the summer badness is behind me and I can salvage what's left of this year. I started off so well. I would really hate to end another year utterly dejected by how shitty I have done.
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Slaying dragons
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Post by galactic-pirates on Sept 15, 2024 13:22:40 GMT -5
115,786 / 75,000 words Goal / Project: Path of Fire (Books 1 - 3)
My slot is booked for early November. Absolute deadline end of October. Has to be done.
Is that motivating me or is it the cooler weather?
Regardless over three days this week (Tuesday, Friday and Saturday) I logged over 11 and a half hours. I have adjusted the first five scenes (so 45 left).
You know how I said I printed it all out and I was going to go over the edits on the paper, and mark up the draft? Yeah that was dumb. I’m making changes so that’s really not going to work out. Kinda a waste of paper and ink. But on the other hand, having it all printed out was an ‘entry path’ into getting started. It broke the ice in a way, so I guess it served a small purpose.
Anyway, hopefully I’m trending in the right direction. I can’t believe it’s mid-September! I really need to think seriously about my goals for the rest of the year so time doesn’t get away from me. That often happens. It’s like “yeah by the end of the year” and then it’s December and oh shit.
Still I did something this week. Baby steps. That’s better than the last few months!
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