2019 Stats:
- “All Light and Darkness” outline complete
- about 30,000 new words and 25,000 revised
- 3 submissions and 0 sales
Goals from 2019:
- 2 new short stories
- 20 submissions
- 1 pro sale
I am no longer writing short stories. Short stories requires a direct and fast-moving plot with stream-lined world-building. Novels require immersive details and complexity in plot, character development, and world-building. The process for writing short stories and writing novels is too different for me to work on both kinds of projects at the same time. I made this decision early on in 2019, thus very few submissions.
- Submit 1st draft to alpha readers
- Complete 2nd draft revisions
I joined a writing group late in 2018 so 2019 marked my first full year in a writing group. We use Google doc to critique and I video-in for discussions. Though technology sometimes fails us, for the most part, it’s been a successful experience. Writing group has become my “alpha readers.” They have done a great job providing essential feedback on my story, especially since the format and some of the elements of my story are atypical. The only drawback is that receiving such a load of criticism often kills my motivation to write. What keeps me going is the mindset (or delusion…) that their vigorous feedback reflects the height of their expectations. A story that sparks your imagination and makes your pulse race but fails to deliver in the end is much more disappointing than a story that failed from the start. That thought gets me through the grueling feedback sessions.
Goals for 2020:
- Read 2 books a month.
- Finish submitting my 2nd draft of “All Light and Darkness” to my writing group by June 2020.
- Submit my 3rd draft of “All Light and Darkness” to beta readers by Oct 2020.
- Read and critique any writing group submissions every Wednesday.
- Submit to Writing Group every Sunday regardless of the state of the material.
Amy Henrie Gillett 