Oh, MAM: March, April and May Round-Up Post
Oh, wow, it's June. As you might've noticed, I completely lost the plot over March and April, so we'll need to consider this a MAM round-up post.
First, let's look at those commitments I made back in March and see where I'm up to. Spoiler: it's never as far as I'd like.
Complete second draft of "Stevie"
Yes! Thanks to using the writing quota system I set out in this blog post back in April, I got the second draft finished by the end of that month. Fans of my Valerie Series will like this one as a certain politician makes a guest appearance, but the whole novel still needs some work so watch this space.
As a teaser, here's a line from the first chapter: Stevie opened her mouth to argue then closed it again. Given that the longer she talked, the more she tended to alienate women, it was better to take the gift in silence.
Edit But By Degrees follow up short story
It's half-there but half-there doesn't get across the finish line, it just tends to stand around scratching its head wondering what's going on. This is a psychological block against close-editing which is something I'm going to have to get on top of. It's sort of a prerequisite to publishing anything ever again.
Restart newsletters for Kit Eyre and Rhubarb Writing Shed
No, but this week - this week - it's happening. I solemnly do swear.
Want to sign up to my Kit Eyre newsletter and receive a free short story? Click here to do that or if writing tips are more your things, visit the Rhubarb Writing Shed page.
Publish 99 Random Questions
Yes, I published 99 Random Questions to Ask Your Characters in March and just didn't really tell anyone about it! FYI: that's not the way to do a book launch.
I'm going to write a little more in-depth about 99 Random Questions later this week. In the meantime, if you'd like to grab your copy on Amazon, these are the UK and US links.
Looking ahead
There's plenty to be excited about over here at Kit Eyre & Rhubarb Writing Shed HQ. I've rented desk space in a nearby office complex with its own gorgeous coffee shop and stunning nearby country walks. It gives me more freedom and head space to do all my juggling without dropping something on a kitten (metaphorically but also literally sometimes).
With that in mind, what do I want to achieve by the 1 July?
Finish the second draft of "Max"
Finish edits of But By Degrees follow up short story
Planning for the novel I'm working on next
Those are the bare bones and there are some other things I want to get sorted too but let's not jinx it. I want to aim for three out of three this time!