Good morning!

And it is, indeed, a good morning. I don’t know about you, but I am feeling pretty satisfied with my progress so far. In the beginning of the year, I established goals for myself, and I consider myself on my way to achieving them; if I haven’t been able to resolve each one yet, I am still comfortable knowing that I am moving forward.

Here is an update on how I am achieving my goals.

• Figure out if my book will need to become two, or even three books. Oh, I still don’t know that one. I probably have to be at least to the part where Riaone is living in Higa to be able to know this.
• Write at least every other day–try for ten pages a week at first. My last two submissions were 15 and 18 pages each, at 1.5-line spacing. I am happy with that.
• Blog about my progress (even regress–then the group can help). Today’s post accomplishes this! I have been more wrapped up in capturing my ideas in type as they pop up, so I am still thinking ahead.
• Don’t stop and revise so much, so often. I have been doing well with this. When I do go back, it is to correct a fact or to reroute important dialog.
• Don’t get shy and avoid explaining my book when I’m asked about it. I am an editor for another author, and we were having a meeting recently and he asked what I am writing. I got very shy and brushed it off. After establishing these writing goals, I explained myself and sent him a synopsis. His reaction was actually very inspiring! He told me to believe in my own writing and not to let others dictate my genre/what I write.
• Decide my target audience and keep them in mind. I have decided that this will be a mature fantasy grounded as much as possible in realism. Whoever wants to read it, will!
• Read more fantasy fiction (I’m on that one already–Karen Miller’s Godspeaker trilogy). I just finished this trilogy on Saturday. It is amazing. Pretty mythical and fantastical, but with a great religious structure that keeps you thinking.
• Don’t guilt myself so hard for not getting it perfect the first time–just write my way there. I think I am doing great with this, very at peace hearing and implementing others’ critiques. I accept that I am not writing my final draft… I need my first draft FIRST!
• Decide on a new title. Not there yet.
• Create an outline–this will help move the plot and avoid fluff that doesn’t advance it. Writing the synopsis has been great. I also have a map that I created as a kid when I first conceived this novel. I am also keeping a running (day-t0-day) outline to keep me on track.

So there you go! I am happily producing, and probably could be producing more, but I am realizing that this first part of the book will be the hardest. This is where the foundation is laid–the world’s history, in barest terms; the character-building; and just, in general, getting my characters into action so that they can hop the border and the real fun begins!

Good luck to all you writers reading this! Just remember to write out your goals (short and long term), interact with a writing community, and give the support that you want to receive.