Well, the arbitrary date we’ve assigned to indicate the beginning of another pass around the sun has come. I’m all for any opportunity to think about goals and aspirations for the future, as well as doing some planning. It’s like outlining, but for your life.
That was deep, hey? Anways.
I’m finished the third draft of The Unravelling. Other than the possibility of a few more minor tweaks, I feel like what I have now is what I’m comfortable querying on. I have a critique scheduled for my first 15 pages early next week, and based on how that goes, I may do a bit more work on the first two chapters, then start figuring out who I’d like to send it off to. I started researching literary agents this week and plan to spend a good amount of time in the next few days working on a framework for my query letters.
- Goal: Send out my first query letter by the end of January. Try to send one a week after that.
- Goal: Be organized about this shit. Keep track of everything in a spreadsheet (I do loves me a good spreadsheet).
I’m on the fence about using a professional editing service. Before, I felt like it was something I definitely wanted to do, but now I’m wavering. I might send out a few rounds of queries first, and if there are no bites, then go with a paid edit.
- Goal: Curb my chai latte habit (slightly) so I can save for an editor if needed.
- Goal: In the meantime, find a few people who don’t know me at all to read the thing.
I’m also looking ahead to starting in on The Unseeing in earnest sometime soon. I think my outline is pretty much complete, and things are starting to build themselves up in my head around the few scenes I’ve already jotted down. I’m not at the bursting point yet where I won’t have any choice but to start writing, but I feel like it’s soon. I miss sitting down here on my writing couch in my writing room and just letting my thoughts carry me away every night. It’s been so long!
- Goal: Start my first draft no later than March.
- Goal: Finish my first draft no later than the end of 2013 but hopefully sooner.
Can’t forget the most important one:
