Goodbye October, and Hello November!
I hope you are warm and well as this cold front takes over most of the United States. We went from a balmy 75 to a hard 45 in just one day, which took a toll on my few remaining bell peppers and jalapenos. This cold means there’s more reason to stay inside and get more of that writing done especially my long overdue monthly update.
My last update was on August 1, when I updated my July progress. In the three months hence, I have updates:
I finished the book!
Insanely proud to have completed another draft of the manuscript and to see my growth as a human and a writer. I learned that I can do hard things, and I’m so lucky for the amazing humans I get to work with.
As for writing accountability updates, I had a hard time tracking word count due to the nature of revising and editing, but I did manage to track for monthly accountability.
For November, my goal is to track my word count more diligently (though no Nano for me) in order to be more consistent and accomplish my writing goals.
Post Book Blues = Thoughtful new project
Does anyone else deal with the comedown after achieving a goal? Whether it’s a project, book, or a vacation, I work so hard to accomplish the goal/project that I don’t know what to do with myself after. I’m the type of person who always has to stay busy or be working on a project.
I had a taste of this aimlessness after I finished my first draft and didn’t want to feel it again once I finished. In the past, I’d jump into the next book or project but found that just led to overwhelm, half-finished hobbies, and a $200 purchase of a sublimation machine for mugs that, I swear in theory, was a good idea.
Thankfully, I’ve learned to stop jumping into things and to consider the mental, emotional, and physical time needs of these projects. I have a full-time role, three kids, and the beginnings of a Girl Scout Troop, so anything else has to fit in and be a “good addition” to whatever else I have going on.
As a result, I’m working on a happy, low-pressure project to help fill in the gaps in time and to continue to develop skills in writing. I took a cozy mystery class from Jane Kalmes in 2022, which I highly recommend, and found it helpful when I drafted my middle-grade mystery last winter. With the world as crazy as it always is, I found myself reading more cozies and was inspired to try my hand at one. I’m diving into all the tropes and just having fun with words as other ideas percolate in the background. This will be my winter project, and I hope to finish a solid draft by the new year.
I had a birthday!
As I enter this 37th ride around the sun, I reflect on what’s important and how much can change in 365 days. In the past year, I’ve finished two manuscripts, lost twenty-five pounds, and have worked to become a more thoughtful wife and mother. Working on the books was great, but it wasn’t good when I lost sight of my family because of deadlines or overwhelm. As my husband says, ‘You always get it done,’ and it’s true, I do. As an elder millennial, I’ll often let external deadlines trump my stated priorities. I get the job done, but at what cost?
For the next year, I want to be mindful of how I use my time and be intentional with how I spend it. My kids are only little once, and I only really ever have the present moment.
As a helpful habit, I’ve been adopting a monthly Google doc where I record my life. It has my goals, to-do lists, daily reflections, and, best of all, pictures of my life, helping me to be more present. With social media, it can be tempting to put it all out there for the world to see, but this is better. I can record the whole of my days and remind myself of all the good things and blessings in life. It’s better than any paper journal or planner I’ve had because I can see my life in color through a simple upload on my phone. Best of all, it’s simple and free.
Here’s the template if you’re interested. I added the Docs app to my phone, and it allows me to add pictures easily. I find myself looking for small moments to record throughout the day. :)
Next Month Goals:
For the next month, I plan to be intentional in my tracking and time. I can do this by:
Updating my Monthly planner daily
Tracking food and exercise daily
Tracking word counts and time spent
What about you? What are you working towards? Drop it in the comments so I can cheer you on :)
With all the best-
Bri
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