Finishing Goals and Making New Ones

So this month I am going to finish the second draft of my second novel in the Grover Cleveland Academy Series (why can’t it just have a name already?!?!?!?!). I’ve had the end in sight for about a week now, and I’m so excited that I can’t help thinking that everything that I want to accomplish is completely within my grasp.

I mean, a year ago I had just published Into the Flames, and I had no idea, really, what I was going to write about for this second book. But I did some pre-writing, began a lot of first chapters (which I later threw into junk document to laugh at myself later), and hammered out over 50,000 words on my first draft of GCA2 for NaNoWriMo 2012.

At the end of January I started my second draft, and now here I am, seven weeks later, closing in on the home stretch. Depending on how much editing I need done (I’m going to pretend it’s a minimal amount for my own sanity), I could easily have this book published within the year. And that, my friends, feels amazing.

It’s a mix of wanting to get my book out to you, the people who have told me multiple times that they want to read it, and just the satisfaction of knowing that in a year I can go from blank document to published novel. After spending about six years on the rough drafts of Into the Flames plus another whole year on the final draft, I like this new timeline a lot better.

I know, I shouldn’t count my chickens before they’re hatched or talk about being done with something when I still have a couple weeks to go. But I can’t help it!

I started writing a list (because I’m me, obviously) of all the projects I want to accomplish in the next year as well.

It’s a pretty ambitious list. I probably won’t get to it all. But then I can always do it the next year, too. The only person I hurt by not writing is myself.

What is this over-ambitious list, you ask? What can you look forward to reading from me in the coming years? I’m so glad you asked.

My To Do List for 2013-2014:

• Finish Writing GCA2 (almost done!)
• Edit/Publish GCA2
• Finish last 5k of Starcrossed (novella)
• Edit/Publish Starcrossed
• JuNoWriMo 2013: First Draft of my Vampire Novel
• Rewrite GCA3 (First draft written for NaNoWriMo 2010)
• NaNoWriMo 2013: First Draft of GCA4
• Finish Writing The Soldier and Kerri and Ash and Andy (short stories)
• Publish Natalie’s Story (short story, title pending)
• Rewrite/Edit/Publish GCA3
• Rewrite Vampire Novel

The list doesn’t have any dates other than my writing challenges in June and November, becuase that just puts pressure on me and I’ll get upset and beat myself up if I don’t meet them. So if there’s anything you want me to work on first on this list, things can be rearranged. This is the order that I want to finish in, to make myself happy, but if something else would make you happier, I will…take it into consideration. 😀