Not too much has happened since we last left each other in September. Back then I claimed success over the first revision of the novel, a once-over of the plot. I have that revision sitting on the table next to me.
The next course of action is to revise the story for grammar. It has to come up from first grade reading level to hopefully sixth grade. That's probably as good as I'll ever be at writing, and I don't care to grind out better grammar skills at this point in my life. Maybe if this novel actually becomes a commercial success.
Anyway, I'm on the third chapter. The first revision was done on paper, so in addition to making grammar edits to my digital copy I'm incorporating all of the first pass' changes.
My goals for 2014 are as follows:
- Work on the first novel for 15 minutes a day... every day... until the second revision is complete
- I aim to have the second revision completed no later than June
- By July, I'd like to hand out the novel to some beta readers and get some outside feedback
- Hopefully this will be complete by September
- Beginning in July, while the first novel is being beta-read, I want to begin outlining the second novel
- In November, I want to attempt NaNoWriMo and complete a rough draft for the second novel
- Between October and December, I want to incorporate the beta feedback for novel one and get it ready to send to an agent
Those are some lofty goals, especially considering the outline for novel one began in... 2010? It has been a long road. I am weary from the journey, and I am ready for the journey to end, if only so I can begin a new journey with the second novel. I know this first book inside and out. I'm ready for the excitement of not knowing exactly what will happen to my characters to flow through me once again.
