The big goal for the year is to get the novel third draft done. For that, I’m thinking I have the following measurable goals:
- Finish the last of the research reading (only 6½ books right now).
- Character bios for major characters
- Do a highlighter read (per Matt Bell, pp. 128–133)
- Read and annotate the printed manuscript based on bios, research notes and fresh eyes.
- Weasel word check (Bell, p. 141–4)
- Draft three to readers
- Draft four based on their comments
- Start querying
On top of that, I’ve got nine stories that have been workshopped and not either re-workshopped or pushed out of the nest and into the mean world of submissions.
There’s also the fact that this is an odd-numbered year so I should buy a lottery ticket apply for an NEA grant and I’m also going to be bold and daring and apply for the Sozopol seminars as well.
And maybe I should get some new stories into workshopping while I’m at it.
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