#ROW80: Dealing with a slight change because of the New Shiny

It’s that time again! ROW80 check-in time! For those of you that don’t know what ROW80 is, it stands for A Round of Words in 80 Days. It’s a challenge done four times a year, and it’s meant for people with lives that can’t do a strict challenge like NaNoWriMo. Learn more about ROW80 and sign up on the website.

Basically, how I do my goals is that I have an overall blog post at the beginning of the round detailing what I want to accomplish this round. Then each week, I do three sections to each topic: what I meant to do, what I did, and what I will do. That’s me stating what my goals were, what I did to accomplish them, and what I’m going to do for next week. Because I’ve learned that if i don’t beat myself over the head with things, I don’t get it done.

This week was weird, I’m not going to lie. I might change up the goals just a bit.

Writing
What I meant to do this week:

Continue working on Full Circle. i would like to have knocked out 50 pages of revisions by next check in.
Make some notes on where to expand The Iron Legacy. It needs to be 20k longer.

What I did this week:

I have about five chapters left on Full Circle. It’s going well, but just slowly. But I’m on the downward spiral of it.
I didn’t end up making any notes for Iron Legacy.
I started a new story for the Ellora’s Cave Ball & Chain call that is due in August. It’s a contemporary erotic romance that I’m describing as a friends to lovers to marriage of convenience story. It’s been super fun to write and I’m having a great time with it. It’s been a while since I just dove into a story like this.

What I will do for next week:

Continue working on the new contemp, which needs a title. I have about four for it right now. Need to decide on one. Ideally, I’d like to have another 10k in on this for the week.
Get through two more chapters of Full Circle. I’m slowing down a little on this one because I’m balls to the walls on the contemp right now. It’s not often I get a burst like this, so I’m just riding it out.

Blogging and Social Networking
What I meant to do this week:

Post at least three times, which honestly, is nearly a no brainer for me at this point.
Brainstorm a few new broad topics to play with

What I did this week:

I’m pretty sure I posted 3 or 4 times, so got that.
I’m pulling in some old topics from my old blog under my other name. They aren’t online anymore and they’re all good stuff, so I’ll be rewriting them and posting them over the next few months. THat’ll help with topics I think.
I’m trying to be more active on my Facebook, posting at least once a day, and checking out other authors’ pages and stuff, and generally being active.  I’d gotten out of the habit because Facebook was irritating me, but I’d learning more about how it works now, so I’m ready to try again.

What I will do for next week:

Three posts for the week.
Edit and schedule a few of the old posts from the old website for future weeks.
Continue with my Facebook stuff. I’m kind of treating it as an experiment to see if it’s something I can do long term. So far, I kind of like it, so I’ll keep at it for a bit.

Publishing
What I meant to do this week:

Work on TIL cover.
Write the blurb for TIL.
Consider what I want to do for Standoff’s cover. No rush on this one.

What I did this week:

None of that.

What I will do for next week:

Still waiting on submissions that are out right now. I’m getting close to time, so I think I’ll hear something super soon.
The anthology I’m in, Spells and Swashbucklers, comes out at the end of the month. I’m considering promo ideas.

Crafty Stuff
What I meant to do this week

Probably nothing. I really want to do a camera strap, just to see how to do it.

What I did this week

Yeah, I didn’t do the strap.
I’m working on some pre-fab book covers that I’m considering selling on the site. I don’t really want to do custom ones because I don’t really want to deal with certain authors. But covers are important, and I make good ones. So I thought i would do some for fun and offer them up to those that might be looking, for $20-$40 a piece. I’ve seen them much more expensive.

What I will do for next week:

I want to work on and finish two pre-fab book covers.

Fitness and Health
What I meant to do this week:

Going to incorporate more fruit into my diet. I don’t think I eat enough of it, and it’s free on my diet, so yay, snack food.
Work out three times.

What I did this week

I did eat more fruit. I ran out of fruit, actually. I need to stock more.
Did not work out last week. It was a crazy week. I’m already doing better this week.

What I will do for next week:

Work out three times.
Stock more fruit to eat.
Go to GNC and see what they have for weightloss.

Overall

I’m loving how smooth and easy this round has been. I’m on a regular writing schedule, school is getting done. The stress I’ve been under for the last year or so is slowly getting under control. I feel good. I’m eating better, so I think that partially has to do with it.

Now, if I could just get a job…