Progress, Critiques & Other Stuff

In my last post I mentioned the Magic Spreadsheet, a gamification tool that helps you write consistently every day. I’ve been using it religiously, which is the whole point. I have missed a couple of days here and there, but overall my output has improved drastically.

Because of the spreadsheet I was able to power through completion of a story I wasn’t enjoying. I’m happy with the end result, but it was outside my normal wheelhouse. I don’t normally write military SF, and it was a challenge. By chipping away at it every day, forcing my butt into the chair and demanding a MINIMUM of 250 words, I eventually got it done.

That was my third short story finished since I launched this site. Sadly, they don’t have a magic spreadsheet for editing and revising your work. Although I WILL get to that with at least one of the stories I’ve written lately.

I’m now working on the notes for a novel – the one I said I was determined to have completed (in draft) by the time my son turns one (more on him in a bit).

Speaking of revision – I recently found a critique site called Scribophile. You sign up, read and critique others’ work for points, then spend points on putting your own work up for critique. Because it’s a members only critique site (anyone can be a member), putting your work up on it isn’t considered publishing it – so you haven’t burned any of your publication rights. It’s a very active community, although it remains to be seen how effective it really is as I haven’t yet posted any of my own work. I’ll let you know how that goes. Oh, and if you want to read my stories before anyone else – you can always join Scribophile and critique them!

In more personal news, my wife is about to cross the threshold into the third trimester of pregnancy. It’s weird to think that in just about 3 months I’ll have a son to take care of. I’m determined not to let that disrupt my 250 words per day.