Setting and Maintaining Your Writing Goals – And Battling the “Mid-Year Crisis”

Chapters Completed: 16

Chapters In Progress: 6

Chapters Not Started: 12

“Chronicling The Craft” is an article series where I share my experience with writing my current work-in-progress (WIP), which is a fantasy novel. Every 5,000 words, I let readers know what I’ve accomplished since the previous article and share advice, discoveries, techniques, etc. Besides the word count in each article title, a “chapter ticker” at the top also tracks my progress as I use the skip-around / “writercopter” method to write the novel. Today’s installment celebrates the book reaching 65,000 words in length.

This summer’s been a season of adjustment. I took some time away from writing in June when my last surviving grandparent passed away; and like with most losses, the sadness lingered for a while. I’ve also changed my “writing location” for the days when I need to run my air conditioning. The through-the-wall AC unit and my writing desk are in the same room, and the chill and the noise from the clunker distracts me too much when I try to write. So, I’ve relocated to the “comfy” chair in my bedroom, where it’s quieter and the AC air gradually filters in throughout the day. (I live in a garden-style condo.) The plush chair cushions have also made the past few writing sessions luxuriously comfortable – I hate getting up when each session’s over! Continue reading →