A Month of Writing

Each month an online author friend, Greg Strandberg, posts what he completed for the month, he covers both writing progress and sales. He is a prolific writer and his writing posts are always interesting and entertaining. I thought that because, for the first time, I am keeping track of my writing progress, that I would see what I accomplished this month. In February, I wrote 21 blog posts. I write several blogs and for the month had an average of 655 openings, from my various posts, per day. Pretty good readership for me.

Link to my books on Amazon

 During the month of February, I wrote 30,425 words, including my works in progress (WIP) and blog posts. Not much, by many writers standards, but, not bad for me. That’s 1049 words per day – about what I am averaging for the year.

Sometimes I need a break - now this is the way to take it easy

For my yearly goals, I hope to write 200 blog posts and 350,000 words. I would like to be closer to 500,000 but when the weather turns nice, like it already has, golf, gardening, kids, grandkids, hiking, taking photos, and travel, get in the way, so I will stick with the more modest goal. 

I have not written much about my WIP, possibly because I have four, two fiction and two nonfiction. I cannot concentrate long enough to work on only one thing, so I work on what I feel like. Below you can see where I am with each of those projects.

ü 7,500 words written, about 11% of goal, on my new nonfiction, lots of research and many sources to site, hope to finish by Christmas.

ü 19,400 words written, about 38% of goal, on the second of my Blade Holmes western mysteries. This one is true, historical fiction, I like it a lot. If you haven’t read the first of the series, you can find it here.

ü 23,000 words or 75% of goal. This is an old one that I have not worked on for some time, it is a quick look at early Wyoming History. I am editing and adding right now so do not know where it will end up. This one is kind of fun as it is mostly from my teaching notes, notes I used for my, History of the American West and Wyoming History classes over the years.

ü 49,300 words or 98+%, and in the first edit. This is my young adult mystery. I hoped to have it out today, but got bored and started working on other projects. It is easy for me to lose interest when I start doing one of the three edits I do. Now I have high hopes of an April 1 release. I think I need to make that one.

Here I am at Fort Laramie, the setting for two of my WIP
I am the one that looks like I do not belong but still looking good

I have also started notes, and a rough outline on the third of my young reader, chapter book series, the Mike and Moose and Me Adventures.

That’s about it, for February, getting ready for a trip of a few days this month. So will have to stay busy on the days I am home and working.

By the way, specular, early spring-like, walk this morning. Beautiful clear skies, no wind and a nice warm sun. Right now, I am heading to the golf course.

Looking back to town from our favorite hiking place
A really nice way to spend an hour or two