#ROW80 - My ROWMO

Since starting ROW80, I've been somewhat out of sync with the rounds. That is to say, my projects haven't really aligned perfectly to when rounds are starting/finishing. It's not really a big issue, since you can set whatever goals you'd like AND modify them mid-stream. In fact, I would suggest that this has worked to my benefit.

Let me explain. At the end of a round, I usually find myself in the middle of a project. I can still analyze my goals as having been "mostly met" or "mostly missed" if I look at things in week-by-week increments. I don't usually set goals to "finish" something, since I crave flexibility. I aim to get a certain amount done each week, succeed or fail, and then plan for the next week. Things get finished when they get finished.

Keeping steady on my work has enabled me to estimate my writing process. I know about how long it takes me to write a draft, to edit, and to publish. Maybe I'm off by a week or two, but nothing crazy. And I'm small enough (in terms of readers) that nobody is breathing down my neck. Plus, I guess when you consider the sometimes month-long delays that commercial publishing often suffers from, a couple weeks is pretty mundane.

The benefit comes up when preparing for the next round. I don't have to search for new goals, I just keep on keepin' on. Beginnings are the hardest for me. Once I'm going, it's a lot easier to adapt on the fly and keep moving. By NOT aligning my projects, I've all but eliminated any angst I might feel at beginning a new round; I simply do not start fresh, and I like it that way.

It was an interesting bit of reflection I wanted to share. Perhaps your own projects could use some dis-alignment. Especially if you have trouble getting started... just, well, finish in the middle. Anyway, here's a look at the goals.

• Lesson Learned - See above. Misalignment is my modus operandi.
• WIP Progress - Knocked out five pages this week. Just barely on target. Would have liked to do more, but I spent the weekend re-visiting my novelette. More on that in a few days. Point here: goal achieved.
• Blogging - 3/3 here, but only 2/3 on the gaming blog. Having been gaming a lot lately, so the writing dries up over there. I'm not completely displeased, as it is perhaps the most optional of my current responsibilities. I still owe a personal post this month, too.
• Reading - I've kept up with the group read. The pace seems just perfect for me. You can see my responses in the post yesterday. It's been a lot of fun so far, even if I haven't been able to comment elsewhere as much as I'd like. I'm a fail social butterfly, but at least I'm trying.

That's all for this week. Things should stay busy for next week. Here are the word counts:

• Since last check in: 4,205
• New Fiction: 1,818
• Round 2 Total: 32,342