I want to look again at my long-term goals for this check-in and see where I am.
This year, I want to have published four things under my Catherine Lynn pen name and one under Lauralynn. I’ve accomplished two of these so far. I have one novella in a two book anthology with Ruth Ann Nordin (writing as Barbara Joan Russell) which is through Parchment & Plume Publishing, and I published Brewing Up Murder (which is doing surprisingly well right now), the first in the Hemlock Ridge Mysteries. I’m about 2/3 into a novella I’m doing for an anthology, so that will be done soon. My next projects will be writing the second Hemlock Ridge novella and writing the sequel to Soul of a Vampire. SoaV was a little complicated to write, and I think the sequel will be equally so. I’m going to give myself plenty of time to write that one. We’re only four months into the year, so I think I’ll be able to write it.
Another goal for the year is to write 150,000 words. This might not seem much to you, but with what little writing time I actually have, it’s a lot for me. So far, here’s what I’ve done. My nifty spreadsheet (you can find them HERE) divides the 150K into monthly goals based on how many days are in the month.
January – Goal: 12,740, Written: 12,890
February – Goal: 11,507, Written: 10,454
March – Goal: 12,739, Written: 1,779
April (so far) – Goal: 12,329, Written: 14,776
As you can see, I got way behind in March. But I’m at 120% of goal for April, so I’m slowly making that up. I’m still 9,416 words behind for the year. If I can just keep up my momentum, I can reach my yearly goal. Can you tell I love spreadsheets?
lauralynnelliott.com 
:snuggles the spreadsheets: You know how much I adore them.
Oh, yes, I do. And it doesn’t hurt that Sam, Dean, and Cas are on this one. 🙂 I make my own for each book, but I use this one for the yearly and monthly stuff.
I think 150K for the year is a good goal. If you’re writing novellas, that’s a fair amount of works. Good luck in meeting your goal.
I love spreadsheets, too, so you’re not alone. I’m terrible at keeping my word-count goals spreadsheet up to date, but my budgeting/financial goals spreadsheets have pie charts, so…I get where you’re coming from. 🙂
The next two are novellas, and the SoaV sequel will be a novel. To get my 150K, I need to write at least one more novella, so maybe I’ll get the third Hemlock Ridge novella done. Or maybe I can write that SciFi romance that’s been rolling around in my head. 🙂 So many possibilities.
We writers never run out of ideas, do we? 🙂
I must be the only writer who hates spreadsheets. LOL
I love how well you’re doing with the mystery! Do you already have a plot for the second book?
I bet you’re NOT the only writer who hate spreadsheets. Many creative people don’t like numbers. I’ve taken a test that shows I’m equally left brain/right brain, so I guess that’s why. 🙂
I do have a plot for the second one. I have a few kinks to work out, but if I have trouble working them into the plot, I’m going to pants that part. I can usually get stuff to work that way.
I’m glad someone likes spreadsheets! Me? Yuck, I just can’t figure them out.
Best of luck with your goals. Looks like you are doing great so far.
Chris, I’ve been using spreadsheets for years. I have to use them for my job, so they are second nature to me.
And thanks! 🙂
You’ve made such great progress on your goals. The mystery novellas sound interesting. All the best through this round.
Thanks, Bev!