Quarterly Goals (Q4 2019)

We are in the last stretch of 2019 and there’s so much to do, I’m not going to waste any time. Let’s jump into Q4 2019 and what I have planned.

**Please note the lack of discussion in regards to Q3 and draw the proper inferences.

Rat & NaNoWriMo

Oh, Rat, you large pile of words and edits. How you vex me.

I decided in the middle of August to take an extended break from my first novel, to really give myself some space from it, just in time for its three-year birthday. I found myself too frustrated with the novel and felt daunted by the task of another rewrite. I wasn’t ready to put Rat away as one of those drawer-novels, but I definitely needed some space.

Break time is running out, though! I am planning on returning to it for NaNoWriMo in November. That’s going to be my NaNo project. If you’re doing it, find me on the new site and add me (A. P. Thayer) so we can keep each other accountable. I’ll be running sprints throughout the month with my fellow writers and podcast co-hosts, so be sure to jump in on them. I’ll post them to social media.

Untitled Scifi Story

With Rat on the back burner, I have been working on an untitled scifi noir piece. If you’ve been following along, you’ve heard me talk about it before. Yes, it is still untitled. No I don’t have any ideas for a working title yet. Anyway.

I found myself having a lot of fun while writing it. It’s a whole different style, setting, POV— A complete break away from Rat. I have 80% of a first draft finished for it. I finally submitted the first two scenes for weekly critique and that’s helped me refine what my mental image of the novel is, so I’m doubling down on it.

So, for Q4, I have some things I need to do.

First off, I need to name it. At least give it some kind of working title. Not having one has been massively annoying, way more annoying than it has any right to be, and I must be a sucker for punishment because I haven’t sat down to give it a name. So, that’s the first goal.

The second is, I need to finish the first draft of it by October 31. Since I’ll be switching back to Rat on November 1st, I have a deadline to meet. Good thing I have a four day writing retreat coming up in the middle of the month. I’m just going to buckle down this month and get it finished.

The Genre Hustle

Season three is coming out October 29th!

This season we have several guests and all kinds of smart things to say about writing (or so we think). Be sure to keep an eye out for that. Follow the Genre Hustle on social media for a mid-season announcement and for our weekly episode call outs, where you can join in on the weekly discussion. Our goal is to up audience interaction this season and that starts with you!

On the subject of goals, the season opener tackles that very topic. We’re going to talk about how to set goals, why they’re important, why sometimes there’s too much importance put in them, and how to achieve them. Be sure to give that a listen!

Short Stories

I’ve been working on some short fiction lately. One is a lit-leaning piece of flash fiction and the other is a short story for the Made in LA anthology (find the call for submissions here). Both are just about polished enough to submit, so those are part of my Q4 goals as well. Finish the stories and submit them. I’ll let you know how that goes in later blog posts and on my social media.

Other Goals

You guys know me. I’ve got some other personal goals on my list that I don’t announce. They’re private, but know that they involve health, finances, and broader life goals. Some are less quantifiable than others, but I always err on the side of making goals to give myself that extra drive.

How about you guys? What are your goals for the last three months of 2019? I’d love to hear what you hope to accomplish so we can celebrate at the end of the year when you’ve done so. Reach out to me and let me know, you know I love hearing from you guys.

As always, be kind to each other and to yourselves. Best of luck in Q4 2019!