November GDR Review

Fiction
* NANOWRIMO – Blood Ties – 50,000 words required by end of month (G1,G2,G3,D1,D2) – never completed; 37,073 words (74%) of Blood Ties
* Decide on short story possibilities from Muse output; edit and write (G1,G2,D1,D2) – complete; competition possibility for “Big Taff” story
* Submit Stella to selected markets (G1,G2,D1,D2) – complete
* Re-submit rejected/recalled short stories (G1,G2,D1,D2) – followed all up; A Point of View in final decision pile for winter issue

Freelance/Non-Fiction
Writing:
* Query freelance gigs 25/mth (3/25 pitched – Total=89) (G7,G9) – 3 queries this month
* Complete Scotland’s Treasure column for SDR Winter edition (Jan) (G5,G7,G9) – no work done; events pending to cover
* Remain flexible for any TLB assignments that come through – new batch of articles in and IP; marketing widget pulled

Web:
* Updates to photography site pending – nothing through from client
* Updates to B&B site pending – 1st batch of changes done; 2nd pending

Business:
* Keep company accounts up to date – complete
* Amalgamate web design and freelance writing sites to compassfreelance.co.uk – template chosen; work started; ongoing

Poetry
* Nothing planned – nothing done.

Editing
* Stay on top of RR submissions (G6) – complete
* Write up interview/feature for Issue 5 (Dec) (G6) – complete
* Complete layout of RR issue 5 (Dec) (G6) – complete
* Complete website for launch of issue 5 (Dec) (G6) – complete
* Start laying out RR issue 6 (Dec) (G6) – no work done

Marketing and Promotion
* Publish November newsletter (G5) – complete
* Prepare December newsletter (G5) – not done
* Publish November GDR Plan – complete
* Publish November GDR Review – complete
* Prepare December GDR Plan – complete
* Launch revamped main site (G5,G8,G9) – complete
* Keep website(s) up to date (G5,G8,G9) – complete
* Offer special ‘Credit Crunch’ promotions (G5,G8,G9) – never thought this through; scrap

Reading & Learning
* On-the-job research and reading for writing of Blood Ties – several research points outlined for after NaNo
* Black & Blue by Ian Rankin – complete
* Closed Doors by Ian Rankin – IP

Non-Writing
* Continue diet (15/28lbs lost as at 15/9/08) (R1) – stalling; need to get back on the horse and up to a gallop

Things That Turned Up
* Call from new client about some editing work

Submissions Made
Stella – 16/11

Successes
* Got through some good work on new Lennox novel.

Failures
Canongate rejected Slick – 12/11
Jenny Brown rejected Slick – 14/11
Failed to completed NaNoWriMo (74%)

Statistics
Fiction – 37,000
Non-Fiction – 13,500
Poetry – 0

Outstanding Submissions
Novels
Hunting Jack with 1 publisher
Slick with 3 agents/publishers

Novellas
Stella with 1 publisher

Fiction
Wheelhouse 1
Saint Ann’s Review 1
Trespass 1
East of the Web 1

GDR Monthly Health Summary

How did I move outside my comfort zone this month?
Not sure I did, although tackling NaNo alongside other work that came through made me feel that way but in a negative sense.

How did I think big/challenge myself?
I never.

Do I feel this was a good month towards meeting my 2008 GDR Plan?
Yes, because I had a busy freelance work and wrote one third of new and ongoing novel. Can’t to afford to beat myself up over not completing NaNo because it wasn’t a waste.

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