Tag: progress update

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Getting Back on Track

railroad tracks in city
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Hello Readers,

It’s been a while since I posted anything more than a quote or a book review, truth is I’ve been side-tracked. After being made redundant, I took a little break overseas, I’ve dived into a double diploma, and I have been searching for a new job. Fortunately, I think the break has done me good, I’ve made a bit of a dent in my diplomas, and I have just scored a new job. So, hopefully I will be able to get back into a routine of some sort now.

As far as my writing goes, I’ve got a few short stories waiting for me to publish them. I plan to wrap these up in an anthology together with my currently published short stories. I need to get the new stories edited and find a cover for the book first though.

I’m also trying to read more. More authors – trying to find another that hits the spot like my favourite one, but that’s a tough gig – and more books on the craft of writing. The most recent craft book I’ve read was on scene and structure and I’m about to get stuck into one on building characters. I hope these will help me improve my writing and give me the inspiration to get back into writing some of the novels I’ve put aside to stew.

So what have you been reading?

Posted on

Time for a Quick Update.

Hello Readers,

We are now at the end of January and I thought it was timely to give you a quick update on my goal progress. As you will probably guess, I have been keeping myself busy. I still haven’t secured a new job, but I’m hopeful something will come up soon. I guess it has given me time to focus on my double diploma. I’m now well into unit 2 and boy is it a lot of work, but I am enjoying it.

I have managed to get some writing done, but not enough to be proud of. I estimate I’ve hit about 2000 words since the start of January and that’s across 2 stories I’m writing, so no real dent in anything there.  I have managed to read 3 books out of my 12 book target though, which has really surprised me.

My newsletter following is also growing and has increased from 350 to 412, so it looks like I’m on track to get to 600 sooner than anticipated. If I keep going at this rate I will have to re-evaluate and increase my goal here.

I’m yet to receive an English student through my volunteer tutoring, I was expecting to get someone assigned to me this month, but it hasn’t happened. I think I will hear something on this soon though.

As for increasing my reviews, this is probably my most ambitious target as I’m looking at an additional 8 reviews on each of my books. It may not sound much, but with 8 titles it comes in at 64 reviews and they are not easy to come by. So if you have enjoyed one of my stories and not yet left a review, you would make me very happy if you did so. Not only would it help me move towards achieving this goal, it would also help me as an author by providing the ‘Social proof’ new readers often look for on my writing.

That’s about it for my goals so far. So what about you? How are your goals coming along?

Allan Walsh writes Fantasy and Horror. If you’re looking for something new to read in these genres, why not check out his books here.