It’s time to post an update on my writing for the 5 Year Project Do You Have Goals? blog hop. My goal is to write a novel (done) and get it published (working on it).
I’ve just finished editing chapter four of the final, final draft of the Orbital Contract. Feel ashamed not to have finished the whole novel by now, but I’ve been busy with the new grandbaby, dog walking, and enjoying Manchester.
In fact, I’m enjoying Manchester so much, my hubby and I have decided to buy a small apartment here. That way I can spend more time with our granddaughter, and enjoy city living, while keeping our family house in beautiful Stamford. The best of both worlds, I think.
As well as continuing to make slow progress on the Orbital Contract, I’ve achieved a number of other things over the past few months.
(1) Article Published
I had an article published in Synapsia Magazine, describing how I use Mind Maps for writing. The summer 2017 edition is free and can be downloaded here as a PDF file. My article is on page 60.
(2) Progress with blogging
I’ve edited several more articles for our Killer Cows website, and we’re finally beginning to see subtle changes in attitudes to the risks posed by cattle. Only small changes, but any move away from complacency is good. Hooray!
In addition, my coastal walking blog – Ruth’s Coastal Walk – has been listed as a favourite by Chris Norton: Top 10 UK walking blogs, 2017
(3) SAGA pin-up girl!
My coastal walking adventure has featured in the October edition of SAGA magazine. thanks to an excellent article written by Jo Carlowe.
Unfortunately, I feature in the printed edition and the article can’t be read online.
I feel much too young to be a SAGA pin-up, but I’m proud to be featured. The article has generated more interest in my blog, and resulted in a few more sales of my book, Walking the English Coast.
I wonder what everybody else has been up to in October?
Plans for November?
It’s NaNoWriMo month, of course. I’m planning to write the sequel to the Orbital Contract. Only got to come up with an exciting plot, flesh out some new characters, and write an outline plan in the next few days… should be a piece of cake!
Ruth Livingstone 
Congrats on your articles! I’m excited for NaNoWriMo, too!
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I’m addicted to Nano. It’s such a liberating excuse to just write, write, write 😄
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What a lot of wins through October! Best of luck with NaNo, and carry on enjoying that granddaughter: some things are more important than editing!
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Cant believe she’s 9 weeks old already! Yes, it goes so quickly, I’m determined to enjoy her babyhood.
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You should hardly feel ashamed! I haven’t written much these last five months, so yeah, I should be doing my walk of shame. *sigh*
Congratulations on the grandbaby! Yes! Enjoy the babyhood – it won’t be long before she’s walking. Time flies! Where did this year go already?! Christmas is almost on us! Yikes.
I’m hoping to participate in NaNoWriMo this year after avoiding it in 2015 & 2016. I haven’t decided on my project yet. I mean, I keep bouncing back and forth between three projects. But I’m determined to make a decision today, because I need to figure out my game plan. I’m more of a pantser than a plotter, so that helps. 🙂
Ruth, what’s your name on NaNo so I could add you as a buddy?
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Hi Marna, I’ve just dropped by your blog and commented. My NaNo name is RuthL, so let’s be buddies. 😄 Sounds like you might be writing YA? I’m doing a YA sci-fi.
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That picture of you is BEAUTIFUL!
Don’t feel too down about not finishing up The Orbital Contract already. I’ve found so many times that the process is difficult to predict. Best of luck!
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Hi Misha. Yes. We’re often over-ambitious, aren’t we? 😄
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