Romance Tropes: One Bed

Welcome to a new series where I break down classic romance tropes and give my opinions. First up is a well-known and well-loved trope: “There’s only one bed!”

They’re rivals at a law firm and have to leave town on a business trip. They arrive at a hotel only to discover that they’ve been booked in the same room. It’s not the best situation, but they can suck it up for one night and deal. Lo and behold, when they arrive to their room…there’s only one bed.

Or, they’re friends hiding their feelings for each other on a vacation. They find a quaint bed and breakfast along the way and stop, but there’s only one room left. You guessed it - this room has just one bed that they’ll have to share.

In essence, this is the simplest form of the forced proximity trope. There are plenty of other ways to get your characters closer, but this is so easy! What better way to get your lovebirds all snuggled up than having them share a bed for a night? Sure, one of them might offer to sleep on the floor or the couch, but before long we know where they’ll end up.

I’ve seen this done in countless media and I love it. It can be comical and cute or it can be tense and force the characters to face their feelings, be they physical, emotional, or both. The trick is to make it believable. An error in booking, a last resort, or the scheming of a cupid-type friend who knows the two need a little nudge in the right direction.

Is this a trope you enjoy reading or are considering adding to your own work? Let me know!

A Year in Review, a Year Ahead

2022 was the first year since I began publishing that I did not publish a book. Isn’t that weird? Sure, I had preorders for The Montgomery Arrangement just last month, but no actual releases.

It’s been a strange year for me. Life outside of writing took a front seat and I felt like I was getting nothing done. Any goals I had were put aside while I tackled adult life, disappearing from the internet for weeks at a time. For the first time since starting this journey, I felt like Lori Fayre was a separate person, someone I knew but hardly got to see, and I had to choose between my two lives. And I hated it.

I’ve made it no secret that my recent trilogy, Unexpected Mergers, was very difficult to write. I think it had taken more out of me, though, and I found it necessary to take a break from my work and focus on other things. I won’t get into that here but, suffice it to say, things are going back to normal. And now it’s time to write.

I’m keeping my goals for the new year simple. I have a new trilogy that I’m working on and I’m really excited about it. I’m also going to be attending my first in-person author event this year (more on that as it unfolds!). I think I began putting too much into myself as a business owner and not so much as a writer, and that’s going to change.

There will be gaps again. There will be days where I don’t post to social media or my blog. There will be times when my website doesn’t get updated as often as it should. But you can know that when I’m not on the internet, it’s because I’m making something new, something exciting, to give to you.

Thank you all for a wonderful year. I hope to have many more ahead. And, even if they’re not my books, please keep reading! Books are the one escape we have these days.

Love always,

Lori Fayre

The Montgomery Arrangement Preorders!

I know I keep dropping off the radar and popping up again, but that’s life! At least this time I have returned with amazing news. 

The Montgomery Arrangement, book three of Unexpected Mergers and the end of the series, will be available for preorder this Tuesday, December 13!

I will be sending out advanced reader copies this week so, if you can't wait to read it, just send me a message on any social media with your email address! You can learn more about this book through my website, or through the clicky-links on the right side of the screen.

Also, please bear with me, because I have a giveaway planned as well as some cool content that has to do with my next series. Wait, did I say next series?! That’s right! And this one promises to be as steamy and exciting as you could possibly want 😉

What is a Backlog?

Every writer should build a backlog.

Have you ever enjoyed a little break after finishing a first draft? That nice little space between finishing and editing where you can take some downtime to be proud of your accomplishment? Good. You deserve to! But what comes after?

Usually, it’s a panic of “What do I write next?!”

Backlogs can help with that.

It’s recommended that you continue to work in between manuscripts and that is something I strongly believe in. Once I’m done with a draft, I’ll start outlining a new novel or editing an older story. Having a folder or list of ideas, having those previous manuscripts to work on, that’s a backlog.

It’s just works-in-progress to fall back on that you can easily pick up and start in on. It’s important to be consistent and build up your collection of first drafts and outlines. By using this method myself, I usually have a novel ready to submit by the time I have a book release.

This is also a useful technique if you’re planning a series. It makes it easier to publish if you get the first book done as well as outlines or even first drafts of the others before publishing, that way you can not only stay on top of deadlines, but stay ahead of them!

Now, how do you build a backlog? This is the hard part – you have got to grind. You have got to work consistently to build your backlog, work on your craft, and get those ideas and first drafts onto the paper. It isn’t easy, trust me. At this time, I only have a couple of manuscripts on standby, but it’s something.

The takeaway? Work hard. If this is something you really want, you’re going to have to put that time into it and try your best to stay ahead of the curve. And, in the spirit of NaNoWriMo, what better time to start than now? I believe in you!

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre

The Montgomery Arrangement Cover Reveal

 

I’m proud to announce my next novel, book three in the Unexpected Mergers trilogy, The Montgomery Arrangement!

 

This marks the end of my very first series and I am equal parts relieved and sad. I’m glad to be done with this huge undertaking, but I will miss the characters and the world. I’ve spent the last three years with them and it’s hard to say goodbye, but I’m so excited to share this last story with all of you. And I might not be completely done with them – there could be short stories to go along with the books in the very near future!

Here's what this story is about:

 

               Paige Montgomery had never given the future much thought until the opportunity of a lifetime fell into her lap. Confronted with a life-changing path, she decides that a vacation to the Florida Keys with her best friends, the Alexanders, will clear her head. However, Bryce Alexander has other ideas.

Bryce proposes an arrangement, something casual and mutually beneficial to help them both relax while they’re away from it all. There are only two conditions - no one can know and absolutely no emotions can be involved. Though he’s seven years younger, Paige thinks there could be merit in his suggestion.

But Paige can't escape the reality of where her life is headed or her long-time friend, Levi, who has his sights set on her. But, what do they really mean to each other? And does Bryce mean more? While Bryce tries his hardest to escape the spotlight and new reputation, Paige has to wrestle with the idea that she could just be a distraction to him. With a years-long friendship on the line, will they take a chance on love?

 

Thank you to all the readers who have been keeping up with the story so far. I truly hope this ending does everyone justice and can’t wait to share more with you in the coming months.

 

The Montgomery Arrangement

Pre-Order: December 13, 2022

Release: January 24, 2023

A Short Announcement

Good day, lovely readers! Today’s blog post is exactly what it sounds like – I have an announcement!

I’m very busy starting my next novel and planning some really amazing content for my YouTube channel, as well as still trying to figure out scheduling. Most of my time (when I’m not writing) is focused on getting things ready for my next book release! That’s right, book 3, the final story of Unexpected Mergers, is on the way!

Starting this month, I will be releasing new information and all the goodies that come along with a release. I would like to take just a few lines to thank everyone who’s stuck by me through this whole experiment of trying to release a series. It was my first ever, and I think I might do it again.

So, stay tuned because that cover reveal will be happening in one week!

Love always,

Lori Fayre

 

(P.S.: I will be needing advanced readers! If you’re interested in reading this new book before anyone else, you can contact me here, on my website, or through any of my social media profiles!)

When a Romance Isn't a Romance

There is something I’ve noticed with movies and books coming out labeled as romances. Mostly, they aren’t romances. Warning: Major spoilers ahead for ‘The World to Come’.

Call me old-fashioned, but I was brought up to think that in order for something to be called a romance, it had to have a happy ending. If there wasn’t an HEA, it was a romantic tragedy, a romantic thriller, or something of the like. Why is it, then, that I was sold on a movie that claimed to be a romance and ended with a main character dying?

‘The World to Come’ is a period drama about two women finding love in the 1850’s. Yes, on most sites, it’s listed as a drama, but on the back of the DVD case (which is all that I checked) it says that it’s a romance. I trusted that it was a romance. And I felt deceived.

The women are torn apart once their love affair is unearthed and then one of the women is murdered for what she’s done. Top it off with the ending, where the living woman resolves to live her life, but to always hold on to her lover’s memory in a very unhealthy way, and this movie had me in tears.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a fantastic movie. The scenery was unbelievable and it didn’t have a large cast but was cast well. There were lines of pure poetry that had me hanging onto every word. I wanted to see how it all unfolded but, because of that little bit on the back stating that the film’s genre was romance, I was secure in the belief that they would end up to together.

I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal and maybe I’m blowing it out of proportion, but it’s been a consistent happening. I remember when the movie ‘Last Christmas’ came out, advertised as a rom-com Christmas movie but ended in similar tragedy. The entire romance community was up in arms for false advertisement, which I whole-heartedly agree that it was.

And that’s not even to mention LGBTQ+ movies. Why do they all have to be tragic? More on that in a future post, but I’d like to know your thoughts!

Romance is a genre meant to make you feel good. It’s escapism at its finest, intertwining every other genre out there to create a universe of happy stories. In a sense, our trust has been betrayed. Our safety stripped from us. This post is simply to call attention to the problem and see if anyone else agrees. As for me, I can swear to each and every reader that my books will all contain happily ever after’s or happy for now’s for my main characters.

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre

Burnout and Taking a Break

Some of you might have noticed that I was absent for the past couple of months. This is nothing new – I’ve struggled with keeping a working schedule since I became a writer. Add that to my annoyance at social media, and you have the perfect recipe for inconsistency. But, this time, it wasn’t life problems getting in the way or a massive case of writer’s block. This time, it was simply burnout.

So, I took some time. I reprioritized and I absolutely did not write anything. It was only after a month of not writing that I realized how much I missed it. I wanted to write and talk about writing and read about writing. I missed my writing community on social media (even if posting on a regular schedule is a chore).

This small blog post has been to let you know that I am back and I love writing! My next book is in the works and I’m ready to share it. Another thing to take away is that it’s okay to take a break when you’re burnt out. It doesn’t mean the journey’s over or you should give up. It simply means that you should put it on the shelf, take a rest, and if it’s what you truly love, you’ll be thrilled to get back into it when the time is write!

The Fall by Claudia Dain, A Review

Since I’m trying to be a little more present, I thought I would try something a little different today, something that I haven’t done in a while. Ladies and gentleman, it’s time for a book review!

It’s been some time since the reading bug has hit me. I’ve recently finished Jonathan Van Ness’ autobiography, Over the Top, and it was a beautiful piece that I will recommend to anyone. But, I am a romance author and this is a blog centered around romance books, so my review is not for dear Jonathan’s book.

This review is for The Fall by Claudia Dain. 

What an astounding piece of work! Here’s the blurb…

England, 1165. Juliane: they call her Lady of Frost. Though she is beautiful beyond description, she turns men cold and they wither under her gaze. She was once married, but her husband could not rise to do his manly deed, and so the marriage was annulled. She has remained unmoved and untouched since that day.

Ulrich of Caen, a knight loose upon the Earth, searching for a place upon it, searching for a home and a wife with nothing but a name for seduction to bring to the marriage bond. It is not enough to win him a wife. Unless that wife be a woman who can turn aside all seductions and render a man empty of passion.

It is upon this ground they meet, one legend against another. Romance was a game to them, a subject of wagers and taunts, and nothing could come of it. He had no land to give a woman. She had no warmth to give a man.

But in their games of seduction and mockery, Juliane fears she is close to falling in love, and falling in love is the most dangerous thing a woman can do.

 

My thoughts.

It was such a unique read! Set in a medieval time period, Claudia Dane has written it so that every sentence, every description, every word sems ripped from history. One word to describe it? Immersive. Another word? Erotic. Throughout. Sometimes, a little overly so. I mean, it is a book about erections.

In all seriousness, it was such a good read, one that I finished in two days. Ulrich could be a little overbearing, but he was a true honorable knight at heart. Juliane was a new type of heroine, one who was protected by her legend and had no reason to fear any man in a time when that was what most women did. On that note…

Trigger warning: It might be a little spoiler-y and I do apologize, but I wish there had been some sort of warning for me. Yes, I would have still read the book, but it would have been nice to know beforehand. There is a rape scene. It is a little disturbing, not overly descriptive, but there it was. And, before anyone says anything, it did contribute to the plot and wasn’t just there for shock value. And, remember, this is a romance so there’s a happy ending!

Would I recommend it?

If you like erotic romance, the slower burn and then super steamy, melting kind, then yes!

The Donne Deal Cover Reveal

Right on the heels of The Depths of Time release, I’m here with more exciting news! The second book in the Unexpected Mergers series is here!

If you’ve kept up with me on my author and Amazon page, you would have already seen this (I’m a little behind). But, for those of you who are new to the party, I’m proud to announce The Donne Deal, book two in Unexpected Mergers!

The Donne Deal

Preorder October 12, General Release November 23

Home is where the heart is…

Kindall Armstead was content with her life in the heart of Manhattan. She had a successful career and a welcome lack of romance to muddle things up. So, when Texas cowboy Clint Donne walks into her life, it’s more than her client’s wedding that he crashes. Before she knows it, her one-time fling has turned into something far more dangerous, and Kindall now finds herself skipping a tropical vacation in favor of a heated Texas ranch in need of serious help.

With family drama, deep secrets and a suspicious local creating trouble for her, Kindall barely has time to plan the Donne's’ annual family festival, much less think about the complicated, messy feelings she has for a smooth cowboy with a crooked grin.

With much more at stake than just her heart, can this city girl go back to her roots—or will she shake the dust from her designer shoes and turn her back on the only place that is starting to feel like home?

I’m very excited for this release! It was by far the hardest book I’ve ever had to write, as contemporary and western romance is out of my comfort zone, but I think I made something amazing (if I do say so myself!). I hope you stick around to learn more, as I have some cool stuff planned for this one!

I know I said that last time, but between the new day job and moving into my forever home, life has really gotten away from me! But, thank you to everyone who’s stuck around through it all. I’m so lucky to have you all supporting me.

Love always,

Lori

The Depths of Time Cover Reveal

And now the moment we’ve been waiting for…

The team over at Pride Publishing really outdid themselves with this one! 

It’s surreal seeing this cover, knowing that this book is about to be released to the world. I never dreamed that I would be here, sharing something so important and special to me. I know I harped on about it in a previous post, but for those who weren’t there, I’ll say it again. Titanic is a subject near and dear to my heart. I’ve been obsessed with the ship and the tragedy for as long as I can remember (and the movie is my all-time favorite, the best ever made!) and have always wanted to tell a version of the story that was completely my own.

I did my best to get this one right and include characters you wouldn’t expect (and some you would).

Here’s the blurb:

Obsessed with Titanic from a young age, Lucas Thompson has spent his life studying the shipwreck and turning his passion into a career in marine archeology. But, on the one hundred year anniversary of the voyage, he’s drawn to the ship’s resting place by a strange sonar ripple that hurtles him back in time. Luke wakes in the year 1912 as a passenger on the grandest ship in the world.

It’s there that he meets Quinton Hawthorne, the man who sacrificed himself to save passengers during the sinking, including Luke’s great-grandmother. He also comes face-to-face with Lucinda Hughes, the very woman who raised him on her stories of the ship. With his inside knowledge of the impending disaster, Luke feels a responsibility to save everyone and develops a plan to save the doomed ship.

Things quickly fall apart as Luke begins to fall for Quinton, knowing that it can only end in heartbreak. Though he’s determined to save Quinton, he’s also faced with a dilemma – should he save the ship or allow destiny to play out on its own?

 

I couldn’t be prouder to have this book out there for you all to read and I hope you all fall in love with Quinton and Luke the way that I have! I’m going to be doing a lot of fun promo for this book, some live events and such, that I hope to see you attend, so keep an eye out for those dates. Thank you all for reading!

The Depths of Time will be available for preorder on July 27th and general release will be September 7th.

 

Quitting MillWordY

Hello, lovelies. This is a hard blog post to write and one that I’ve been thinking about for some time. In case you haven’t noticed, I am officially stopping MillWordY. For now.

When I first started, it was exciting. The prospect of somehow writing one million words in a year was an achievement that I wanted to claim. It progressed and I realized I would have to do a half MillWordY – disappointing, but not impossible, I thought.

But here’s what I’ve learned: Life doesn’t care about what you want to achieve. Life will get in the way and throw struggles at you until you’re sobbing because you haven’t had sleep in a week and you’re starting to hallucinate.

This is not to say that you should give up, not at all. But it is to say that you should learn your limits, push those limits, but not to the point that you break yourself in the process. I have learned that I don’t have the time or energy to write as much as I wanted to. Yes, that’s sad, but I still have time to write and that’s what’s important.

I’m going to keep writing, but I’m also going to make time for my family and friends and drawing and reading. I myself cannot handle the pressures that come with participating in MillWordY. This is me being very real with you all. And it is so difficult to post something like this that makes it seem like I give up easily.

In the future, I would love to give this another try. One day, when I’m more capable of handling it. As of this time, I’m not mentally or creatively where I need to be to do such a daunting challenge. I hope I haven’t disappointed anyone who was doing this challenge along with me.

And for those of you still trying for a million words, keep going! I’m here to cheer you on and I want each and every one of you to succeed! Let me know if you’re still going, where you’re at, and what it means to you. Everyone experiences this differently. I know one of my personal friends participating and she is blowing it out of the water!

Until next time, lovelies, keep writing.

Love always,

Lori Fayre

A Very 2021 Schedule

Where have I been this time? Oh, just THROWN FOR A LOOP, THAT’S WHERE! Seriously, if you could see the things I've been working on, you would be overwhelmed. And, fear not! For I am here to share it all with you! Well, not all, but most.

To start, I am writing the third book in the Unexpected Mergers series. Not a big deal, I’ve known what it would be from the beginning, I know what will happen, I just need to write it. But, add that to the other stuff, and it seems a little scarier than it is.

The Depths of Time has been announced for September this year! Yay! I love this book, it’s the one that I want to share the most, the one that has a deep meaning to me and tells a story that I think is important. Cool, right?

Well, I got my schedule for the second book in Unexpected Mergers (let’s call it Home for now). Home is set to release a couple of months after Depths, putting them on a similar editing and promotion schedule. The events are going to be cramped and you’re going to get tired of hearing from me in the near future.

Now, I’m not saying this to complain by any means. I’m excited for the challenge ahead and the planning that comes with it. It’s the sort of pressure I thrive under! Yes, it was scary when I first realized but I think I’ve gotten used to the idea.

No, the reason I’m telling you is because I want you to join me! I have a lot of events, some giveaways and freebies planned and I want you to be a part of it all! I’m working out the schedule, but rest assured you’ll be notified of everything as long as your following me on social media. It’ll be hectic and you might only be into one of the books, but please bear with me while I figure this out.

More information on Home and The Depths of Time will be coming your way soon!

 

Until next time, lovelies,

Lori Fayre

MillWordY Update for March 2021

So, I’ve been absent again. I’m planning more changes (I know I say that a lot, but these things do take time) and I’m working a strange schedule that leaves me little time. More on that later. Now, at the end of April, let’s look at some stats!

 

March Statistics

Project Monster: 60,545

Random Projects: 2,842

Total Words for February: 63,387

Total Words for Challenge: 353,714/600,000

A new personal best! Even though March was supposed to be a month off, I was a writing machine! When inspiration strikes, you have to take it.

 

March Goals

✔ Write Monster

✔ Take time to relax

 

April Goals

~ Edit next book

~ Outline new book

I was supposed to take a break. I was burnt out on my last post. I am not really sure what happened here, but I’m glad it did. I took a few days to myself, but after that, I was ready to go. I’m just glad it’s done and (without pushing myself) I plan to keep it going as long as I can.

 

Thank you all for sticking with me in this journey and I can’t wait to share even more stories with you!

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre

MillWordY Update for February 2021

 

I know this is a little late in the game, but I’ve been taking a bit of a break from social media and it’s been nice. I’m back now with my updated stats for MillWordY!

 

February Statistics

Project Home: 35,018

Random Projects: 2,559

Total Words for February: 37,577

Total Words for Challenge: 290,327/600,000

I would look at this as being a very successful month. I finished a rewrite and managed to get a lot of other tasks done. I’m also almost halfway through my MillWordY! Now, let’s see if I completed my goals…

 

February Goals

✔ Average 1k on writing days

✔ Finish FINAL rewrites of Cowboy (hopefully)

✔ Get Cowboy to betas

✔ Classified

Very successful! My first month succeeding at all  my goals since starting MillWordY!

 

March Goals

~ Write Monster

~ Take time to relax

I’m taking a bit of a break from writing. I had a horrible case of burnout after the past 3 months and need to refill my creative well. Monster is a shorter story that I’m working on bit by bit, just to keep in practice. I should be back to normal by April, at which points edits for my next book should start!

 

Thank you all for sticking with me in this journey and I can’t wait to share even more stories with you!

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre

Now Presenting...

I’m beyond thrilled to announce my next book! I will not be giving too much away in this blog post but, as it is the day of romance, I thought it would be a great time to let you all know that I will be releasing a new book later this year! Here's a little video I made to tease the release (I recommend headphones - the sound it pretty cool!)

 

As you can see, the title is The Depths of Time. Those of you who have been following me for a while will know it as Project Hawthorne. It is an erotic M/M (male/male) time travel romance and I think that’s all I’m going to say for now. I will add that it is based around something I am very passionate about and a lot of time, effort and love went into this book. I’ll be sharing more as the release grows closer, but just know that I am very excited to share it with you all!

 

And, for those of you wondering, it is NOT the second book in my Unexpected Mergers series. This is a standalone novel and I don’t see myself doing a series of time travel books (though it has been suggested).

 

Please let me know if you’re ready to learn more! I hope you all follow this journey as it promises to be a fun ride! 

Happy Valentine's Day, loves!

Lori

MillWordY Update for January 2021

What a start to the new year! Let’s get into the stats!

 

January Statistics

Project Cowboy: 53,193

Project Monster: 4,218

Project Home: 20,204

Random Projects: 1,633

Total Words for January: 79,248

Total Words for Challenge: 252,750/600,000

I rewrote Cowboy in December and sent it to beta readers in January. It’s too bad that the manuscript was crap and it had to be rewritten a THIRD TIME! I had to completely reoutline as well, so it’s an entirely new story. I am trying to get it done before the end of February so I can send it to beta readers before March. My deadline has been extended so hopefully I can get this out there soon! I will say that it has been the most productive month so far. I worked overtime to get it done and will be for some time to come. Let’s see how I did goal-wise…

 

January Goals

✔ Average 1k on writing days

✔ Get Cowboy to betas

✘ Write first draft of Monster

✘ Classified

The only thing I managed to do was get Cowboy out, after which I started rewriting again. I also managed to write everyday, but Monster has been put on hold. However, due to the insane word count for the month and unforeseen circumstances, I will give myself a pass. Let’s set some new goals.  Next month…

 

February Goals

~ Average 1k on writing days

~ Finish FINAL rewrites of Cowboy (hopefully)

~ Get Cowboy to betas (again)

~ Classified

I feel confident that I can complete these few tasks. Hopefully, my next update will be more exciting. Until then!

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre

The Alexander Proposal Live Q&A

Hello, lovelies! This week’s blog post is just to let you know that I will not have a blog post next week. Instead, I’m inviting you to a live Q&A on my YouTube channel. It will be a fun time to chat about my latest book and what the future holds. Come hang out with me!

 

Set a reminder here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq37E8_dOsM

Love always,

Lori Fayre

When You Fall Behind...

I think we’ve all been here. Whether it’s procrastination, laziness, or just life not allowing you time to do the things you need, we’ve all fallen behind on our tasks and goals. I know the beginning of a new year isn’t the best time to talk about this, but it needs to be discussed.

We’re only two weeks into 2021, but I’m about to fall behind. I’ve been very good so far about staying on track and on task, but this is one of those situations that comes out of nowhere and slaps you in the face.

I’ve recently sent my next novel, the second in my series that is on a strict deadline, to my beta readers. Even though I had everything planned, everything according to my schedule, I now find myself having to put everything on hold to (shudder) rewrite my book and still make the deadline.

Now, I know I’ll probably have to ask for an extension to actually get it done, but that’s okay. As long as I’m making sure that the content I put out for you guys is the best it can be, I’m happy. But it does throw me off in other areas, so I’ve been having to rework some things.

This blog post is not just me complaining about my situation. This is going to be me telling you how I am moving past this and still managing to stay on task. It can be so overwhelming playing catch-up, but never fear! We’ll get through this together!

The first step is to make a list. I am the queen of lists – I have one for everything. So, you have a lot on your plate? List every task out in no particular order. Just get it all down on the page and out of your head.

Step number two is to prioritize that list. To the side of each task, write out if any of them have deadlines or if they have to be completed that day. This will help you determine what has to be done immediately, and what can wait an hour or a few days.

Now you have a list of tasks that you can structure into a schedule. I also find it helpful to set my own deadlines on certain tasks, that way I don’t have something that stays on my to-do list for weeks at a time. It’s best to get it done while you can instead of putting it off.

And there you have it! I really hope that this is helpful. It’s how I do my scheduling, especially in times like these where I have multiple projects that I’m juggling at once.

 

Until next time,

Lori Fayre

MillWordY Update for December 2020

It’s a little late, but here it is. As a reminder, I’m now doing a half MillWordY (600k). Let’s get started!

 

December Statistics

Project Cowboy: 55,592

Project Monster: 3,842

Random Projects: 520

Total Words for December: 59,954

Total Words for Challenge: 173,502/600,000

I almost hit 60k this month! I ended up having to rewrite my entire first draft of Cowboy to fix it. I’m still working on it and have even more to do, but I also hope to really start on Monster soon. January is going to be interesting – I’m working on several secret projects this month and only one has to do with writing. But, I’m ahead of schedule, so I think taking it easy will be a good thing (though the stats won’t look that impressive).

 

December Goals

✘ Average 3k on writing days

✘ Edit Project Cowboy

✘ Stick to new social media schedule (including blogs)

✘ Take at least one day each week to relax

Okay. So, not great. I’m still trying to finish edits for Project Cowboy, but I did take time off for the holidays. I tried to average 3k every day, but I fell short on some days. I did beat my high score, though, and managed to hit over 7k in one day, which is a pretty good feat for me. Let’s look at my new goals.

 

January Goals

~ Average 1k on writing days

~ Get Cowboy to betas

~ Write first draft of Monster

~ Classified

Not many this go ‘round, but that’s okay. And you’re not allowed to know the last one yet! Until next time…

 

Love always,

Lori Fayre