The Weekly R.A.P #11
Writing Goals Check-In for August 6, 2023
Reminder: The Weekly RAP is a gentle tool for staying accountable to your writing goals. If you set a goal with us in the comments of last week’s newsletter, check in about how it went by adding a comment! If you’re just joining us this week, ignore the first two questions of the RAP sheet and just set a goal for next week.
We enter the final month of the 100 Days of Summer with 71 days behind us and 29 days ahead. I don’t know about you, but the final third of a big push is always a bit weird for me. On the one hand the current goal is often in full swing—and by full swing I mean in hyper drive as I scramble to identify the finish lines that are most important for me to reach—but a part of my heart is looking at the next big goal—in this case, the next hundred days.
The Weekly RAP may be about taking stock of the week that was, but this week’s RAP is also a friendly reminder to start looking ahead to the goals that will be come fall. The kindest and gentlest way to start considering next steps is to keep a running list of the projects and goals regularly crossing your mind so that you don’t get to the end of this 100 days without at least an idea about next steps—diving into the revision is at the top of my priority list,1 but I’m also dithering about whether taking a novel workshop would support my revision or slow it down. Not that I’ve mentioned dithering, though, I suppose I should come clean about all the dithering I’m doing about whether to continue these accountability check-ins this fall.
Are HIBOU readers even interested in continuing with these weekly RAPs?
Would you prefer monthly RAPs?
Given the number of subscribers I lose every week I post a RAP, I’m thinking maybe it makes more sense to do these RAPs as a chat rather than a full post—what do you all think?
But I’m getting ahead of myself—literally—because this weekly RAP is about checking in on the week we’ve had, so how did this week go for you?
THE WEEKLY R.A.P #11 — August 6, 2023
RECKONING—If you set a writing goal in the comment section of HIBOU’s July 30th post for The Weekly RAP #10,2 did you achieve your goal? Yes? No? Partially?
ANALYSIS–What went well this week? What was a challenge? What insights did you learn about your writing this week? Looking ahead to next week, can you repeat what went well? If the coming week has similar challenges to last week, how might you adjust your writing schedule or your goal? Are there any new challenges to take into account this week?
PLAN–What is your writing goal for the coming week (8/6 - 8/13)? What’s your plan to get it done? How will you reward yourself for the work you complete? A friendly reminder that smart goals are (s)pecific, (m)easurable, (a)chievable, (r)ealistic, and (t)ime-bound.3
Copy and paste the template above into the comments, replace the questions with your answers, then hit post and check out what other HIBOU subscribers are up to and cheer them on!4
Remember to be kind to yourself if you didn’t make your goal!
Today is the start of a fresh, new week!
Please note the way I assume that I will, in fact, finish the current draft by September 4th.
Click the link if you need to refresh your memory!
For example, while GET TO WORK BECAUSE THERE ARE ONLY 29 DAYS LEFT may capture your final month urgency perfectly, a smart goal makes the action more concrete: By August 13, I will work on this chapter every morning for an hour.
Because this is about us not me, my full weekly RAP response is posted in the comments.
CATHY'S WEEKLY R.A.P— July 30, 2023
RECKONING—Finished a draft of chapter 28.
ANALYSIS–This chapter hasn't been fun--this chapter functions as a reaction moment and a bridge to the climax , which makes for a squirrely bit of writing, but I pushed through and finished it yesterday...and then promptly deflated when I read it over and hated it. This morning I read it over again and hated it still, but I also could see how I was lollygagging. I sketched out a revision that would cut several scenes out and get us to the the emotional heart of the ending faster, which means I need to rewrite the chapter. Some part of me is trying to convince me to move on, but--if you'll permit me a volleyball analogy (god, I miss volleyball))--this chapter is like tossing the ball before the serve of the final chapter. If the toss is off, the ball will go long or into the net and what's the point of coming all this way to blow the game on a serve.
PLAN–(8/6- 8/13)- Revise chapter 28 and do a draft of chapter 29 and the epilogue. Is that realistic? Probably not given I've got a shit ton going on this week, but I'm also aware that I will likely want to revise the draft so I'm going to push to get the draft on paper.
EQ's Weekly Rap - July 30
(I'm new to your RAP, but I'm very excited to get going! I'll give this week a try.)
RECKONING—Free write, research, booked a research trip
ANALYSIS–Lately, I've enjoyed the freedom of organic freewriting and intuitively following where the story is leading. I've found the characters are deepening and the scenes are becoming richer. At this point, it's time to move to a more structured writing practice in this WIP, so that I don't go down unnecessary rabbit holes.
PLAN–(8/6- 8/13) Revise beat sheet for Act 1, 2, 3. Set goal dates for 1st draft completion.