As promised two weeks ago, today we are going to be talking about my writing projects! January’s writing projects, specifically, as I have way too many WIP’s to talk about them all in one post… Even my own brain would implode at the sight of that, let me tell ya.
So today, we are launching a brand new series–On The Writing Desk–the monthly update in which I divulge all (or very little) information on my current projects for the month ahead. At the end of the month, we’ll take a look back and see how we did in comparison with the month’s actual goal. And hopefully by the end of the year I’ll have a much more finely tuned scope of what an accurate and attainable writing goal will look like.
So without further ado, let’s get into the projects of January 2024!
ON THE WRITING DESK: JANUARY, 2024
The writing desk is packed this month, friends. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but when the surface area of your (albeit mental) workspace is filled to the brim with stories you’ve been neglecting for *cough* years *cough*, you have to take a good long look at your life up to this point and wonder “where did I go wrong?” And then, from deep within the blackened abyss of the void, the answer comes forth, ringing true in the silence.
“pRoCrAsTiNaTiOn!”
Ahem. So today we are making a pact with each other to finish our books! Or at least to write a lot of stories. And by making a pact I mean I’m making a pact with myself. And also my friend Phoebe, but we’ll get into that later.
First thing’s first: the projects.
01. THE CURSE OF THE GOBLIN KING
Our first project–THE CURSE OF THE GOBLIN KING–comes to us hot off the press from our NaNoWriMo 2023 challenge. And by hot off the press, I mean cold and limp off the trampoline because we done failed that challenge, amiright?
Anyway.
I’m especially excited about this book because it’s technically half-rewrite, half-first draft. As with all things I write, it’s a monster conglomeration of randomness and beauty. It also includes a pumpkin farmer, a talking tulip, three triplet boys with various stolen appendages, and–if I’m lucky–a rogue dragon.
02. PROJECT SUNSET
Ah. My ornery book teenager. If you followed along with this book’s origin story over on my old blog, Smudged Thoughts, you might remember some character interviews, story snippets, and other random factoids about this little bugger.
Today, in the name of keeping things concise, I will recount none of that. (I will, however, leave the link posted in case you would like to do a deep dive, yourself.) But I will say that this book took a bit of a backburner in November while I struggled to identify whether or not I was truly comfortable writing my villain’s origin story… He’s a sad little bloke, my friends. He’s got *problems*.
Other fun things to look forward about this book include but are not limited to:
- found families
- angry old people
- smol bean main character
- accidental kidnappings
- b i r d s
- a love story 40 years in the making
I’m incredibly excited about this project. Do I want to jump to conclusions? No. Is it probably my favorite book I’ve ever written and potentially the novel I debut with? Maaaaayyybeeeee. Yes.
03. SHARED PROJECTS
Alongside my own works, I’m helping some friends with their books this month, too! Which is simultaneously exciting and terrifying. (we’re entering the “Newbie Editor” phase. Someone stab me with a spoon.)
I’m currently working on 1-2 projects–one is on and off, the other is more permanent–and juggling those while also prioritizing my own stuff has become a very good boundary-building exercise. It’s great because I’m learning all the fun stuff about being an editor. It’s not so great because I hate conflict and also don’t typically prioritize my own projects over others, which means I get burned out easier. #lifelessons
We’re stretching like taffy this month, peasants.
THE DEAL
So back to that thing I mentioned about my friend, Phoebe. She and I have made a deal–a pact of sorts–in which we’ve created a virtual Money Jar for my writing goals. Every week, I have a goal that I’m determined to hit. Every week, I send her $5. By the end of the month, if I’ve completed my overall goal, I get the money back and can either put it back in my savings or spend it on a little reward for myself. (most likely in the form of a used bookstore trip.) If I don’t complete my goal… Well, I’m not entirely sure what happens. Phoebe apparently had a clever idea but deemed it not necessary to tell me. So here I sit, scared out of my wits for what her disastrous brain could conjure up… and also extremely excited and motivated to hit my goals.
Will this process work for everyone? Nope! But I do better with a stick than a carrot, and Phoebe does better giving carrots than sticks. So this is what we’ve come up with for the time being, and this is what we’re sticking with until one or both of us cries.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I must go hit my target word count for today lest I end up losing the $5 I sent to Phoebe on Monday…
talk to me, peasants!
what projects are you working on this month? // do you have word goals by the week, month, year? // what is your favorite story you’ve ever written?
Mackenzie K. Writes 
Talk To Me, Peasants!