What do I hope to write in 2019?

Well, I am hoping to write a lot more about what is going on in my life. I want arappleby.com to be even more personal, I want to start adding some photos rather than just keep it all on Instagram. I want to use social media still alongside the website but I want the website to be my home from home… or my diary away from diary. I want to share some of my best days on here.

I want to write more of the Dollhouse project, I know book 1 was a pretty big challenge as it was. But I want to continue working on it.

I want to crack open the big project too. I want to really start with new eyes. I want to pick apart the mountain and really plan it in a new way. I want to really get my teeth into that first draft and really see where and what needs to be changed. I want to really push that definition.

I want to remain true to myself as a writer and part of that means working on how I write and that means I want to create a ritual. So I think a half hour cut out of the day to first meditate and get myself into a place where dreaming is allowed in a big way as long as my fingers hit keys. Then the second part of that half hour should be working on a plan for the day. What I want to set my word count at realistically. What is going to really help me write with focus. That means in that second fifteen minutes the computer is running, the playlist is pulled up to listen to. The work log spreadsheet is pulled up and minor updates are made. The next part of that ritual starts with a small warm up piece, maybe something minor if I have time and inspiration. If not, I start on whatever large task is on my list I am finding that approach is working best for me at the moment so I want to continue that.

I am hoping to add a third project into the mix as well as the dollhouse and the big project. I would like a small on the fly easy to write kind of project that has no real plans. That is how The Diary of Elliot Parker came about. It was always on the fly with no plot or plan. It was a fun piece to write. I am ready to have a new for fun writing project. I already really enjoy those big set projects but a place to exercise whim is something I am looking forward to… maybe something that’s not in the realms of fantasy like the others, something that hasn’t got vampires or magic or angels or demons or dragons or whatever. I would like to practice something I don’t do. Not historical though. I don’t much like the idea of playing with people I don’t know that actually existed in the real world. I tend to like being inspired by people I do know as characters or people I don’t know that I have never met or will ever meet that don’t exist in the real world.

The 2018 Project

THE FINAL 2018 Project post!

That’s right it is the end of the year so what did I do? 10 out of 7 GOALS COMPLETED !!!

2. Write the diary of Elliot Parker (4)

Well I did it. The Diary of Elliot Parker is officially over. It was the end of an era.

7. See a West End Show

We saw the Phantom of the Opera, twice!

8. Complete at least one of the tattoos

I got the cover up done on my arm 😀

9. Improve on last years site views

It happened 😀

10. Keep learning guitar

Slow progress but I am still learning, its fun and hard work all at once.

17. Keep doing daily positive aspects

It has been a challenge at time but I have managed to write three things every single day. It’s helped especially in the harder times this year where being positive felt like the hardest thing to achieve.

18. Complete at least one minor savings goal

Well I did it more than once, and then used it but I technically completed the minor savings goal.

19. Have Christmas wrapped up before October 31st

I managed that, got horrified looks from people but I did manage to get Christmas sorted early so it wasn’t horrific during the Christmas  period.

23. Begin writing the next big project for the site

That was a tough start, its been a slow gentle start. I hope I will get the motivation going to finish it but at the moment I’ve been progressively procrastinating around the Christmas season but hopefully the New Year will bring some discipline my way.

24. Enjoy 2018 as much as possible, be happy at every chance!

I have, it has been an incredible year with some really incredible memories, I am so lucky to be able to say that I made the most of 2018 in an emotional sense, really focusing on enjoying the moment. I know I haven’t been writing as much but I have been making the most of the happiness this year. I think next year will be the year of happiness and discipline regarding writing and being organised.

24/7 Goals:

  1. Do Nanowrimo
  2. Write The Diary of Elliot Parker (4)
  3. Draft up book 2 of The Big Project
  4. Re-edit book 1 of The Big Project
  5. Edit book 2 of The Big Project
  6. Learn to drive
  7. See a West End show
  8. Complete at least one of the tattoos
  9. Improve on last year’s site views
  10. Keep learning guitar
  11. Create and keep a manageable writing schedule
  12. Look for/find an agent for The Big Project
  13. Finish the cable knit jumper
  14. Start and finish a cross stitch project
  15. Win the lotto jackpot
  16. Keep growing hair out
  17. Keep doing daily positive aspects
  18. Complete at least one minor savings goal
  19. Have Christmas wrapped up before October 31st
  20. Read around 12 books at least over the year for fun…
  21. Be more time efficient, come up with a better schedule.
  22. Fit into the blue dress again and go somewhere to celebrate it
  23. Begin writing the next big project for the site
  24. Enjoy 2018 as much as possible, be happy at every chance!!!!

10/7 goals complete!

Author Update (December 2018)

Yay December is done! (ish)

I hope you all had a great Christmas! It was a bit chaotic, but I think over all, I couldn’t be happier, going into 2019 is something I am looking forward to right now.

So I haven’t done much writing or knitting. Things at work have been a bit manic but that’s not unusual but I am really tired from working with the Christmas rush. I am looking for a little time off. But I am sure I will find many excuses for time not spent writing but I am hoping to write more this year, rather than keep in this little old routine of not doing much. I want to write more. So I am going to be trying to find a way to manage my time much better.

The heating got fixed! Yay! It only took a damn month! But we got there in the end.

December was chaotic even though everything got rapped up early, there were family dinners and lots of work. Running around had me too exhausted to do very much.

I cant wait to see what next year will bring. Time for some adventures.

So Darling Daughters is OUT NOW , so for those of you wanting to get your hands on the ending… here is the link for Darling Daughters!  OUT NOW!

The Diary of Elliot Parker  Ninety-One to One hundred and Twenty!  OUT NOW!!!

Or if you want the whole collection in one neat and tidy book, here is the link for the Complete Collection! OUT NOW!!!!! 

Nothing changes here in terms of throwing plugs in for my amazon books on my author page… I haven’t lost my hope just yet.

May luck and adventure be on your side!

ARA

xxx

What am I looking forward to in 2019?

I hope you’ve had a brilliant Christmas, but I am really getting excited about the New Year.

Well, obviously spending lots more time with D. I’m looking forward to writing some more… Whether that is working on the big project which I barely touched after finishing it, or working more on the Dollhouse project. I love both but I don’t mind which takes priority for the year right now.

I am looking forward to continuing the work on the law of attraction stuff I started doing in the middle of 2018, it really got me focused on what I want and where I am going. I think that was a big help and a great drive to push forward more with the things that made me happiest.

I am hoping to spend some more time with the family, and I am looking forward to experiencing some new events. I am looking forward to my 28th birthday, hopefully a smaller affair this year. Hopefully, but still as fun.

I am hoping to go on a trip to Brighton again this coming year. I want to go and see a west end show. I want to do something, like go out on Halloween like I have done the last couple of years, 2018 was The Phantom of the Opera (for the second time this year) with D. Last year, 2017 it was Wicked with D and H and in 2016 it was Wicked with C.

I am looking forward to reading new books and writing some more. I am looking forward to making some time for myself. I am hoping to do something strange and new, I wouldn’t mind trying to climb the O2 as well… 2019 looks to be full of so many opportunities.

Thinking about next year

It’s coming up to that time where I start to think a bit more about what I want to try to do next year. I think a large part of that is going to be how I spend my time.

I think the one major thing I need to really think about is motivation and will power. This year has shown me that without driving myself hard enough and just coming out of a routine and being selfish with time set aside for a dedicated purpose I won’t do it. Writing is the biggest example. If I don’t “feel like it” I have stopped doing it, and laziness and procrastinating doing other things has taken over. I don’t want to repeat that next year.

A large part of my year next year is going to be dedicating time.

This year after some time off sick in the summer and seeing how that affects my wages I am looking at a new way of budgeting… It’s like a tiered approach divided into priorities. So far looking at it this way has really helped how I view my finances and the knock on effect. It feels less stressful, although there is always more month than money, I am getting better at not spending it all… almost. This year I learned how to save a little bit better.

With next year on the fast approach I am going to have to start making some tough decisions. I think learning some self control and remaining motivated will be the biggest personal challenge I can possibly give myself.