8 Day Challenge (Day #1): A Retrospective

About to hit the ground running, so wish me luck!!

I set up plans for each month as part of what you may incorrectly equate to my New Year's Resolution. As a matter of what, I have left that at the wayside, because no goal is less than the sum of its parts come its resolution.

For January it was my comics, and I have made very very good progress on those. I invested in a sole Photoshop plan this time around, and made a lot out of it. (In fact, I got a free month when I tried to leave, so now I can finish them up and have something to contribute to

February: the month of my book(s).

Because of the taxing that editing has put upon my, I put it behind me once more some time back. Now, with one month of real success behind me in maintaining a dedication to what needed to be done (for me), I am going to rise above complacency once again, and will come out stronger on the other side (along with my work--my creative portfolio--my means of advancement in the world--of course).

It is 12:22 PM. I'll add to this in a bit. \m/, B']

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It is 10:18 AM on Monday, February 10th, 2025. Just after submitting my story to Vocal under The Challenge: My Submission To My Mom's & My Competition (and consequently having it published before I could even go back and copy that title here!!!), I have re-discovered this draft, which I began the first day of the Challenge, last Sunday, lmao.

To be completely honest, I had no intentions of actually doing a follow-up to it, but I figured that I already started this here, so I may as well at least try to fill it out to "completion".

( Here is the direct link to the story: https://shopping-feedback.today/writers/the-challenge-2abu70ieb )

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So here goes.

It would probably be beneficial to add in some background here: namely that, starting with December 30th or so, if memory serves me correctly, I got a jump on a resolution for my New Year in allotting each month to a particular purpose. In the case of January, it was getting my comics moving and as finished as I could get them. And now, in February, it is getting my first book edited and moving again.

I made a point to mention that because, in a way, her initiating this Challenge served to support my own need to get my book finally, finally published (I already did on B&N in the past, but took it down, as it still felt incomplete in light of itself and the ones to succeed it). I have been struggling with moving on it for some time (at least a year) because of how daunting the whole editing process is. Of course, it didn't help things that I fell in love with Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's Pendergast series and was influenced by their writing style (probably Child's editing, anyway), which added a new wrinkle to my editing attempt. Needless to say, this final edit through my book is the fourth or fifth run through probably.

I wanted to release all four pieces as one, but will not, not, NOT do that. I will add some cool supplements to Book #1, but aside from that, I need to get the damn thing out there and work from there. A little research will be necessary to tighten up the facts where necessary (I won't say concerning what, for sake of spoiling anything), and then it will hopefully be over and done with. (At least until the revised edition comes out!!)

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Well, as my computer is about to die, and I don't yet feel like plugging it in, I will leave it as so. Again, this was practice in making an effort to tie up (in a bow) a loose end, all part of the journey to success and the power of context and integrity. So, until next time:

This has been your host:

Z