Round-up & to-do list

I had a much better week last week. I knuckled down, kept track of where I was and how much I’d done, and just got on with things .

Here’s a reminder of last week’s list followed by how I did:

• write a blog post every day

YES! Every day last week I wrote a blog post. In fact, every week day since 7 March I’ve written a blog post. They’ve all been for this blog, they’ve all been about writing or books about writing. And most days the post I wrote on that day was published the following day, apart from on Wednesday. On Wednesday I wrote a blog post for Thursday and I also wrote a blog post for Friday as I was out all day on Thursday. Then on Friday, I wrote this one.

• write guest blog post for a friend

Not done this one yet, as of writing … and I can’t see me having time this week either, so I may have to defer it once again … but I may yet surprise us both and get an urge.

• haul out Catch the Rainbow

YES – well, of a fashion. I hauled it out, had a look at it, decided I need to read through it again to refresh my memory, and then put it back in the drawer … it will have to stay there for a week or two while I finish the history book.

• complete a new proofreading job for favourite client

I started  this, but I haven’t finished it yet. There are a few books in various stages of production and I was getting those back with extra amendments, author corrections and proofreader corrections, and I tried to keep on top of those and turn them around as soon as I could. There’s also another one come in, so that might be 2 proofreading jobs this week.

• start a new editing job for favourite client

YES! Well, I started it, but see above for the same excuse as why I didn’t get very far through it.

• scan the jobs board on a daily basis

YES! I’ve done this every day. (Apart from Thursday when I was out.) Then on Monday I pitched for 3 jobs, and on Wednesday I pitched for 2 jobs. One of the first 3 I didn’t get because I wasn’t in a position to turn it around straight away, but she’s a repeat client and promises to be back with another job soon.

• daily competitions

YES! (Apart from on Thursday …) I’ve been getting through these a lot quicker now I’m not checking those that expire within the next 7 days.

• daily online surveys

YES! But when the hour is up, I stop right where I am.

• daily videos

YES!

• check bank every day

YES! It’s often the first job of the day, before breakfast even. I’m going to bunch it in with the other hourlies from this week, though. (That’s all bunched together in one hour, not all allocated an hour each!)

• final visit to Cadbury

YES! I had my final visit to Cadbury on Thursday. I collected a disk with photographs they’re allowing me to use, and I photocopied information for a single chapter. Traffic was very bad going down there. I was on the M1 for 90 minutes when usually it’s just an hour. But coming back was much quicker and I was home for just after 5pm.

• plug the Cadbury gaps in the book

YES! and NO! As with Catch the Rainbow, I hauled it all out, printed off what I have, added all of my research material to date to it, and then put it all together in one job bundle. After Thursday’s visit, I have more research material to add to the bundle. I only had Friday last week to do more, and I’ve been busy doing other stuff. This one has carried over to this week.

• complete 2 daily polls every day

YES! (Apart from Thursday.)

• diary work

Not yet … I’ll do it next.

• weekly backup of the pc

Not yet … well, I’m doing it at the same time as writing this …

• weekly invoices/finances

YES!

Other work
Aside from all of the jobs above I managed to do, I’ve been working on book covers for the next two books: Diary of a Pussycat and 52 Books in 52 Weeks. The first one was finalised on Wednesday. The second one is still *in discussion* (with the business manager).

I’ve also added quite a few words to the next 4 books: 52 Books in 52 Weeks, Diary of a Non-Fiction Book, Business for Writers (new book!) and Diary of a Cool Cat (new book!). And I’ve lost a few words from the edit of Diary of a Pussycat. (One of these is a working title and may change. The other three are probably final.)

My target word-count for the whole of March was 22,000 words. At the time of writing, this was standing at 33,300 words. I am very happy with that.

I’ve also been updating the sidebar, updating word-counts, adding new projects, removing old ones, that kind of thing. Messing, generally.

This week I need to get on with the history book. I want to prioritise that every day before working on stuff for other people. That means this week’s to-do list looks like this:

• stitch everything together for the Cadbury book
• write a blog post every day
• complete 2 proofreading jobs for favourite client
• complete an editing job for favourite client
• scan the jobs board on a daily basis
• daily competitions
• daily online surveys
• daily videos
• check bank every day
• complete 2 daily polls every day
• diary work
• weekly backup of the pc
• weekly invoices/finances

Those highlighted in blue are bunched together and allocated just one hour a day between them, while those highlighted red are weekly jobs.  I also have a full week at my desk, so I hope to add even more to the output this week. Wish me luck!

What’s your to-do list looking like this week? Answers below, and thank you for reading.