lynn d. jung

Welcome to a new segment of this blog! In Monthly Updates, I’ll be chatting about my projects-in-progress, goals, and sources of inspiration for the month while also sharing writing advice and the like. (Never let it be said that I do not contribute to the collective.) Think a newsletter, but made by someone who does not know how to make newsletters and, at this point, is too afraid to ask.

This month, we’ll be talking about how to get writing done when you’ve got a lot going on, my goals for February, and some of my favourite things from January. (Wow, that’s a lot!)

writing tips for busy people

I’ve recently committed myself to a project again, after a good long while of being a bachelor and ‘dating around’ with various ideas. My goal is to finish the fourth draft of my Korean-inspired high fantasy before spring quarter begins, but between work and school, I’m finding it frustratingly difficult to find writing time. Here are a few things that have helped me this month:

1. Prioritize. Frankly, I want to write all the time, even if it means skipping classes (or going and just not paying attention, which is not much better). But school is important, too, as well as my various extracurriculars. Shirking these duties doesn’t do anything but hurt me in the long run.
2. At this same time, approach writing like work. I’ve viewed writing as a hobby, but I do have a bad tendency to write only when the mood strikes. Treat the task like work, something you have to get done each day while still being fun and creative.
3. To-do lists are everything. I think most people enjoy the feeling of being productive. Writing myself a short to-do list every morning and erasing all my accomplished tasks every night has actually been a key motivator. I just jot it down on a Sticky on my desktop so it’s always there.
4. Exhaustion is the enemy. I have plenty of hours in the day, but I’m only at full capacity for maybe four or five of them. (Less, if I’m pulling a full shift at work or doing an 8 AM lab session.) In all honesty, combating this is still a work in progress for me. I’m primarily focused on getting my sleep schedule in order and eating right—I tend to skip meals on busy days, which means less energy and a bigger meal–> nap later.

february goals

1. Reach 70,000 words on this draft of ATTCTD. This month, I met my general goal to write 20,000 words a month. However, I’m about done with Act I of the book, which is where most of my major changes take place. The majority of Act II has remained intact, so I’ll probably just be able to take big chunks from my previous drafts and tweak them slightly, allowing me to reach word count goals faster. Is this cheating? Maybe, but /shrug. My final goal rests somewhere between 85k and 90k, so if all goes according to plan I’ll be revising based on reader feedback over spring break.  [Big shout out to everyone who’s been helping me out by beta reading some of the early chapters! You’re all amazing, and your feedback and memes? Priceless.]
2. Study for my midterms in advance. February is midterm month, so I’ll have to kick my ass into gear. I’ve been keeping on top of assignments with my handy-dandy planner, but I aim to be more proactive about studying for exams.
3. Use this space more consistently. I recently sat down and brainstormed a bunch of ideas for posts about writing, publishing, and all that jazz. I’m actually really excited to start bringing new content to this blog! My goal is to post once every two weeks.

january media

this month, i read

SCYTHE by Neal Shusterman
⭑⭑⭑⭑½
Mate. This book is WILD. Introducing Citra and Rowan as co-apprentices with tepid romantic tension had me wary at first, but then the plot tips into an entirely different direction very quickly—I love early game-changing twists that take the characters you’ve become familiar with and challenge them in drastic ways. By the end, both characters are completely different people, but the development for both of them makes perfect sense.

TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard
⭑⭑⭑½
So this is extremely fun and quick-paced, but worldbuilding and plot had me lost at times. Strong female friendships where the women are entirely platonically enamoured with one another is something I feel like I’ve been lacking in my work, and reading TRUTHWITCH inspired to focus more on these types of relationships. In short, this was the type of fun, lovable popcorn fantasy I wish shows like The Witcher would take more cues from.

this month, i watched

Knives Out dir. by Rian Johnson [x2]
⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑
Definitely one of the best and most refreshing movies I’ve seen in a long while. I went in with zero expectations and have been making all my friends watch it ever since. Rian Johnson’s script is a literal masterclass in intentional, well-thought out storytelling. The attention to detail here is incredible, it’s atmospheric as hell, and the large cast never feels busy or overdone.

Killing Eve, Season 2
⭑⭑⭑⭑
Killing Eve is still some of the most engaging dramatic television out there right now, but with this season I definitely felt the lack of Phoebe Waller-Bridge… ness. Certain major shifts in plot and focus feel unearned, and this season almost seemed to lack purpose. [Demonstrated most obviously by a fascinating potential villain being under-utilized and discarded for??? no reason???] Motivations are starting to become tangled and messy, but the two leads and their intoxicatingly toxic relationship have my whole ass heart.

That’s it for this month’s wrap-up! Keep an eye out for some writing-related content in the future (Hint: it has to do with eighth grade book reports). Other than that, I’ll be back with another update next month!

xx

twitter: @sweater_giraffe
instagram: @lynndjung