Monthly Review

May 2023 Wrap-Up Post

Kara Jorgensen

A PSA before I start the post, KINSHIP AND KINDNESS is on sale for 99c at most retailers and in most countries until 6/11. Grab your $0.99 ebook copy or you can also pick up the audiobook or paperback here.

This has been a pretty good month for writing, but because it has been the end of the semester as well, my brain felt like mush for quite a bit of it. Fighting off burnout has been a large part of my life this month, so I have been trying to treat myself with a bit more compassion than I normally would and not beat myself up for not doing everything all the time. As a refresh, here were my goals for May:

  • Watch Sarra Cannon’s updated Publish and Thrive classes- at least 2-3 weeks
  • Read 8 books
  • Newsletter monthly/blog weekly
  • Keep messing around with Tiktok
  • Write 20,000-25,000 words for the month
  • Finish grading for the semester
  • Relax or do something fun, something to avoid an end of semester burnout/shutdown

Books

My goal was to read 8 books in May, and I read exactly 8 books.

  1. Dracula by Bram Stoker- 3 stars, a chonker of a book, and while the women are insufferably helpless at time, Jonathan’s forays into paprika usage and dealing with weird strangers are so funny.
  2. The Vampire: A New History by Nick Groom- 4 stars, an interesting nonfiction book on the social implications of vampires in the 18th and 19th centuries.
  3. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson- 3 stars, a lot less interesting and dark than I thought. Adaptations are far better.
  4. The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Cordova- 4 stars, I listened to the audiobook of this. While I enjoyed it, there were some things that bugged me, but if you’re into adult magical realism with a hint of the flavor of Encanto, definitely check it out.
  5. This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone- 5 stars, I got suckered in by Twitter and it did not disappoint. Epistolary, sapphic, and just so damn good.
  6. The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich by Deya Muniz- 4 stars, a super cute graphic novella with a sapphic story filled with cheese references and cute fashion.
  7. Marry Me by Midnight by Felicia Grossman- 4 stars, loved that this book is Jewish historical romance set in the 1830s in London, which isn’t usually where you see Jewish hist fic. This has a bit of a Cinderella-esque aspect with a lowly but lovely man and an heiress trying to secure her position.
  8. Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain- 4 stars, the audiobook is narrated by Bourdain, which just adds to his already strong voice. A gritty, fascinating look behind the curtain of the restaurant industry and Bourdain’s life.

Admin/Behind-the-Scenes

  • Finished grading all my classes’ stuff *cue the flaming Elmo gif*
  • Finished posting all the final grades for those students
  • Visited covid-conscious friends for dinner, which was lovely
  • Took Edgar back for his Lyme’s disease bloodwork recheck
  • Sent my cover designer (Crowglass Design) all my cover info for The Reanimator’s Soul
  • Started going through Sarra Cannon’s Publish and Thrive course again since she expanded it (I didn’t do as much as I wanted, but I started)
  • Entered The Reanimator’s Heart into the BBNYA competition (generally not a big competition person but why not)
  • Figured out a plot issue I was having with The Reanimator’s Soul
  • Continued to use my Tiktok for advertising, though I’m still feeling that out
  • Sent out my newsletter and
  • Managed to washi tape my mental health together enough to be functional

Blogs Posted

Writing

Overall, I wrote 16,000 words, most which I wrote after the semester ended and my students’ grades were turned in. Now, that may not sound like a huge number, but I was STRUGGLING before this. Like every word felt painful, and toward the end of the month, I managed to hit my stride with this story and hit the ground running. I think part of it was less stress and grading, but it was also because I unsnagged a plot point and things magically fell into place. I tend to struggle going forward when I don’t know where I’m supposed to be headed. Figuring that plot point out helped immensely in that regard. My hope is that now that it’s fixed and I have a general idea of where I’m headed for the rest of the book, this won’t be an issue. Also, because I don’t have to teach again until August, I should be (hypothetically) less stressed and have more brain power to devote to writing. If you want more specific writing updates, I’ve been posting writing updates every week or two on Tiktok where I sort of brain dump what I’ve been doing/working on.

Hopes for June

  • Blog weekly and send out my monthly newsletter
  • Write 25,000 words
  • Edit act 1 as a tidy up
  • Watch and take notes on more of Publish and Thrive 2.0
  • Enjoy my anniversary with my partner
  • Keep posting regularly on Tiktok
  • Maintain mental health by not overdoing it
Unknown's avatar

Published by Kara Jorgensen

Kara Jorgensen (they/them) is a queer, nonbinary oddball with a penchant for all things antiquated, morbid, or just plain strange. While in college, they realized they no longer wanted to be Victor Frankenstein but instead wanted to write like Mary Shelley and thus abandoned their future career in science for writing. They meld their passions through their books and received an MFA in Creative and Professional Writing in 2016. When not writing, they can be found hanging out with their dogs watching period dramas or trying to convince their students to cite their sources. To find out more about her books go to https://karajorgensen.com Sign-up for her newsletter and get a free short story: eepurl.com/bfJTW9

One thought on “May 2023 Wrap-Up Post”

  1. Pingback: June 2023 Wrap-Up Post – Kara Jorgensen

Leave a comment