Anna Aden Writes

2026 Goals Monthly Update I've decided to do it this was so I can monitor the progress under the heading and move on. I was wondering if I should write about the projects separately rather than a huge review. I need a way of organising this.  My Master Goal Lists:  https://dabwrites.blogspot.com/p/2026-goals-projects.html I'm trying out this format to see if it works so shall be using these headings if they apply. STATUS : Goal is set but action has not begun. On Track / In Progress: Active, moving toward the goal on schedule. RISKS - At Risk / Behind: Experiencing delays or obstacles. KEY RESULTS/MILESTONES: Sub-tasks required. BLOCKED : Cannot proceed due to dependencies. COMPLETED/DONE : Goal achieved. PAUSED : Temporarily stopped. Project #1: Finish book 2 in my main series-in-progress  STATUS : Ongoing.  This story is made up of five parts and I've completed part one which is called Strangers To Friends. Here I needed to add two secondary o...

Thanks for dropping by and taking the time to read this. This post is going to be about my upcoming black love and African American contemporary romance release, which I think tentatively will be late this year or early 2024. It will be a six-part serialised novel, and I'll reveal the date nearer the time. It has been five years since my last black love romance novel. I have two novellas published on Amazon, and I'm  pleased to finally say, I'm about to publish again. It's been a long time.  I planned to release this book in February 2019, but after a long writer's block and other things, it had taken me this long to complete it.  If you follow this blog on and off, I've spoken about it a lot over the years. I'm thinking maybe I should relabel those blog posts as a series of how it developed.  The Story Description The names have changed well from Angelica to Pippa but it's fine.  Everyone wants someone special but PIPPA MILLER thinks not her. She...

I'm working on a pre-release campaign and it isn't going how I'd like it. However if you have being reading me on and off, you'll know I've been writing some novels-in-progress for the longest times!  I stopped writing about it because it just got EMBARRASSING especially when I planned to release this book in 2019. Yes, five years ago! But it's nearly there.  Leyton & Pippa The heroine started off being called Angelica but I kept on misspelling it so I changed it to Pippa. If you look under the label Angelica & Leyton a lot will come up.  Anyway I'm exciting to say, I'm getting reading for publication soon.  Its going to be a six-part serialised instalment, and I'll have details nearer the time.  Maybe A Six Months Countdown I'm planning between three to six months, however when the details are clear, I'll write a post. I'm also doing an extended blog posts on another blog but I'll keep it short and simple here. 

 Novel-In-Progress & Writer's Block I'm now writing the final 25% part of the novel-in-progress draft. I've done one outline and why I thought it would be easy escapes me when this process has nearly taken me two years to get here. Actually, nearly two and half if you count the dithering about.  And a small fortune if you think of the editing courses, from Holly Lisle's  Edit Your Novel, Faber Academy's version of Edit Your Novel and finally Jericho's Writer's version of  Edit Your Novel. I guess I was looking for a simple solution and in the end I had to to what I was avoiding, and rewrite the story from scratch, and this I started in January 2020.  It was my mother who suggested, I actually had writer's block with this novel, and I agreed. I realised that during the Faber Academy course but I'd always wanted to go on the Jericho Writer's one so I signed up.  Writing though writing block has been a tough and boring and tedious process. Howev...

Hello everyone, Not much happening apart from still working at home. Apple Store Covent Garden Went to Covent Garden and it's empty. Nobody, like probably about twenty people walking down Neal Streets, when before there used to be hundreds of people rushing up and down, in and out of shops. It felt like an early morning Saturday before the shops opened though it was Friday midday. I got to the Apple shop and they are very serious about the CoVID 19 protection. First they request you sanitise your hands, like they are serious, as in actually asking you. Most shops or stores just have a sign. After which they take your temperature... Yes, they have one of those high tech air thermometers, once you are given the all clear, you are allowed into the store.  Then you sit down while they get the stuff for you, so no loitering and browsing in the store touching stuff and getting free internet for the fun of it. Nope, Apple is highly organised. Got what I needed and was soon on my merry way...

Hello everyone, I hope everyone is well and keeping safe and taking care in these times. I'm still working from home and it's been hard. But not as hard as things happening around the globe in terms of people losing their lives, families and livelihood. Then there has been all the civil unrest, protests and general mayhem.  It's been tough for everyone. It's been difficult to think about what to write about. For me' life has generally just being staying at home, working from home. There has been limited movements so that has been a huge adjustment. I've visited Big Momma, regularly. And seen Sis - great news on that side is that Sis now has Baby. Novels-in-progress update  I have ten novels in the pipeline, and I'm rather sheepish about it because I thought my current novel-in-progress would be published by now. It was supposed to be released in Feb 2019 and is nearly a year and a half ago. I'm still in the writing it, so not sure when. However I other b...

It's been a busy and tiring week so nothing much has happened. I've just being going to work and coming home. Literally that. I've even cut down my walking because I've been so tired after work.  It's more or less the one of the busy seasons of my job.  August Writing Report There is nothing writerly about the image but I thought it was nice. It was taken on Parliament Hill about a week ago, and it shows a misty view of the London skyline. Let's talk writing... I seem to be treading water and my book still isn't coming together so I'm thinking of a 2020 release date. It's a hard one to say why because the big picture works well, and I even took Holly Lisle's How To Edit Your Novel course but it didn't do what I thought it would. I've also tried using my old editing notes and 'how to write' books but I've got overwhelmed with the different approaches to the same thing. Also as I said, funny enough it all works ...

Planning my Blog Inspired by my writing friend, Raven Black , I'm thinking of planning my blog.  Check out her blog . Not sure because I'm not a planner. I purposely chose a career where I needed to do little planning. Planning makes me feel constricted but it does have it's benefits. But where do I start? Normally when I plan, I either get stuck in the planning stages or by the time I'm completely I lose interest. No harm in trying. She said it took her a week to plan her blog. I guess my biggest takeaway from reading Raven's blog was finding out my goal. Her was to improve her social media presence by being consistent, and it has worked. I tend to flirt with social media - that includes blogging. The benefit of this is having a more rounded blog....not just me moaning about  writing or colds or editing.  I guess my biggest goal would be to promote my writing but I don't think blogging does that. However I do have different creative outlets - dr...

Stressed: Facing the truth about editing Photo by  Nathan Cowley  from  Pexels I finally accepted my editing was going nowhere. I was slow and I could not see the end of it. I just didn't know how to approach it - I had no structure. Sure, I've completed the first Act but I still wasn't sure how to measure. I was at the end of my titter. At the end. Stressed, overeating and frustrated. I just couldn't get it together so I decided needed to take action. I also wanted to complete the book by a certain time  so I could publish and make good an implicit promise to my readers. Desperation: The search for a writing and editing course Photo by  Nick Demou  from  Pexels In desperation, I went looking for a course. I had done an editing course before -  Online Edit and Pitch your novel - from Curtis Brown Creative but to be honest I found the editing part to be an money grab. It's worth doing for the Pitching part but the Editing part you c...

Writing  Let's talk about writing. I've finally managed write a short story for Angelia and Leyton. This story will explain there reason why Leyton is in the situation he is.  Maybe a few spoilers? Note sure. However the rough draft and outline is written and ready.  I need to do the same for other stories.  Annoying Internet Marketing Person Photo by  freestocks.org  from  Pexels There is an annoying internet marketing brat who keeps on appearing on all my social media ads - gosh that is all youtube feed me. I'd like some variation. You know because I've been researching marketing for my novel. You know the kind of internet marketeers that promise stupid returns if you do a course with them for a stupid amount of money, they will reveal all the secrets to facebook and youtube ads - maybe, I guess there is always a hand full of people who will be successful. However his company accounts returns doesn't reveal he d...

So rather than bang on about how I'm not writing or suffering from writer's block I shall be reviewing my goals. SHORT 2018 REVIEW I published two novellas on Amazon I lost 6kg which is about 13 pounds I organised decluttered my clothes and books, and organised my wardrobe and bookshelves I went on a weekend break with  Momma G I had a stressful holiday in Spain - normally I'm recovering from over-work.  2019 GOALS Get a new role - this is urgent and top priority  Publish Leyton and Angelica's story Do at least three CPD - for career development - I was a bit lax last year because my employer supplied them. romance? Maybe. We'll see. I had one in 2017 - not so good. But maybe again. Lose another 5-6kg so about 13-15lb. I'm currently 79kg which is roughly about 174 pounds. So I'm looking at becoming about 160 pounds. Revise all my creative writing courses exercises & grammar If I'm good, maybe treat myself with another writing cou...

Instead of closing the blog, I've decided to focus this blog on my writing and self-publishing experiment. I had this massive plan to self-publish my novel then after going on a editing & pitching course with Curtis Brown Creative school, I decided to query. So before starting go query,  I gave the novel to another reader who wasn't too sure of the commercial market fit. So then I decided to go back to self-publishing. HOWEVER...I didn't really know how to approach it. My story just seemed too big in terms of cost. It would have cost about $1,000 upwards to publish - considering the word count and editorial support. However Scribophile the writing site had a Q&A by a self-publishing expert, David Kadavy, https://kadavy.net/ who suggested it was best to start small and big towards the goal. At least to learn lessons along the way until one is comfortable. So I did that.  IT AN EYE OPENER! So even though I was keeping an eye on costs, I still spend a lot mor...

Dear Blog reading Family and Friends, Awful week last week. Really awful. So I had a good thing about going forward. I had to reflect and came to the conclusion that I had to think long term about what I wanted to do. Now I'm not a longer term thinker but at time I need to. I hit a certain age and just started living in the now. But fuck me, last week was hell. I've decided to try thing writing gig and see where it goes. Like when I started in my career I was full of ideas, and innovation but in real life people expect you tow the line. Dance to the piper's tune.  Jump to the puppet master's string. Folks expect you to fall into line and do as you as told. Fine. I can do that but at that point a career becomes a job. Self publishing business plan.  I'm drafting up a self-publishing business plan, which is just a rough draft. I've got a rough three-five year plan. This year is just the base year, where I'm setting up. In Year 1, I expect to hit a ...

Next tip is find a storytelling paradigm. There are plenty out there. At the basic level there is the three act, but it can get more detailed. I'll use an old favourite called the hero's journey. However there are plenty out there if you googled. Basically it's hollywood screenwriters giving formulas. Does it work? Who cares, we just want to hit 50,000. Some do swear by them. They tend to be effective for chase novels. But hey who cares? Let's roll. And now it's about planning beats. Do I do this? Sometimes but hey this is for fun. It also means if you get stuck you can just look at the plan. It's very simple. So I was using Beyonce's 4 album arrangement. Now Under each stage I'm going to put a chapter heading. Does that make sense? As I said this is for fun, you aren't getting graded. You google for the rest.  http://www.thewritersjourney.com/hero's_journey.htm  This will give you a guide. Its stages are: THE ORDINARY WORLD . 1. ...

So today is the first day. Good luck all! I thought this may be a little help for those who still don't know what to write.  Get a favourite record, or any record and look at the song headings at the back of it. Or you could simply just go to iTunes or Amazon. I'm using Beyonce's 4 Love On Top Party (feat. André 3000) Schoolin' Life Countdown I Miss You Dance For You I Care Rather Die Young 1+1 End of Time Run the World (Girls) Best Thing I Never Had Start Over I Was Here Now you have fourteen chapters and the goal is about 3572 words per chapter. All you need to is keep writing until you hint that word could, think of what could happen in the next chapter as a prompt. Will it make sense at the end? I don't know but you need to try and perhaps discover some goal. -----------------------------------------------------------  Check out Bigga Day's books on Smashwords.com https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bigga Apple i...