Looking Forward Into a Year of a Writer
Most of the writers I know are either posting their 2010 Goals (we don't call them resolutions as those are too easy to break) or are choosing to not set any for the upcoming year. A few like me, haven't really finalized our goals for the year. I have some concrete ones and some vague ones. If you're looking on how to set realistic writer goals or have set goals in the past, but always found you ended up giving up on them I would highly suggest you stop by Dean Wesley Smith's Blog and start at Motivation #1 and work your way forward. He actually has practical suggestions for actually reaching your goals instead of just those hazy thoughts or if you're like me, setting completely unrealistic goals which you will not be able to meet and then you get discouraged because you didn't meet them. If you're looking to take your writing (or even life) to the next level I'd suggest swinging by Bob Mayer's Warrior Writer website and check out one of his online or onsite workshops. I just finished his online one and wow the things you will learn about yourself.
So, here is a bit about my goals. I have been working on figuring out exactly how many words (pages) I can write in an hour. Having this knowledge will allow me to set a very realistic goal for my finished works for 2010. But here is a snapshot of what I plan to complete:
This is where my writing goals get fuzzy. I have some other anthology calls that I am thinking of writing and submitting to. This is something new I am trying out for 2010. I have always been a where the muse takes me kind of writer, but I've decided to try to write to a submission call that has a set deadline and a set format for the types of stories. The different submission calls are in different genres so it will also stretch me as a writer as I figure out which genre I fit into best. I have other WIPs in various stages sitting in the background that I can finish up for later in the year. I just haven't sat down to figure out if I will pull out the WIPs or stick with new things.
So, how is your goal setting going? Are you making sure that you are setting realistic goals that can help you get closer to your dreams? Are you making time and factoring in life, illness, loss of job, etc. that could interfere with your goals? Do you have plans set up to not allow those issues to derail you from your dreams?
So, here is a bit about my goals. I have been working on figuring out exactly how many words (pages) I can write in an hour. Having this knowledge will allow me to set a very realistic goal for my finished works for 2010. But here is a snapshot of what I plan to complete:
- Red Hot Fairy Tale for an anthology call is due February 1st. I am 25% complete on that so am way ahead of my word count goals of hitting 1,000 words a day by Jan. 20th.
- Finish Space Opera by March. I had originally planned on completing it now, but as in the past I set an unrealistic goal. I will now do 500 words a day and have the first draft done by Feb. and the second draft critiqued and edited by March.
- Mafia Romantic Suspense. I have been playing around too much on this one (wasting time). As soon as Red Hot Fairy Tale is done, I will switch half of my 500 words a day time to cleaning up the plot holes and filling in the blanks to have it ready to be critiqued and edited by March.
- YA Fantasy is currently finishing up one round of critiques and I am now sending it out for a second round of critiques to see if the same problems are pointed out (I have a feeling they will be LOL). As soon as I get those back I plan on implementing the fixes and submitting to publishers. Plan to do this by mid-Feb. I will also use my 500 words a day from the Red Hot Fairy Tale for this clean up.
- HorseSchoolsOnline.com will be launched within the next 60 days. I have written down a to do list on the exact things I have to fix and write up for the site to launch. I spend about an hour a day on each task (sometimes more depending on how much I am home).
This is where my writing goals get fuzzy. I have some other anthology calls that I am thinking of writing and submitting to. This is something new I am trying out for 2010. I have always been a where the muse takes me kind of writer, but I've decided to try to write to a submission call that has a set deadline and a set format for the types of stories. The different submission calls are in different genres so it will also stretch me as a writer as I figure out which genre I fit into best. I have other WIPs in various stages sitting in the background that I can finish up for later in the year. I just haven't sat down to figure out if I will pull out the WIPs or stick with new things.
So, how is your goal setting going? Are you making sure that you are setting realistic goals that can help you get closer to your dreams? Are you making time and factoring in life, illness, loss of job, etc. that could interfere with your goals? Do you have plans set up to not allow those issues to derail you from your dreams?
Red Hot Fairy tales is a great name for a chocolate cookbook. And Robert Heinlein's list rules is so simple and a great model to live by. I think I finally see you as a writer. Reading Jonathan Livingston Seagull and Illusions by Bach about reluctant messiahs.
ReplyDeleteJulie and Julia is very good. Got me in the cooking mode. The day after we watched it I made the best tofu ever! My friend Monica is Alb is a bit like Julia, loud, funny and very tall, about 6 feet. She rather drives your Dad crazy since she is the wife of his former boss. Not to be boring, but the weather here, though cold, is fabulous. I sunbathed on the floor listening to the radio for about an hour yesterday. Imagined myself at the beach without the loud crowds and flying birds. I look forward to our visits again soon.
What would interfere with my goals??Maybe the economy? Maybe going from one stage of life into another? Maybe other peoples goals for me who try to convince me they are my goals?
ReplyDeleteI think the number one thing that interferes with our goals is ourselves. People can only interfere if you let them and hand over that power.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping to rent Julie and Julia soon. Heinlein's rules are something I stumbled across this year. I've probably seen them before, but hadn't really paid much attention to them. They make so much since that you want to smack yourself with the obviousness.