I'm going to try and make this - yes MAKE this my writing site. Ohfuggedaboudid! It is like all those notions - keeping my notebooks clean, keeping up with my budget or diet or anything. I'm just a scattery sort of person but today, today my friends, I am going to state my writing goals for the New Year. Of course, being a Buddhist - I get another new year around the end of Feb., beginning of March - just checked with Miss. Google, my fabulous research assistant, and she tells me that it is March 5th this year and this is an iron rabbit year and as I was born in the year of the tin bunny - that means this will be my year! I feel it - I really feel it.
OK, enough of all that. Here are my plans - and my numerological birth number is 4 which is also the way the numbers add up in 2011 so I'll have four plans leading to one goal.
Four Plans:
1. Finish my revision of True and get it to my first readers (should be done by January 15th)
2. Give a final polish to The Rock Walker and send it to publishers and agents. (February 15th)
3. Give a final polish to True after getting it back from first readers and send it to agents and publishers. (March 15th)
4. Keep both these books in a constant state of circulation while working on Earth Bound. (all year!)
One Goal:
Have a contract with an agent or a publisher by this time next year for one or both books. Period. One goal!
So that is simple, neh? Just keep at it. And I haven't forgotten that I have to keep writing. Oh of course there are lots of little plans inbedded in the four largish ones. They involve critiquing pals, paying or trading someone to do line edits, entering contests (for sure two that I know of). And my life has to go on apace while I'm working away on this BUT I'm going to try really hard to keep to this simple do-able plan and not get side-tracked into saving the world or making a scarf that goes around the planet or dominating the universe in accordion playing. Nope. Just plug away until I get the contract and then really go into high gear.
13 comments:
Those are awesome goals. I do have similar goals, but I haven't plotted down a timeline, yet.
Very concrete goals Jan, best of luck with them!
I'm feeling contrary this new year, not in a bad way though, so I was thinking of having anti-goals resolutions! Guess I'm tired of writing - "must finish my novel" on bits of paper!
A taste of my new years resoloutions - not yet fine tuned- goes like this...
I will have no writing goals this year,
I will not write anymore lists,
I will go with the flow
but I will get up early.
As you can see I havent got it quite polished as of yet!
Happy New Year!
Oh, J.L. - think you'd find my timeline very very flexible. I look forward to what you come up with!
Niamh - mostly I'm with you - that's why I kept it to ONE goal - the rest are just possible ways to get there. And of course I get to try it again come March 5th and then again in September when the real year starts. Oh the light is so beautiful right now - I'm going to go with the flow too and go out and take some pictures.
Sounds like a plan!
I'm not sure I'm going to have a plan this year. I certainly don't have one yet. Last year's fell on its face.
I love that Rock Walker title and photo.
ps
Thanks for inspiring my grumpy new year post!:) i know what you mean about the "real" new year, though I'm not buddhist (was for a time though!) I think we all have an enternal calender that sings from a different sheet than the roman one!
Still entering them into my writing planner. Even writing them down is most impressive for me. I just looked up my numerological birth number - I'm nothing like that. I was born four days after my due date, so I looked that up, too. I'm more like that, but not exactly. Not like I'm a Scorpio.
Nice goals! I don't write out goals - but I'm hoping to become better at fixing plot holes. :)
I'm not giving myself specific goals...I have a mantra...Just keep writing...or as you say, just keep plugging. I have enough faith in myself that I know I will get somewhere. I wish you the best. Happy New Year...now and again in March.
Damn! I was looking forward to the video of the accordion domination of the world. I already had the motto for the flag: Squeeze This!
I haven't set goals yet. But I think it's time I did. Going goal-less hasn't worked so far.
Try your best to stick with that "Keep Writing" goal, Jan. I let it slide in 2010 and now I have to learn new habits all over again.
Good luck with your projects. I wish you a wonderful and successful new year.
Jan-I think you've got great plans! And I want to volunteer if you need fresh eyes at some point. I know you have critique partners, but my OWN always get my early drafts and it can be nice to have fresh eyes as you are 'getting there'--so I am happy to read (in fact I'd really LIKE to)
Thanks Tricia! I like it too - it keeps me motivated.
Niamh - I really like to have several New Years - perhaps thinking that every day is the start of the new year would help!
Carol - oh, not sure I know what a 4 is really like but I'm definitely a Sagitarrius and a tin bunny!
Jemi - I think that was my goal for last year! Hope I am better but know I could use it again...
Liza - yep, Dorey is my heroine too.
Helen - that is PERFECT! May I?
Patricia - well, we know it's going to slide but how far and can we manage it when it goes? That's why the multi-new year thing works.
Tartlette - YOU WOULD! OK - I'm going to email you right away. I'm so psyched.
Jan! I love that cover! Love it. I hope your plans go well. I'm trying to formulate my own.
CD
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