Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Setting down intentions

People ask me why I blog. I do it for the community that it offers - especially needed now that I live in an isolated part of the world. The conversations between like-minded folk - the ideas that may ping during these conversations, the support of people who may be trying to do similar things (get things published, make it through the day to day of a creative who needs to work too) and the silliness that might relieve such times - this is what I blog for. More importantly though, I blog for myself. Not because I'm a selfish narcissist, but because I will find out what I want to do next by writing and I am more likely to do what I set out to do if I share that with others.

One of my favorite blogger pals is Tami Hart, who blogs under the title Confessions of a Watery Tart. We not only correspond through comments but have critiqued manuscripts for each other and gone through innumerable writing challenges including a couple of NaNoWriMos and a few more BuNoWriMos. She also likes to make her goals public and because she revealed her most recent plan today - I am nudged into doing the same.

As any of you who have kept up with this site, in all its ups and downs, know - I've been in a bit of a dip lately. I won't go into the why - I've already stated the reasons in previous posts - but I'm fighting my way through it and feel a bit of the heaviness lifting of late. I think a plan will really help lift the rest of that dark cloud so here goes:

Because I leave on a three week road trip next Saturday (two destinations, one child's camping wedding, three or more ferries, 2,500 kilometers, one fella and a blow-up mattress) I will implement this plan on Sept. 1st. That is the natural start to my year at any rate - 12 years of schooling set that up and it is still in my cells as Brand New Clean Notebook Head. So here goes:

Writing Goals:

  1. Continue query process for Bright Angel until the book is sold. That means I will send out about 2 packages a week. I will tend the ones sent out and see how things are going. This doesn't take too much time at this point as I have a pretty good package assembled - it just needs to be jigged for each new query sent.
  2. Continue work on Crooked Knife. Finish first draft by October 15th. Begin second draft immediately after and have the final draft done by December 15th. Think this is doable. It is pretty clean so far - so won't need as many drafts as Bright Angel did. 
  3. Look at each of my writing projects (one literary fiction novel and two mysteries) and see whether to revise, throw out, or begin pitching to publishers.
Health and Well-being Goals:
  1. Continue with modified anti-inflammatory diet. (dieting for a reduction in arthritis pain) 
  2. Practice classical stretch (essentrics exercise program) for a half-hour a day.
  3.  Meditate and continue Ngondro.
  4. Walk for at least a half-hour a day.


Odd but Positive Goals:
  1. Do a Flower Folk drawing most days.
  2. Go on a social media break one day out of every week, one week out of every month, and one month out of every year.
  3. Sketch daily.
Okily Dokily - that's it for me. Any suggestions?

8 comments:

Glass Half Full said...

inspiring - although I don't quite get the math of #2 XO

Jan Morrison said...

Hey kiddo - which #2? If it is under the writing goals - I'm saying that I can finish a final draft by mid-December. I'm nearly finished the first draft now. If it is the Odd but Positive #2 - I'm trying not to be on social media so much. I think this is workable - to take every Tuesday off for instance, and every third week of the month, and every June. Get it?

Mason Canyon said...

Goals are always a good thing. I need to set more goals not just in my blogging but also in doing daily exercise. Good luck with your goals and your upcoming trip. I hope you take photos of the camping wedding, sounds interesting.

Thoughts in Progress
and MC Book Tours

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Yep, me too. My biggest frustration with blogging right now is how slow things load with my weak WiFi. Back in the States our Internet was so high speed I could barely keep up with it. Usually after 20 minutes of waiting for a site to load, I just give up. This is why I don't visit as much as I'd like to.

Robyn said...

Thanks for being so honest and out there with your ups and downs. It does help to know that everyone experiences highs and lows.

Your goals sound very ambitious to me - that's a lot in each week! I wonder if you might have Plan A - ambitious goals and Plan B - what to do when the week gets busy? I only offer that as someone who tends to be overly ambitious! : )

Have a safe journey (and lots of fun)!!

Anonymous said...

I do love your goals, Jan! And I am happy to hear you're slowly lifting yourself out of your funk. We all have those times!! Enjoy your trip.

Ann Carbine Best said...

Hi, Jan. I'm doing catchup. It's been quite a while that I've connected with "old" Blogger friends such as you. We are indeed both getting older ... though at 76 I'm "older." I'm impressed with your goals. I never really set them...except to try to endure well to the end. And I'm still caregiver of my disabled daughter. I blog again, then stop, but I'm back for good as like you I need/want it for the community. Not as good as seeing face to face of course but rewarding in its own way.

I read your previous post. I too promised Karen Walker to write a piece on aging. I think I'd better start it!

Bright Angel. What a wonderful title. I do hope it finds a good publisher soon. Enjoy your travels/family/life. And do keep up that good diet and exercising for arthritis.

Ann @ annbestlifestories.com - I also have a skeletal Blogger spot to keep in touch with Blogger friends and direct them to my wordpress site.

Arlee Bird said...

Hope things have been going well. I've been in a similar slump that's actually been going on for over a year now. I'm still keeping my blog posts on schedule for the most part, but some times I really have to push myself.

No suggestions from me other than to hang in there and do what seems to be best for you.

Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out