Yearly Wrap-Up (Part 2)

Okey-dokey pokey, onward to the setting of writing goals.

One thing you need to remember is that goals change, goals evolve, so don't feel frustrated or upset if you didn't meet your original goals. Adjust your goals as your writing needs change.

A year ago, I was at a writing retreat with Deb Dixon-yes, THAT Deb Dixon, the Queen of GMC, Goal, Motivation and Conflict-and she pointed out that your character doesn't necessarily have to have the same goal by the end of the story as the character did at the beginning of the story. It's okay for them to change goals. Therefore, I feel the same way about writing goals.

This is your yearly goals list, not anyone else's goals so don't get nit-picky.
For example, I wouldn't do this:

--write every day

I hate it when writers put this down as a yearly goal as it's unrealistic, life tends to get in the way so I use this sort of goal in a week-by-week basis or as a 100-words a day challenge. I can look at my weekly calendar and figure out what a realistic goal is for that week. I can add or delete the amount accordingly. In the summer months my kiddo is out of school, and if I get any writing accomplished then that's just icing. But I do know that I can edit. For me, I need quiet, uninterrupted time to write, but I can take innumerable interruptions while editing. It's what works for me--go figure.

So, here is an example of my writing goals. The dashes (--) are really bullet points since I can't seem to make them work on the blog.

--Send partial of Demon Spawn to DD at BelleBridgeBooks (Jan.)--Done 1/24/09--dumped it and started over--decided to write younger

--Finish @#$%^& manuscript (Yes, I cursed on my yearly goal list), Demon Spawn, including synopsis & query--NOPE

--Broadly plot UF 7-book series idea (Demon Manifesto)--NOPE

--Write a few Peter stories (easy readers) and pimp the ones already written--1 DONE

Farther down the list were new goals that I accomplished:

--Wrote middle grade story--Missing: One Garden Gnome 5/29/09 (date finished) 47000 words--query written 7/15, synopsis written 7/16, submitted to Delacorte Yearling contest 6/30/09

--Wrote chapter book story, The Faerie Who Lost His Wings 5/13/09 --1742 words

--Started writing The Fast and The Faerieous--MG novel

And, of course, there were a few false starts on a couple of paranormal suspense's that I didn't include on this list.

So I didn't end up finishing the goal that I had in January, but that's okay because I revised my list according to where I was with my writing.

I know writers who simply put: Write X number of books. And that's okay as it is a goal that works for them. I like a little more detail in my goals.

I have one more goal oriented post before I start working on my list for 2010. I hope you'll join me, but until then . . .

Write on!

Writing Grind!

Okay, Ya'll!

I have been such a freakin' slacker in the writing department recently! Vacation and illness have taken their toll on my motivation and I HAVE TO WRITE!
--not because of some stupid voice in my head, but because I need to get roughtly 60K words written by November 16--Golden Heart deadline for registration and entry fees! I'll still have ten days to add wordage after that deadline, but to justify the financial expenditure I need to have a substantial amount written.

That's three weeks, people! I have 18K, but it needs to be tweaked/edited/tightened by the end of TODAY (tomorrow at the latest plus my Monday goal of 3000 words), so I can start fresh tomorrow. And I can't forget to fit in my walk or Wii Fit time!
Which means I want to write 15 K this week to get to my goal--Monday thru Friday ONLY--my weekends are for family.

I know some of you have been side-tracked with life, work and other stuff so this is a good chance to get your butt in the chair and start writing again, be it 100 words a day or 3000 words a day. Send me a note in a comment on this blog, a note on my facebook wall, or in an email magolla@cox.net and I'll post your name and goal for the week along with your culmative page or word count. I'll be posting the totals from the previous day between 6-7 AM CST.

Margaret: goal 15,000 words--M, T, and W: XXXX words.

And if I'm doing it alone I'm okay with it, but this could be the refresher you need prior to starting NaNo if that is your goal.

So are you with me???!!

Write on!

First Day of School

1) 6 AM--get up, feed critters, make coffee, empty dishwasher--CHECK
2) 6:30--wake husband and child--CHECK
3) 6:30-6:55--drink one cup of coffee and read paper before child changes news channel to cartoons--CHECK
4) 6:55--iron hubster's pants because I'm a good woman--CHECK
5) 7:20--feed child breakfast--CHECK
6) 7:30--8:30 shower, etc. because I don't want to stink for big day of being ALONE, harvest crops on Farmville, killing time until we walk to school--CHECK
7) 8:30--take pics of child and walk her to school--CHECK
8) 8:50--come home, take aspirin, pour fresh cup of coffee, write blog--CHECK
9) 9:00--open word document, but which one FF or RM. . . hm, RM first. Set timer--CHECK
10) 9:01--WRITE!!--CHECK

How is your day progressing?
Write on!

Tis the Season . . .

I love this time of the year: making candy, the buying of Advent presents, making presents, listening to Christmas carols, decorating the tree, house, and yard, and just the whole shebang.

We are so busy with the holidays that certain parts of our life go by the wayside, namely, writing. But that's okay, provided you took time to account for the lack of writing in your weekly goals.

Don't make unreasonable goals with your writing as there will be additional demands on your time. For many writers keeping up with their normal daily goal, say 1000 words a day, just isn't realistic. All you'll manage to do is frustrate yourself and lower your self-esteem, create writer's block, and become an all around downer of a person. Chill out this time of year, unless you have a contract with a deadline in hand--then you need to get your butt in the chair!

If you know you won't have much time to write do the 100 word a day challenge. Just write 100 words. No, you won't really be getting into the story, but you will be keeping up with it. 100 words are only a couple of sentences and a very doable daily goal.

Or edit a few pages of your current WIP a day. Another easy-peasy task. Not time-consuming, but it keeps you involved with your story.

The key is to lower your expectations and adjust your goals accordingly.

Write on!