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!

Yearly Wrap-Up (Part I)

What did you accomplish this year? Writing-wise, that is. Though I do tend to include exercise and eating healthy on my list--it doesn't always happen, but it's a good reminder.

I know that it's only the beginning of December, but when January blows around the corner we need to know where we are with our writing, and where we intend to be at the beginning of the year so we can start off with confidence. Wow, that sentence was a mouthful, wasn't it?

The first question that I'll pose to y'all is this, have you even LOOKED at your goals from last year? I know it's hard to remember to open that document . . . uh, I'm going to assume everyone uses a computer for their goals--don't waste paper on this, because that's just silly.

My list of bullet-pointed goals, including add-ons and deletions, covers a couple of pages. This sounds like a lot of goals, but considering my goals changed mid-year I simply added to them.

One of my tricks, that I'll share today, is keeping track of the books I've read throughout the year ON MY GOAL SHEET.

Why?

Because it forces me to glance at my goals as I add each book to the bottom of the list. I've read from various sources--therefore I couldn't quote or credit it if my life depended on it--that to keep your goals fresh in your mind is to periodically go over them. It doesn't do you any good if you make goals in January, but don't look at them until December. Sometimes we go off on a tangent, such as veering off in totally unexpected way. For example: writing a middle grade novel. Ooops. :-)

So back to my list of books that I've read. This was my goal:

--Read 35 books, including craft books (keep log on this page)--DONE

I made this goal at the end of August, and I'm in the middle of reading book #48. I usually put the title, author's name, and date I finished the book. But I also added MG novel if I was reading a middle grade book--gotta keep up with the current trends, especially in the genre you write! I also highlighted the books that I couldn't finish, or if they were excruciatingly boring, but felt compelled to finish reading it.

I didn't read any craft books this year as I seemed to have exhausted the interesting ones. Now, I just skim the information to figure out what I need to know and then move on with life. The same goes for research books. Either I thumb through the books, or simply look up the information online.

So for my 2010 goals, I'll up my reading goal to 50 books.

I'll deal with writing goals on Friday. Remember to be flexible with your goals adjusting them accordingly.

Until later. . .
Write On!