Pages

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Goals old and new

I started this blog one year ago, as part of my writing goals for the year. July is always the month when I make my writing resolutions. January is always so busy. July (well, the end of July anyway) is usually a more reflective time. Reflection helps.

So, last year's goals:

1.Start a blog. (check). The reason for the blog was basically just to see if I could do it. And I needed some type of website to send people to that listed all of my books and I didn't know how to make a "real" website". Of course, my husband said he'd help me, but he still hasn't painted the bathroom that he bought the paint for three years ago........so not holding my breath.

I like having a blog. I like writing about writing. It makes me reflect.......

2.Draft a picture book manuscript each month: (err, check, I think). That would mean I should have 12 new drafts....hmm. I'll have to check for sure.*

3.Write one page a day on my middle grade novel. (check). It worked. I finished it in March! And then I revised it and such, but I really missed working on a longer piece a page per day, so I started two more projects that I try to finish a page on each day. Seriously, I write a page on these guys every day. (I even wrote on Christmas!) It might seem extreme to some, but it was a little attempt to honor a self-imposed oath of..........of what? I guess to take more seriously the part of me that writes.

4. Follow-up better on submissions. (err.......?). This is the hard part for me. The keeping track of which publisher I sent which manuscript to....because, ladies and gentlemen, they don't all like the same things! I sold one of the picture books this year, but I still struggle with keeping manuscripts "out there".

Goals for next year?


*I just checked.....12 new drafts this year!!!


hrh

4 comments:

BJW said...

man, you are inspiring. That is so good for you to follow through with your goals. Amazing. really inspiring. I also appreciate you sharing that. Feels good knowing you accomplished that. Now maybe I can too!

storyqueen said...

Ben, you are sweet. I think the post sounds braggy, myself, but I wrote it for me, so I'd have some sort of scorecard about, well, how I did this year with my goals.

(This is the problem with education....stuff is implemented all the time with no reflection/evaluation to see if it was effective or not.....sure, there's some warped assessment, but no reflection.......but that's another post!)

Anyway, the real story behind the post still needs to happen....in a day or two maybe. Sure, I wrote a lot but.........

Always nice to see you around here!

Shelley

Stephanie Perkins said...

I agree with Ben. This is all so inspiring! Congratulations on meeting your goals. What a HUGE, IMPRESSIVE accomplishment!!

And I love your idea to make writing resolutions in July. I think I'll do the same. Thank you! (Only a week left to think of them. Hmmm...)

storyqueen said...

Aw, thanks Stephanie.....except when I'm brave enough to post the real story...including the resolutions for next year it won't seem so impressive......

I'll just enjoy my fake sense of accomplishment for a teeny bit longer before I face the reality.

Shelley