I’m a strong believer in setting goals and regularly checking my progress throughout the year. I do tend to list pie-in-the-sky big goals that are humanly impossible, although I am doing better at setting realistic and achievable goals. Would I love to finish every project on my plate next year? Absolutely. But I also have to be realistic. I can’t write like a maniac for months on end and think my sanity, family, job, and health won’t suffer. I have to work at balance, and that’s really hard for me.
Instead of listing things in some “priority order” that I’ll throw out the door as soon as I make a new sale *crossing fingers* or a new Bright Shiny Story shows up, I’m going to separate my goals into a couple of different areas.
Contracted or Promised/Committed Projects
- The Road to Shanhasson. Status: Submitted. Goal: Complete editor revisions as assigned. Deadline: TBD.
- Return to Shanhasson. Status: First draft complete. Goal: revise and submit. Deadline: TBD.
- Given In Fire. Status: planning, plotting. Goal: draft, revise, submit. First Draft target: 20-30K. Deadline: TBD.
- Charon’s story. Status: Not started. Goal: plot, build, complete first draft. First Draft target: 70K. Consider as a NaNoWriMo project.
Ongoing Submissions
- Letters to An English Professor. Status: On submission. Goal: Agent and/or Sell.
Current WIPs
- Night Sun Rising. Status: Revision Xibalba in progress. Goal: complete revision and query. Deadline: 1st quarter 2009. TOP PRIORITY for 2009.
- Arcana. Status: first rough draft complete, some revision planning complete. Goal: devise final revision plan I can actually do, or file for later. This story may be “beyond” me for now.
Pipeline Projects (aka Bright Shinies on the horizon)
- Rayne and Crow. Status: Idea stage. Goal: develop, plot, worldbuild. Deadline: 1st quarter 2009. First draft: 2nd quarter 2009. First draft target: 70K. SECOND PRIORITY for 2009. Explore this idea and see if it’s a go.
- ANTs. Status: <20K first draft, notes. Goal: be prepared to pull proposal together if Letters sells.
- Vicky’s story: Only a go if Letters and ANTs sell (Vicky is Conn’s sister).
- Equus story: From a dream, consider under the Letters “brand.”
Personal Development and Other
- Increase reading, targeting 52 books this year.
- Write another short story to give away
- Utilize spreadsheets to keep better track of progress (I did this in 2007 but got lazy in 2008).
- Continue the Great Agent Hunt.
Great goals, Joely! 🙂
Great goals. I need to do that, write down my goals for next year. 😀
Read 52 books this year? Wow, I tire out. But I like the idea.
Lofty writing goals, but you are amazing at working at it. I have no doubt you’ll succeed.
Great goals all.
I’m rooting for you, have at ’em!
And Happy New Year’s Eve. 😀
*sigh*
You are a shining example of what I need to do. It’s January 1, 2009. Can I make a resolution to set down a goal–quite modest in nature—to finish the Wintersland story? No matter how long or short it turns out to be?
Here’s to a great new year!
I admire your discipline in not only setting your goals, but also on being accountable to yourself for
tracking them and reviewing them at the end of the year.
Happy New Year, Joely! Just wanted to take a minute to say that I hope it is a good one for you! Great Goals. I’ve actually made some for myself this year. I’m really really going to try and do it this year. 2009 is my year. Laughing! Hope the girls are well and your family!
Hugs,
Michelle
Very inspiring! When you list it this way, it all seems so DOABLE. I love that.