"Just Hit Send" August Challenge

[Mysti]

Since it hasn't been started yet; I'll do the honors!

I can't believe July came and left so quickly!!! I'm thrilled with landing my editing job; but I'm not quitting on this thread.

My August goal is:

Hitting send 50 times.

I'm looking for some additional freelance work doing editing and writing. I've got a few more art submissions I need to get out there as well.

Here's to an exciting and productive month for everyone!!!

Mysti

[SpiderGal]

I will keep my goal to 20 magazine queries as I'll be busy with college, but deep down in my heart I know I want to far transcend it.

[abra-c]

Cheers! I am all for a productive August!

July was not great for me, but I joined the National Writers Union and am learning a lot about contracts for protecting myself in the future.

I feel optimistic about August.

My Goals are:
-50 Queries/submissions this month, while I continue to pursue a few regular writing/editing clients.

-10k on my work in progress

-Complete first draft of book proposal

I'll also share my blog at some point this month.

Here's to a great month.

[wvuauthor]

I gotta agree that the month of July sped by! I thought it was just me. In fact, it went by so fast that I have yet to get my goals together for August...

[Lavinia]

I'm going to break up my goals by weeks. I have a vacation coming up as well as other obligations that will interfere with my writing life this month. So here goes...

Writing Goals for August 1-5

1) Send off regional article (which includes article and photography)

2) Send off Amy Awards Submission

3) Send off first 20 pages to agent (met at conference)

4) Send off first 50 pages to editor (met at conference)

5) Continue to blog every day

6) Enter the August contest

Karen Lavinia Fisher-Alaniz

[SouthernFriedJulie]

I want to get one national mag assignment.

Monetize at least one of my blogs.

Get my one short story published SOMEWHERE.

Anything else is icing on the cake. I will keep track of all sends.

[jenfreedom]

Karen Lavinia Fisher-Alaniz

Is the what we're calling you now, because frankly that's a lot to type

Good goals this month. I like your's this month Julie; smack to the point. Nice.

My goal is to come and bug you guys!

~ Jennifer

[limitedtimeauthor]

LOL. I was going to say that her name keeps getting longer! But it sounds very writerly.

Lavinia, I love how you're breaking your goals up in to weeks. Awesome. I'm doing the same, off-thread.

But for now, all lumped together, my goal is to hit send twice to new markets (I have specific ones in mind). And I will probably have at least two articles this month. I know - it doesn't sound like much, but there is one gig, that if I get it - and I better get it because it sounds perfect for me! - I will be busy every week. If I don't get it (which isn't going to happen, because, as I said, it is perfect for me), I have backup "sends" in mind.

And the biggest send of all: sending dd off to school. <cries into the apron of prevailing> No, you misunderstand -- tears of joy. I'll finally be able to hit send as much as all the other kids!

ltd.

That's 5 total, in case anyone wants numbers.

[jdkiggins]

Great goals, everyone. Keep up the wonderful work.

Don't forget to add the Freelance contest to your "Just Hit Send" list.

[CatMuse33]

This will be my first time ever doing this challenge:

My goal is to:

Hit send on four paintball articles.
Hit send on five wedding article queries.
Hit send on two already-assigned articles.--1/2
Hit send on two business magazine queries.
Hit send on three personal essays.
Hit send on three queries on markets TBD. -- 1/3 (and one assignment)
Did I do this right? By the numbers, that would be...

6 articles, 10 queries, 3 personal essays.

Oh, plus an entire magazine... LOL... I'll get tired if I add up the articles in there right now. LOL ... Now that I have the layout done, this equals: 11 articles to write. -- 2/11

Did I do this right??

Dawn

[SouthernFriedJulie]

Originally Posted by jdkiggins

Great goals, everyone. Keep up the wonderful work.

Don't forget to add the Freelance contest to your "Just Hit Send" list.

But won't that be the September Challenge?

Oh and people, I have just about finished the biggest project I have ever tackled. I know some have done more than this, but I just have hardly any time in my day to do anything. I have written 17 articles since 8:30 this evening, EST.

They're only 250+ words, but I had no clue on the subject when I started. I still have 8 more to do by noon tomorrow. Feeling proud right now, though I am going to calm down because I am too tired to stay up and finish any more of them.

[SouthernFriedJulie]

Hey, why did my post count drop? Anyone else notice that? I was sure it was up over 300...

[Lavinia]

JenNIFER and Ltd. - Hey, I didn't think anyone would notice my name. I just can't decide on what to use. I keep thinking about it. I figure for the book, I should use Karen Fisher-Alaniz because the Fisher ties me to the books co-author, my father. But I already use Karen L. Alaniz for my freelancing so I worry that if an agent/editor/FAN...they'll google me and find nothing. Anyway-

Ltd...I'm with ya sister! I am really excited for the new school year to begin. Excited in a, "my children will be getting a fabulous education" way, not in a "Yippee...they're outta here" way. Hahaha!

Great goals Catmuse! I have a creative idea for you...how 'bout a paintball wedding?

Karen Fisher-Alaniz (just tryin' this one out) Maybe I'll put it to a vote!

[CatMuse33]

Lavinia,
I attended one this past spring!! Well, a 20-year renewal of vows, at least. The ceremony would have been a lot better had it not rained, but how often does a paintball field owner get to declare his love to his wife in front of 1,311 of his closest friends? LOL
Followed by a pirate-themed reception in the field's rec center. It would be a better story if we got better pics--again, the stupid rain! LOL
Dawn

[Lavinia]

Cat- That is so funny, or cool or strange...I'm not sure which. I do love it when people are creative though.

As for my progress- This photography thing is making me looney! I am not a pro. photographer but have been asked to turn in photos, which I don't mind doing. BUT- My camera barely makes the qualifications required for the mag. Anyway- I don't even want to explain it all. It's a learning experience, and after all the time I keep going to take the photos and coming back and looking at them on the big screen and then going back again, I'll be lucky if I make 50 cents an hour. Oh well- I don't really think of my writing in terms of hourly wage anyway. The actual article didn't take long at all. I just want to get it sent today! So I gotta get busy.

I finished the edit on the first 20 pages so getting closer to sending that.

-Karen

[jenfreedom]

Originally Posted by Lavinia

Karen Fisher-Alaniz (just tryin' this one out) Maybe I'll put it to a vote!

If you don't pick soon I'm going to vote "Bob" nice and simple.

Good luck getting the article sent off!

~ Jennifer

[SouthernFriedJulie]

Originally Posted by jenfreedom

If you don't pick soon I'm going to vote "Bob" nice and simple.

Good luck getting the article sent off!

~ Jennifer

LOL, don't do that. My dog is named Bob. I'll want to pet her.

[ritinrider]

Ok folks. Bombed out in July, just couldn't get up the gumption to hit send. But I'm back to try again. Plus, I have 29 whole days left to convince myself to just do it.

My goals for August are small, but hey, have to start somewhere, I will hit send 3 times. Two are pretty sure things, it's that last one that's gonna get me.

- Freelance contest, due tomorrow so there's one
- column for our writer's newsletter, been talking to the editor, have revamped original try so think I'm ready this time
-and TADA, one magazine query, online, print, regional, national, I don't care just so I submit one somewhere.

There you have it 3 hit sends. Oh, and I'm going to add to my blog at least 3 times a week, but I'm not counting that one.

About Karen/Lavinia's name. Was gonna suggest her initials, but I'd have to stop and think what they are. Thought about calling her HeyYou, but Bob is shorter. Since Bob is the name of SFJ dog how's about we call her Dog?

[JenNipps]

OK. I've been watching this since the beginning of last month but I was too chicken to join in. (Yes, I'm chicken about submitting. Hear me cluck??)

I'm going to shoot for four submissions, period, be they queries, poems, stories... whatever. That's one a week. Certainly do-able.

Ummm....

[BlueBadger]

I'm off to a good start with what might be a weekly column with spoilspot.com! I also have regular work with a site whose URL I cannot disclose just yet.

That said, I'll make my goal 25 for this month. I think that's reasonable, neh?

[abra-c]

I just became a member of the National Writers Union (NWU). This is something I wanted to do for a long time. Last month I spent lots of time learning all about contracts and how to protect myself from nutty clients. I joined because I couldn't think of a reason not to. I hope to learn even more from this association.

It's not a 'send' send, but one more step towards really committing to a long career as a full time writer.

[SouthernFriedJulie]

I don't know how many of you go over to the August Assignment Contest, but I was kind of secretive about joining it this month. Mainly because I was really worried about the quality of the essay I submitted.

I think I mentioned I had submitted a send to a local parenting magazine, well, my submission to the contest was also what I decided to submit. I heard back from the editor yesterday and...

My baby girl is going to be featured in the April 2008 Special Needs Child edition/pull out section of Western New York Family magazine. My essay/article was accepted and the editor told me it fit the edition perfectly. They choose a child to feature each year and I am beside myself now! This magazine is circulated to my daughter's school and all over Western New York.

I nearly cried when I read the acceptance email. That's how important this was to me and now I'm telling everyone to watch for that edition!

[ritinrider]

wow SFJ, way to go! I think that was Joanne's idea, if we wrote something for the contest then we'd have something to submit. You did good. Congratulations!

[limitedtimeauthor]

Originally Posted by abra-c

I just became a member of the National Writers Union (NWU). This is something I wanted to do for a long time. Last month I spent lots of time learning all about contracts and how to protect myself from nutty clients. I joined because I couldn't think of a reason not to. I hope to learn even more from this association.

It's not a 'send' send, but one more step towards really committing to a long career as a full time writer.

Let us know how it benefits you, abra-c. They do seem to offer some important things - do you have to be a member to learn about contracts, though? I thought they had that info in the free section, but maybe I'm thinking of a different org.

Can the legal service help you put together a contract or something basic like that? Or do they only help you with dispute resolution?

ltd.

[SouthernFriedJulie]

Originally Posted by ritinrider

wow SFJ, way to go! I think that was Joanne's idea, if we wrote something for the contest then we'd have something to submit. You did good. Congratulations!

Thanks :-)

More good news...just heard back from the editor and they need Halloween stuff, so I'm invited. WOOT!