November Goals

Hello my goal making friends,

October flew by amazingly fast, I can't believe it is time for goals yet again. This month I decided I need to be more specific, otherwise I seem to have the same goals every month and that is no fun. So here it goes:

:star I want to try my hand at writing organization articles. I started one yesterday and I love it. I am a most organized person, sometimes I think that should be my job instead of writing. So I will aim for 3 or 4 of those articles. I have a few ideas in mind already.

:star I also want to write more greetings but I need to start thinking outside my own box. When I find a good idea, sometimes I work it to death. So this month I will work on different themes and ideas for my greetings.

:star I've also been trying to bring out my creativity. Sometimes I am so stuck I become frusterated. I've been doing a lot of reading and have some new ideas. If anyone else has any, feel free to share.

What are your goals everyone ?

Re: Nov. goals

April--

Please come to my house and help me get organized. Have you ever thought of becoming a professional organizational consultant? Those people are in very high demand! I know I could use one...

Anyway, as far as goals are concerned. I am going to try to query 2 different publications a week, and write an hour a day. My real goal, though, is to break into a major publication by the end of the month.

First of all, I second what Melina said. I am so unorganized, it's pathetic!

OK, goals....

-Finish the rough draft for Satin's Thief.
-Make myself sit down and do the research on a few article ideas.
-Actually write the queries instead of obsessing/psyching myself out over it.
-Send some short stories out that are ready to go.

That might be a little vague, but it's the best I can do at the moment.

Good luck Melina and Jen ! :clover

I think my organizational skills are verging on obsessive :b
Oh well, it gives me something to do (like I don't have enough to do already).

Ok, so I made September's goal in October, three weeks late.

Nov. is National Novel Writing Month, and I am signed up. So the goal is the NaNoWriMo goal - to write 50,000 words between Nov.1 and Nov. 30. A book, from scratch. No editing, no polishing, just the first draft in 30 days.

My editor has some incentives for me to get it done, and there is a good competition between my fellow LBF authors going.

Sounds like Nov. is going to be a bit crazy - but fun!

I think my organizational skills are verging on obsessive

Click to expand...

You must've gotten my share of the organization ability then. I'm so unorganized, it's pathetic. But I won't go there right now.

This November I will copy-edit and refine the first 4 chapters of 'The Regent's bridle'.

I will rewrite 'Eclipse of the Heart' as instructed by the e-publisher.

I will write and submit at least four new short stories.

Good luck Vein ! :thumbs

In my list of goals, I forgot to mention one.

Finish and send in an application for a fellowship at the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. If I get it, I'll be there a month.

The application is finished. I just have to make the copies and send it in. It'll be in the mail tomorrow, Friday at the latest.

Damn Flu

I got the Flu on Thursday, luckily I am pretty much better now. But those days wasted....grrrr

Don't you hate it when something uncontrollable comes along and knocks you out of your routine ?

Re: November goals

For a couple of weeks back in October, I was submitting one batch of greeting ideas per day. I'm still waiting to hear how a few of those turned out.

This month, since I'm a little burned out on greeting ideas at the moment, I'm trying something new. I mostly write short stuff like greeting card ideas, poetry, and the occasional book review or personal essay so I decided to write something longer to build my mental stamina. I'm writing a creative nonfiction story which will turn out to be either a long short story or a short novella. I won't know for sure until I get all the words down. I'm not aiming for a specific word count per day, but I am aiming for at least a chapter a day. I've written two 'rough draft' chapters already.

Like I said, I'm trying to build up my stamina because I've got a few short stories to finish, but with longer pieces I have a problem with starting, but not finishing. So let's hope doing this will help me.

And, of course, I'll keep writing greeting card ideas and poetry, but I needed something totally new this month to get me motivated.

Good luck with your goals everyone.

Re: November goals

Good luck Poppy !

I have that problem as well, starting but not finishing stories.
I would like to write a YA novel in the new year, but to prepare for it I am going to make notes and outlines etc to actually make sure a story will make it from beginning to end.

Best of Luck !:thumbs

Re: November goals

Yesterday in the mail I got a magazine, it had one of my pieces in it !

Exciting yes, but also a tad disappointing. They used my short piece as a tip (you know like parents giving tips). I guess it's not so bad. I submitted, it got in, and they pay for those "tips" even though I didn't mean it for that section. No payment yet, but hopefully that's on it's way. :grin

Re: November goals

Got my check in the mail today
$25 whoo-hoo
Once in the bank it'll be more like $20 or 21...
Since I live in Canada I would actually make a few extra bucks on it, but my bank charges a $5 processing fee...FIVE...grrr....theives

AND they hold the money for 45 days so I can't actually take that money out (not that I plan on it but not having access to my own money annoys me).

Re: November goals

Well, congrats anyway, April. I'm still excited for you.

Re: Re: November goals

Thanks Melina

Re: November goals

Poppy wrote:
"This month, since I'm a little burned out on greeting ideas at the moment, I'm trying something new. I mostly write short stuff like greeting card ideas, poetry, and the occasional book review or personal essay so I decided to write something longer to build my mental stamina."

I totally relate, although I'm in the reverse situation. I recently finished one novel (in beta review stage now), have started another, with several children's stories mixed in. I recently turned to Greeting cards to give my mind a break from the usual routine, but to keep the creative juices flowing. I find it a refreshing change, with a quicker turn-around time from submission to response. I have something to look forward to in the mail now on a short term basis instead of just the knowledge that I'm still a few months off from sending the novel out, let alone hearing back!

- Julie

End of the month

Well, if you thought October went fast, how about November. I just can't believe how quickly it went. I made some of my goals, but I still am working toward the big one--sometimes I feel like it's unrealistic, but then I think, "People break into big magazines every day. Why not me?" So, I continue to plug away. Good luck to all of you for the last few days of this month, and let's hit December running, huh?

***

Re: End of the month

YES ! November is gone (almost) ! Where did it go ?!?!

Not only that but we are getting closer to 2005 :eek

December shall be a busy month, christmas plans, writing stuff...I become a nut before every new year. I clean like crazy, organize everything I can get my hands on. Anything that will help me begin fresh. I've already started cleaning our mess of a kitchen.

Melina, you keep trying because one day before you know it you are going to accomplish that dream. And good luck to the rest of you as well.

I will post December goals soon