Which 2012 goals did you have but did not make?

underthecity · Dec 31, 2012

Last year, in early 2012, there was a thread about which 2012 goals people had concerning writing and publishing. I don't remember which forum it was in or who started it, but I wanted to follow up with a year-end thread about which goals you were unable to make.

In my own case, I wanted to finish writing my YA novel, revise it, get beta readers, rewrite as necessary, query, and (hopefully) get an agent by year end.

I did all those things except get an agent. By today, December 31, I have sent 157 queries, had 115 rejections, and have had thirteen requests for fulls and partials. I don't know if that's a good number or bad number. Currently I have three partials out that I am waiting on.

A couple of months ago I substantially rewrote the first chapter with much help in SYW. I am not sure if the rewritten first chapter (which always serves as the "first five pages") has helped with requests, but it couldn't be hurting, versus the previous first chapter.

The other thing I accomplished in 2012 was writing my next YA novel, the first draft of a YA romance, whose first chapter is in SYW right now meeting with heavy criticism, because, I guess, it sucks.

Nevertheless of suckiness, I keep pushing on, hoping for that golden ticket. Or any kind of ticket that will lead me to publication.

Who else?

Alitriona · Dec 31, 2012

I wanted to finish and submit the sequel to my first release, write 2 more first drafts of new stories, win a couple of awards, and be rolling in banknotes by 31st dec 2012. I also wanted the pre-production for a movie well under way. Dream big, right?

Well, as the result of a soul-sucking personal life and less than magnificent writing ability, it didn't happen for me in 2012.

What I did achieve--I released the sequel to my second book. I wrote 2 first drafts of new stories and have just sent off the revised chapter 2(third draft) of the sequel to my first release.

My writing has improved based on the feedback I get now compared to what my writing buddies were pointing out this time last year.

2013 will be better. I will try harder and keep at it, hopefully improving at the craft as I go.

Captcha · Dec 31, 2012

I found the thread (or at least A thread), and was actually surprised by how many of my goals I met!

I worked with Carina, I self-pubbed TWO novels (one was my YA effort), I wrote more than 4 m/m novels, and I payed someone to redesign my website. I also got the promotion I wanted. My house is still messy, though!

I'm not sure if I met my financial goals - it's going to be close, so I have to wait for fourth quarter royalty reports to be sure.

Still, a surprisingly good year! Yay, me!

ETA: Hmmm... that thread was just from the Erotica crowd, I guess. Was there one for the board as a whole?

Kim Fierce · Dec 31, 2012

I am happy to say I met all my writing goals this year.

I got one book published.

Wrote another one.

Wrote/published a short story.

And started another book.

At the beginning of this year I thought if I didn't get published I would go insane. Good motivation!

Anna Spargo-Ryan · Dec 31, 2012

I wanted to write a full-length feature for a national print magazine, and I did that.

I wanted to get a regular paid columnist gig, and I did that.

I also failed to read the question properly. I swore that I'd finish a first draft in 2012, and I didn't. I wrote about 40K words, of which maybe 5K is salvageable. A little way off the pace.

bearilou · Dec 31, 2012

I didn't write 1,000,000 words. I did get 300K done.

I don't consider that a failure.

Jamesaritchie · Dec 31, 2012

I didn't make enough money to actually buy the place I want and retire. I really wanted to retire this year, but it's going to have to wait.

triceretops · Dec 31, 2012

My freelancing cash seemed to evaporate toward the end of the year. And drat, NYC did not publish me. Everyone else did.

tri

Susan Coffin · Dec 31, 2012

I wanted to get my revised novel out on query with my synopsis, but have not done so yet because I'm not done with my query yet.

First thing this year, though.

Siri Kirpal · Dec 31, 2012

Sat Nam! (Literally "Truth Name"--a Sikh greeting)

I had 4 goals: to complete the first draft of my WIP, start editing it, read more, and establish a website.

Did all those things except the website, which I am balking on for some reason.

Blessings,

Siri Kirpal

ChristinaLayton · Dec 31, 2012

Finishing my series. It consisted of three volumes per time period: 1980's, 200's, and present time...

I only finished two of the volumes, one in the 1980's and one in the 2000's, and the third one that I had halfway done, i had to delete all the words.

I am however happy to say I finished the first book of the series set in the present time...well, almost. 1,100 handwritten pages out of an intended 1,440.

elindsen · Dec 31, 2012

I wanted to get my TAKERS series out and did that. I sold a book, but it ended in failure so I'm not sure if I call that a success. Most importanly I did grow even more as a writer, which I think is the most important part.

LJD · Jan 1, 2013

I did not query my novel because it took a long time to edit it. I plan to do it early in 2013, though I still need to write a query letter and synopsis.

I also did not write another novel, but I wrote 3 novellas, and I'm happy with that.

Mr Flibble · Jan 1, 2013

Here's the thread - I updated today. Got most of it, only half a book short out of four and failed to find Karl Urban under my bed.

Putputt · Jan 1, 2013

I wanted to write everyday. Clearly that did not happen. I blame it on AW.

flapperphilosopher · Jan 1, 2013

Ouch. I didn't accomplish ANY.

I thought I'd make a serious attempt to get an agent and hopefully have one... well pretty quickly into querying I realized the novel can be MUCH better. so I did a total rewrite, or two (I forget which draft I was on when I posted those goals), and recently I've decided to toss all that and approach the whole thing from a different angle, almost a different novel. So.... it may be a while before I'm even back at querying, let alone getting represented.

I wanted to start the next novel... I was close to doing that, until deciding this one needed another hundred years of work. Aghgh. I've thought some more about the next one though and it has more of a shape etc., so I guess that's kinda progress...

Apparently I also wanted to work on short stories, write a few that don't suck and try and publish one somewhere. Well I sure didn't do that. I don't think I've written a single one all year, actually.

That said, though, I have had a LOT going on this year in general, I worked for the first time in years, started grad school, and have my first apartment... so in context, just writing and still loving is is pretty all right!

JoyMC · Jan 1, 2013

My goal was to finish my WIP and thoroughly query it, plus start a new WIP. I did those, and I actually completed and began to query the new WIP.

My only failure was "finally figure out Twitter." I mean, I'm on there and I follow agents and stuff, but I'm not good at interacting. Strangely, I'm really active on Facebook, but Twitter feels much different to me with the character limit and most people being strangers. I'd like to get better at it this year, but we'll see.

Buffysquirrel · Jan 1, 2013

I can't even remember what I wrote in that thread. But I did want to get my Fantasy gambling novel edited, and I failed. Got about halfway through and couldn't go on. Eh.

Storm Surge · Jan 2, 2013

I was an epic failure! I didn't finish my WIP from the year before. NaNo was an complete disaster. (the year before was a complete disaster too, but at least it was fun. This time wasn't.) I didn't manage to complete a single short story. I just wrote hundreds of pieces of things.

I am going to finish something this year even if it kills me.

Brightdreamer · Jan 2, 2013

I wanted to write more daily. I did fairly well on that.

I wanted to finish two rough drafts. Did that.

I also wanted to submit something for publication consideration. Didn't happen, mostly because I suck at revisions. (Well, that and I'm a coward.)

This year, I've added "edit at least three stories" to the writing goal list.

Aggy B. · Jan 3, 2013

I wanted to write a set amount of words every month. Didn't do that.

Also, didn't finish the novellas I had in-progress and thus didn't get them subbed anywhere. Only wrote a few short stories throughout the year (though I sold five) instead of one a month.

I did finish editing my Steampunk Novel and started querying. I'll take that as a win.

Atlantis · Jan 9, 2013

I wanted to finish my novel Deep Embrace but half way through edits/rewrites its glaring, massive plot problems become too to ignore. I took a step back to have a "break" and never went back to it. I spent months feeling guilty and worthless about it. Then I started writing something new and ended up getting my muse back. I wrote a novelette and a short story so I finished the year all right in my books. I finished not one but two things! So I have buried my sad little mermaid novel and am now wondering what the heck to write next. My goals for this year are to write something, anything, no matter how small from start to finish.

Which 2012 goals did you have but did not make?

underthecity

Finestkind

Alitriona

Attends The School of AW

Captcha

Kim Fierce

Attack me with everything you have.

Anna Spargo-Ryan

Just pokin' about

bearilou

DenturePunk writer

Jamesaritchie

triceretops

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Siri Kirpal

Swan in Process

ChristinaLayton

elindsen

Zombie lovin'

LJD

Mr Flibble

They've been very bad, Mr Flibble

Putputt

permanently suctioned to Buz's leg

flapperphilosopher

JoyMC

Buffysquirrel

Storm Surge

Surfin'

Brightdreamer

Just Another Lazy Perfectionist

Aggy B.

Not as sweet as you think

Atlantis