March Goals

March! OMG, how'd March get here already? I'm still trying to return phone messages from January.

If I could imagine March, my goals would be:

1. To write (at least) four essays.
2. To find markets for those essays.
3. To submit all four essays to markets (one being "Glimmer Train.") Oh, wait, they are all fiction. Make that three essays and one story.
4. Also to send out again anything I sent out in February that comes back.
5. To finish reading "Uncle Jim's" writing class and Julie Hood's organizing e-book, plus two other books on the craft, science, art, and/or business of writing.
6. To get a Macintosh computer, by hook or by crook!
7. To get up and running on said "new" computer.

And if my house could stay clean or at least tidy during all this, that'd be gravy.

-paprikapink

Two subs a month, plus crits, plus long-term novel

My monthly goals are as always: to submit at least two short stories for publication, if possible, to paying venues. In January, I managed half a dozen subs, and was published twice, making $5 for one of the pieces.

I'm trying to get a piece together to sub to Analog magazine this month to make up my two for this month. Since it has to be snail-mailed, I'm taking extra time with it, so it might not make it till March. I have another piece that can be ready for sub by the end of this month to make up my second for February.

I've got half a dozen short stories to work on for the coming months, some of them subbed before and being reworked, and a couple of them new.

And I think that by the end of March, I'll going to be ready to jump into a new novel. Already got starts on three, so my goal is to start by April and finish by December.

I also have monthly crits in a couple of online groups that require some time to do, as well as to have stuff to give them to tear apart.

Bob/lrf

I like this idea of putting monthly goals out there for the world to see.

Rose's Goals for March 2005

1. Send 25 queries with at least 8 going to markets that pay 35 cents/word or more (my ultimate goal is 100/month using Mridu Khullar's 5 queries/day method)

2. Write and submit the essay due to an academic publication

3. Begin research on an article due in May

My Goals for March 2005

*Get two chapters in my new book, Georgia's Covered Bridges, completed and polished.
*Get the book proposal and sample chapter for new health book completed.
*Try to secure the contributing editor position I'm trying for
*Get ONE newspaper to take that damn column idea, lol

If I can get those done, I'm doing wonderful so I am stopping at just four

Hey, Welcome, Tina and Pkpk! It's great to see new people over here on our humble little board! You've both got some terriffic goals for the month of March--good luck, and remember, we'll be here to cheer you on!:Cheer:

Melina

My goals for the month of March are these:

* continue working toward making enough money from my writing to take my kids on that big vacation

* build my copywriting business, so I can quit regular job

* send out a query a week

tinasamuels said:

My Goals for March 2005

*Get two chapters in my new book, Georgia's Covered Bridges, completed and polished.
*Get the book proposal and sample chapter for new health book completed.
*Try to secure the contributing editor position I'm trying for
*Get ONE newspaper to take that damn column idea, lol

If I can get those done, I'm doing wonderful so I am stopping at just four

Click to expand...

WHOOHOO, one day before March and I secured the Contributing Editor Position!!!!

Bravo, Tina!!


-pkpk

paprikapink said:

4. Also to send out again anything I sent out in February that comes back.

Click to expand...

Did this for the first time today. I imagine I'll get to do it again soon.

paprikapink said:

6. To get a Macintosh computer, by hook or by crook!

Click to expand...

My daughter's best friend's mom, who is my friend, just offered to let me "borrow" her ibook indefinitely! She's using her work computer exclusively these days. See what happens when you write down your goals?

-pkpk

My March Goals:

1. Write two chapters of "Dear Daddy"
2. Research query writing
3. Write and send three queries a week
4. Send out four new articles/essays for publication
5. Finish transcribing WWII letters

Lavinia

Tina

Way to go! Thanks for sharing the great news!


Melina

Pkpk

Excellent deal! What a great way to start March!

Lavinia

Hi, there and . Good luck on your goals, and be sure to let us know how it's going for you!

Melina

Hi everyone! Thought I'd add my goals for everyone to see too. It might guilt me into getting some of them done!

1) Write one column/rant each week for our website. (See the coffee reference in my sig)
2) Enter at least two short story contests as exercises/brainstorming sessions.
3) Continue work on a science-fiction novel I'm working on.
4) Finish the first draft of a short story for a spec-fic compilation of a twist on the Apocalypse. Begin revisions/edits as directed by the editor.
5) Start work on a possibly unique twist on a vampire story, to be co-authored with another ezine's publisher. (This is probably a 6-month to 1-year project but we want to get started.)
6) Start first draft of an expanded version of Rite of Passage. (Also in my sig - the story there will be the the intro)
7) Become active again in my critique group.
8) Write at least one short story from my "idea box"

That might be enough for one month. What I need is another project or two!

Jonathon



Wow-you've really got your work cut out for you! Good luck, and keep us posted!

Melina

Hoping this will help me...

1) write my articles BEFORE I need to post them
2) get back on track with my novel
3) polish up short stories to send out

Great Goals!
Everyone check out my first six articles at The Flower Gardener, where I'm a new contributing editor. Any suggestions on how to improve it or what you'd like to see?? I'm starting a discussion board.

http://www.gardenandhearth.com/Webs/flower-gardener/main.htm

Jonathon Michaels said:

Hi everyone! Thought I'd add my goals for everyone to see too. It might guilt me into getting some of them done!

1) Write one column/rant each week for our website. (See the coffee reference in my sig)
2) Enter at least two short story contests as exercises/brainstorming sessions.
3) Continue work on a science-fiction novel I'm working on.
4) Finish the first draft of a short story for a spec-fic compilation of a twist on the Apocalypse. Begin revisions/edits as directed by the editor.
5) Start work on a possibly unique twist on a vampire story, to be co-authored with another ezine's publisher. (This is probably a 6-month to 1-year project but we want to get started.)
6) Start first draft of an expanded version of Rite of Passage. (Also in my sig - the story there will be the the intro)
7) Become active again in my critique group.
8) Write at least one short story from my "idea box"

That might be enough for one month. What I need is another project or two!

Click to expand...

Lavinia said:

My March Goals:

1. Write two chapters of "Dear Daddy"
2. Research query writing
3. Write and send three queries a week
4. Send out four new articles/essays for publication
5. Finish transcribing WWII letters

Lavinia

Click to expand...

Sent out an article today. I have additional goals I'm working on for children's writing (posted on verlakay's site) and I've been chipping away at those this week. I've been working my tail off this morning. I think I'll go for a walk, do my exersizes and then buckle-down and work on query writing. Adios- Lavinia

Great goals everyone! Keep us posted on how they're going. I'm not listing any goals this month because I've been working like crazy for the past two, and I need a break! So, I'm taking it.

I will continue my regular routine of querying and book promotion of course. So you can hold me to that.

Lavinia said:

My March Goals:

1. Write two chapters of "Dear Daddy"
2. Research query writing
3. Write and send three queries a week
4. Send out four new articles/essays for publication
5. Finish transcribing WWII letters

Lavinia

Click to expand...

Results so far:
2. Done
3. Sent 1/12
4. Sent 2/4
5. Transcribed 1/29 letters that are left

I've read people's posts who send a query a day and now that I have a whopping one under my belt, I don't know how they do that. My goal of three a week seems terribly high now. I've transcribed over 400 pages of the WWII letters and only have 28 to go. I think I'll put that at the top of the list tomorrow. Some are handwritten and difficult to decifer at times. Others are typed and much easier but longer. Anyway - hope every one is making progress! Back to it- Lavinia

March didn't start out the way I wanted. I'm just now getting over the flu. That definitely put a damper on things.

But I sent some ideas to Kalan yesterday, and I'm going to send some ideas to Schurman today. So I'm gradually getting back into the swing of things.

With all that's been happening lately, my only real goal for March is to just do what I can, when I can, and take it one day, one submission at a time.