January.Bleh.
Hate, hate, hate it.
Not even the beauty of where I live makes me like January. It's bleak, gloomy and endless. At least it feels that way to me.
I refuse to make New Year's resolutions...I only break them.
But I do set writing goals.
I don't know for sure where I put last year's list, but I know pretty much what was on it. Finish at least two, preferably three manuscripts. Go to a conference. Place in some prestigious contests. Enter the Golden Heart. Sell.
I didn't do that great with last year's goals. I finished The Cowboy's Baby and worked on Burn a lot, until I wrote myself into a corner I can't get out of, and put it aside....again. I finaled in 5 contests, including the Molly and Finally A Bride.
Didn't make a conference. Just couldn't swing that one. I did get to go to CO Springs and see/meet Linda Howard. That kept me going for months.
Didn't enter the Golden Heart. Just didn't have the money this year.
No sale. But I had some decent agent requests.
All in all, it wasn't a bad year. I fell pretty short of my goals. Need to do better this year.
So...my goals for 2011 are:
Finish Branded.
Finish at least one Intrigue...I have three to choose from.
Go to CRW's bi-annual conference and pitch to agent.
Sell a book.
There you have it. About the same goals I set for myself every year.
And yours?
I so could have written that post. Ditto the January part, plus the whole rest of winter. Ditto the missed goals in 2010 part, but I think you got more of yours done. Ditto the not making resolutions to break part.
ReplyDeleteI don't usually write my goals down. I flit from thing to thing with them in the back of my head. This year I'm writing them. I'll see if that makes them more real. Hope so.
Ditto how you feel about January. I hate this month.
ReplyDeleteMy goals for this year are finish my synopis--I would like to have three: a one page, three page, and a five page, write an awesome query letter, and start querying.
I don't think I hate January the way you do, D. I hate the season, the cold. That being said, my writing goals remain the same. In fact I'm recycling last year's goals: Write more (I have two more to go in the Wicked series, a f/f erotic, a m/m erotic and a paranormal/erotic all slated for this year), become more visible in the online writing community, and pay more attention to the family.
ReplyDeleteNot all in that order hopefully :)
January doesn't bother me...but then I don't have to get out on the snow-covered streets or deal with bawitchy people who do.
ReplyDeletegoals:
Finish 4 WIPs - 2 full ms's, 2 novellas
Query Agents
Sell a couple articles to big (national) glossy magazines
Finish the flippin' quilt I started 2 years ago
I don't hate january..it's february that the killer for me...the only thing I wanted to do last year was finish my witching series..i got part way through book 2 and had to stop...this year i hope to finish rough drafts of two stories i have outlined, and learn to be a better writer. maybe by the end of the year i'll feel confident enough to query...i'm trying to keep them simple..good luck you yours:)
ReplyDeleteI don't make resolutions either. Goals, however, I definitely like to have.
ReplyDeleteThis year:
* Sell 2 more books (novel I'm working on, book of short stories I just finished). These will be my 9th and 10th books.
* Promo all 2010 and 2011 books. Yuck.
* Revamp my Patricia Green Books website.
* And, towards the 2nd half of the year, I'll start working on a new novel.
Fortunately, I love what I do.
I don't mind the winter because the part of California I live in is moderate year round. It's April I dislike, the 15th in particular. I'm working in the office today getting ready for it too. My writing goal this year is to finish my current MS. I don't have deadlines to deal with (yet) so I'm giving myself a break and letting all the other goals merge over into my family life.
ReplyDeleteBTW the best day of the year for me is during the summer, any day that we can take the ski boat out and bake in the sun!
I'm not setting goals because I'm doing the life-change thing in February--retirement!--and am going to feel my way for a while. I've never had unlimited time to do what I want and I want to play with it for a while.
ReplyDeleteI ALWAYS make resolutions/goals. I don't do well with general stuff like losing 10#, etc. but my writing goals. . .I only choose 2-3. More than that sets me up for doom. I print them out and post them on the bulletin board next to my computer where I can easily see them. For the most part, it's like having big brother peer over your shoulder. Or gentle nudges every time I look at them. I'd totally flounder without direction.
ReplyDeleteThe only goal I have is to outline everything before I write. I'll have to see how that goes.
ReplyDeleteKeep us posted when you reach a goal!
My goal for 2011? Finally decide on a flippin' opening to my MS so I can get back to querying. The book is 95% done. I am my own worst critic. Grrr!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with January. Winters in Atlanta are pretty mild. I never make resolutions either nor have I set any writing goals. I might want to work on that.
ReplyDeleteI do not like the cold, I hybernate as much as possible. LOL
ReplyDeleteDon't do resolutions, pointless when I know I won't keep them.
Goals, I've never set them before this year...
This year I WILL finish the ms I am currently and have been working on forever...
I WILL finish another ms where I am one chapter in...
I WILL either enter the Golden Heart or be ready to start the submissions process...
I agree with Penelope, I could have written that one. Something I blogged about last week: Plan B, you know the one that happens while you are hoping Plan A works out.
ReplyDeleteStop by and read it on Wicked Writers:
http://thewickedwriters.blogspot.com/2010/12/plan-b.html
And boy do I hear you on those legendary 20#. They've made my list for over a quarter century!
I usually don't mind January--November is the month I don't like. We tend to get snow and the child in me still rejoices in that. My resolutions were posted on my blog, but my goals are different. To query an agent and secure representation. Sell my current WIP as a series to a publisher. To finish book #4 that's had to wait while I polished current WIP. And revise/cut my first book from 160K to about 100K (give or take 10k).
ReplyDeleteNot so much, really.
Good post. I'd tell you my goals but then I'd have to think of something else to blog about on
ReplyDeleteThursday :)
PS...Not enjoying the frigid January temps here, either. Tired of being cold
Penelope~
ReplyDeleteMaybe writing the goals down will help us both. I'm going to try.
Great goals, Brenda. Go get 'em!
ReplyDeleteAv!
ReplyDeleteIf you do half as well this year as you did last year, you'll be on every best seller list there is. You go, girl!
Kristi~
ReplyDeleteYou can do it. I know you can. And you better make that quilt!
Go, Duckie!
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I can't stand February either. From Nov-March, they're kickers.
Go, Patricia!
ReplyDeleteSounds like you know right where you're at and where you're going.
Sheri~
ReplyDeleteBake in the sun? Oh, heaven. DO you have a spare room???
Nice post. I too don't do New Year's resolutions but have set up writing goals. My main goal is to improve by my standards, learn more, practice the craft. 2010 was a lot of thinking on what I want from writing. I've always thought of it like a career but now I'm narrowing down what I want out of the career.
ReplyDeleteLiz~
ReplyDeleteHave a super retirement. I bet you're going to have so much fun, and enjoy yourself sooooo much.
CJ~
ReplyDeleteLove your new story! Keep going with it, and keep those goals handy, lady. Good work!
Lisa!
ReplyDeleteGood goals. Big, small, they all add up.
Charli~
ReplyDeleteDidn't you have a couple of agent requests not too long ago? You must have a decent opening. Keep going!
Shawn~
ReplyDeleteCan I come visit you in Atlanta, say from Nov-March? Just a houseguest you know? LOL
Tammy~
ReplyDeleteYou and I should make a deal to enter the GH this coming year. Although this year, I didn't do it with my buddy Sara, and let her go in alone.
Sharon,
ReplyDeleteI will try to come by your blog. Thanks for coming by.
YOu can do it, Jenna. Welcome to blogging!
ReplyDeleteMargie!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see what your goals are on Thursday. Get Bix sold, I hope!
Nice, Toni.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I shy away from resolutions, but do set goals. I'm closing in on finishing my Halifax Explosion story, I have a children's book to finish,and I have the seed of an idea for another story after that. This time of year, I try to just put my head down and keep busy until the daylight starts to return.
ReplyDeleteHere's hoping we both meet our goals!
I haven't set any goals. Right now, I'm just trying to get through this month.
ReplyDelete