Raine brought this question up the other day on her blog. Cece picked up the ball and ran with it. I’ve been pondering my answer over the last few days. The question is: “What have you done with this year?”
I feel quite off track for the year. I had specific writing goals I wanted to meet and have not come close yet. (Not good since it’s already July.) What goals you ask? I planned on completing three single titles this year. How many have I finished? None.
The only thing I’ve completed this year is AQ4. Which begs the question, what have I been doing? I’m truly not happy with the answer I received. I spent the first half of the year attempting to get over the turmoil of last year’s upheaval. Once I did get back into writing, I fought with a project that literally knocked me into writer’s block. (Can you see the months on the calendar fluttering by? They’re moving almost as fast as the excuses.;) I had to put everything aside and go back to a project that wouldn’t stress me. Hence, AQ4’s completion. Yet, for that one completion, I have six other partials stuffed in files.
Currently, I’m working on one of the partials. I plan to submit it, although I anticipate being laughed out of the publishing house. After I mail it off, I’m going to go back to work on another story. I hope to have it finished by September. I will then return to the first partial I submitted and finish that manuscript. At least that way I’ll come close to meeting my 2005 goals.
Have you met your goals for this year? What have you accomplished? What would you like to accomplish before the end of the year?
July 1st, 2005
“Have you met your goals for this year? What have you accomplished?”
LMAO! hahahahahahaa…. oh, wait, that wasn’t a joke, was it? ::shamed::
by jaq July 1st, 2005 at 1:35 pmI’ve met most of my writing goals for this year so far. Goals about my house are a whole ‘nother thing, LOL. But that is how I met the writing goals…..
by Suzanne July 1st, 2005 at 3:07 pmLOL Jaq. I agree. I also haven’t met the writing goals I set for myself at the beginning of this year. But I hope to meet the new ones I’ve set by the end of this year. *gulp*
by Evangeline July 1st, 2005 at 3:55 pmJaq, I hear you. Sigh.
by Jordan July 1st, 2005 at 4:58 pmSuzanne, That’s wonderful! I’m glad you met your goals. Can I live vicariously through you?
by Jordan July 1st, 2005 at 4:59 pmEvangeline, That was actually another question I’d meant to ask. If you haven’t met your goals, then did you change them to accommodate your schedule?
by Jordan July 1st, 2005 at 5:07 pmI’ve taken the back-door approach.
I didn’t set a single goal this year.
by Raine July 2nd, 2005 at 12:11 amThat way, whatever I DO accomplish is GRAVY.
(I know, I know–I’m ashamed too…)
I did. I work long shifts and when I would come home, all I wanted to do was veg out, so now I’ve made it an effort to pick up a research book, to jot down scenes and notes when they come to me and to “reward” myself with a fiction novel or mindless hours online if I meet each goal for the day.
by Evangeline July 2nd, 2005 at 1:16 amI’m keeping up with my writing goals, but the weightloss, and housecleaniung ones are falling way behind.
Guess it shows me where my priorities are. lol
by Sasha July 2nd, 2005 at 1:46 amI’ve had to adjust my goals because of the house. I had fifteen things on my list, I think. It’s on the old computer. =( I”m going to have to set new goals for the rest of the year, starting with painting my bedroom today LOL
by Cece July 2nd, 2005 at 6:35 am*sigh* I had a tough start to the year due to the turmoil with letting go of my agent. It’s taken me a while to get writing confidience back up, so I’m not as far along writing-wise as I’d like to be this year. But I’m hoping for an immersion kind of summer, so we’ll see.
by Steph T. July 2nd, 2005 at 8:02 amWell. I met all my goals for 2004 (exceeded them, in fact) and a lot of that showed up in 2005. Having a baby in 2005 really changed my expectations; I have a lot of trouble writing while pregnant. Since I knew this, I didn’t beat myself up over not keeping up my usual pace. I have goals for the 2nd half of the year that I expect to meet without making myself insane. ; )
by Charlene July 2nd, 2005 at 10:06 amOh, jeez, this has been an insane year. Yes, the turmoil of the end of last year, starting the new year as chapter pres and going through some turmoil with 2 officers leaving, working on 4 books at one time and doing my taxes. That was Jan. and Feb. The rewrites on Forbidden Magic kept me so busy that I haven’t had time to work on the next single title, which I need to get working on soon. I had hoped to do two this year, but it’s not gonna happen. 1, yes. Now I’m in the middle of tons of projects which I just blogged about today. LOL I guess I’m accomplishing what I need to, I just have other goals that there’s no time to achieve. I don’t seem to write as fast as I used to!
by Cheyenne McCray July 2nd, 2005 at 12:01 pmJust like Charlene, I’ve had to adjust my expectations a bit. I have a hard time writing toward the end of a pregnancy because of discomfort, and a new baby messes up my schedule a lot, too. So I never planned to write a full single title this year… I took the pressure off myself by telling myself this could be the year of novellas. It’s worked out that way, too. A month or two ago I did try to write a novel– but the darned thing turned out to be a novella instead. Which was okay, since I need to submit one to Brava anyway. I’ve produced several novellas this year, and I’m happy with that, considering. The only goal I haven’t met yet is finishing the novella targeted at Brava, and I expect to have that done in the next week or so.
by Ellen Fisher July 2nd, 2005 at 1:41 pmRaine, You shouldn’t be ashamed. You just had a book released. ( I plan to pick it up when I get back from Vegas.
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 3:50 pmEvangeline, That’s great incentive. I reward myself with books whether I do something or not. LOL!
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 3:51 pmSasha, We all need priorities. (wg)
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 3:52 pmCece, You’ve had a lot on your plate. You have to get settled before you can pick the ‘pen’ back up.
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 3:59 pmSteph, (((Hugs))) I’m right there with you on trying to regain writing confidence.
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 4:01 pmCharlene & Ellen, As they say in the commercial, a baby changes EVERYTHING. I’m glad you both have managed to keep a plan on so little sleep. You’re wonder women.
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 4:02 pmChey, You’re not slowing down. *ggg* You just have about three times as much stuff on your plate.
I have every faith you’ll pull it together. I know your level of focus.
by Jordan July 2nd, 2005 at 4:04 pmWhat have I accomplished this year? I took back my life. It upended every other “goal”, but I’m proud of myself and know it is and will be worth it.
by Eve Jameson July 2nd, 2005 at 8:50 pmMy room is Canyon *g*
One goal down!
by Cece July 2nd, 2005 at 8:53 pmWhat would I like to accomplish this year? Believing in myself. I seem to have misplaced that somewhere …
by Jill July 3rd, 2005 at 9:41 amJill, If you find the location of that particular ‘gift’ could you point me in the right direction?
I’m currently giving doubting Thomas a run for his money.
by Jordan July 3rd, 2005 at 10:35 am