posted
This is a lot like "Promise Report" except that thread is getting long and full and many people feel that January 1st is the magic date to sort of get in gear. So in the spirit of New Year's Resolutions, what are your writing gols for 2005?
Mine:
1. To finish "Touch of Fate," my novel in progress which is about to enter its third (and hopefully final) draft. I was hoping that #2 would be its last draft but it seems clear that the story wants to be a suspense rather than a mystery. I want to be writing query letters by December 2005!
2. To write four solid short stories, one each quarter. I don't want to write a short story a week or a month like I have done in the past because these often turn out sub par, but I want to continue writing those shorter stories that have a better chance of being published in a year instead of ten years. Four stories also lines up with the WOTF quarters, where each story will begin its journey.
3. To read one new fiction book each week. That means that by the end of the year I will be 52 books closer to well-read by anyone's definition.
4. To research at least four new nonfiction topics that I have never looked deeply into before. I'm considering beginning with lesser-known mythologies (ie not Greek, Roman, Egyptian, or Norse). Possibly African or Asian myths.
5. To continue submitting stories despite numerous rejections until they find their homes. I cannot make a goal that is not in my power (such as a goal to sell x number of short stories) but I can do everything in my power to make 2005 a banner year for me.
1. Figure out the problem with my novel length WIP "Emissary" (my characters have been literally stuck on a ledge for a year).
2. Finish the seven short stories that are half finished. (In the Pines, GreyHounds, Last Eagle, Rose Garden, Well of Souls, Cobblestones, and Quillen)
3. Improve my punctuation and formatting.
4. Do a rewrite on my rewrite challenge story (Sirens), using the helpful feedback from my Hatrack friends.
posted
1. Finish fleshing out and revise the novel I worked on during NaNoWriMo.
2. Work up some serious minded stories suitable for WOTF (And most of the rest of the magazine world. Silliness has a smaller market I have discovered.) 4 is probably a good number on that.
3. Do NaNoWriMo again.
4. Get a full outline of a novel together (possibly for combination with #3)
5. Keep stories in the mail (I like this one, it's the easy one!)
posted
I already made my other NYRs, so here go my writing ones:
1. Rewrite my NaNoWriMo draft into something worthwhile.
2. Read, read, read. Everything, but especially within genre.
3. Write, write, write. Anything, everything. If it intrudes upon my consciousness, I must write it down. Write it now; figure out its usefulness later. I miss too many good snippets of dialogue and description by mistakenly believing that I will remember it later.
4. Start outlining the novel whose story precedes my NaNoWriMo story.
5. Stop doing all my writing at the keyboard; put that fine Waterman to good use and WRITE with it!
6. Do NaNoWriMo again. Insanity also loves company.
posted
Simply, to write every day, day after day, month after month, and to read as much, as deeply, and as carefully as I can.
I have a 500 word minimum daily writing goal. Most days I write more, sometimes up to 2000 words. But those days I'm tried or the writing is difficult, I force myself to write 500 words.
Last year I read 60 books. Everything from Dickens' GREAT EXPECTATIONS and Tolstoy's WAR AND PEACE to Orson Scott Card's SEVENTH SON and Stephen King's THE GREEN MILE. That was too much. I didn't read as carefully as I should have. My new goal is to read constantly without thinking about quantity. Once deciding how long it should take me to read a novel (or a short story collection), I figure out how many pages I need to read a day to finish it.
I certainly like Christine's idea of studying four nonfiction topics. For me they will be American History, Nazi Germany, the history of art, and the life of either Washington or Teddy Roosevelt.
posted
This year I am going to take a different approach. I am going to set goals for writing, but also some other goals for keeping my life in harmony. I think that my problem in 2004 was that I obsessed over certain things and let other things slide.
I will write everyday until all the words in my head are on the page. I am not setting a word count right now, I will see if I think I need to. This may sound sappy, but I am going to spend time with my wife and do more things with her. I am also going to take long rides on my motorcycle, because that is the thing that centers me, and clears my head for writing. After riding, I am going to work in the yard, plant some more flowers and play with my dog. There, I think I put in all the important stuff. That should keep things balanced, so I don't feel bad about spending too much time locked in my room with the computer.
So for writing, I would like to complete the three short stories I am working on. I would also like to start fleshing out the fantasy novel I outlined in the Dave Wolverton workshop I attended this year. If I can do all that I will be happy.
posted
1. Rewrite my 2004 Nano. Right now it is a mystifying wandering plotless pile of garbage, but I still love the idea, and want to see what it's like when it's put together.
2. Polish and then obsessively sub my 4 best stories.
Also I will do 2005 Nano, and write more stories as they occur to me, and continue to do crits here and in other forums.
posted
Several of the listed resolutions apply to me as well: 1) Write at least one short story per quarter 2) Finish my Nano novel 3) Read, read, and read some more -- both fiction and non-fiction 4) Participate in Nanowrimo 2005 (and win again!)
posted
For me, Im setting myself what is probably a simple set to stick too.
1) To continue my avid reading (around 10 books per month minimum) 2) To carry on trying to write a book and to sort out the ideas (I tend to get on with one and then have ideas for another and start on that. 3) Write a proper plan for whats going to happen in the tale 4) Write a scene every few days (even if it wont go into the plot of the book as it can give an insight of the characters that may come in useful 5) Possibly interview each character, sometimes a quirky thing can come out that leads to other idea's. 6) Submit written scenes every month for critique and then rewrite each within the following month after advice has been given.
Good for you! Take it from me, you can do it. I quit 2 years ago and I still pat myself on the back for it. It's tough to do, but oh so worth it in the end.
I have an excellent list of "Good Things to Look Forward to When you Quit" that someone gave me. If you'd like to have it for inspiration, send me a message and I'd be happy to share it with you.
posted
1. Finish my NaNoWriMo effort 2. Write a page a day (Would prefer 2000 words, but I want reasonable goals and I'm traveling a lot this year.) 3. Not get behind with my writer's group. 4. Not sacrifice time with my husband to do these other things.
Posts: 2022 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
okay, I have one. Submit an applicable piece to every single magazine market in the 2005 Writers Market.
Since I know ahead of time that there's no way on Earth that I'm going to keep that resolution, I can dispense with the stress now, and just be happy-go-lucky.