(writing) Looking at goals for next year

[vg_ford]

Next year, I have several large goals and some smaller ones I want to hit. I'm posting them here to keep me honest.

Large Goals

Goal the first: Finish fixing Belladonna Dreams and start submitting it.

I have been putzing around on this for far too long.
Goal date to have it submit-ready: May 1, 2008.

Goal the second: Finish Dark Moons Seasons and submit it to publisher.

This is a necessary. :p Several smaller dates on this one.
Goal date to have rough draft to editor: April 1, 2008.
Goal date to have final to publisher: August 1, 2008.

Goal the third: Write outline and start rough draft of Last Rites.

Again, a bit of a necessity.
Goal date for outline: October 1, 2008
Goal date for rough draft: February 1. 2009

Goal the fourth: Finish editing Magic and Fantasy.

I have so got to get moving on this.
Goal date for first pass editing: Jan. 15, 2008


Small Goals

Goal the first: Actually track writing output this year.

I'd be really interested to see how much I write when I put my mind to it. So I'm going to actually track this and see what I come up with at the end.
Goal amount per day: 1k per day, averaged over the month.
Goal for January: 31,000 words.

Goal the second: Work on my marketing skills.

Because honestly, I have none. I have ideas. Now I have to follow through on them.

Goal the third: Master the short story.

Yes, I know short stories have no money in them. I don't care. This is something I want to do for me.
Goal amount: 1 short story per month written.

Goal the fourth: Actually finish the first year of 2yn.

Self-explanatory.

Notice that all the major goals have deadlines attached. I have discovered that goals with no deadlines become goals that Val "gets to eventually." But this year I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in, so I need to get my arse in gear.

There are other things I'd like to do as well. I need to start working on some other books not connected with the Horseman world. I need to start working on the second series for Horseman as well.

What are your writing goals for the year?

Comments

[peartreealley.livejournal.com]

These are good goals. I will probably replicate them in some fashion, although I'm going back and forth--on the one hand, I want to make goals. On the other, I'm scared to make goals because I'm worried that I'm still in burn-out and that the new year isn't going to magically make that go away :/

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

Well, you could make just some small goals, and if you are still in burn-out, admit that and not worry about it. :) You're right - if you're still burnt out, the new year isn't going to make it magically go away.

OTOH, you won't know until you try, yes? *hugs*

[fencerm2.livejournal.com]

Goals...that's a pretty good idea. I should probably consider setting some of my own. :-)

I don't do outlines. I have to write mostly in sequence, since subplots and characters will emerge and evolve in ways I can't possibly predict until they happen. Kinda odd like that, I guess.

If I have any goals, that would be to continue submitting Seeker in the hopes of getting representation, and maybe start working on editing Finder again, and continuing to work on Harbinger, though I don't believe I can put an end date on that one. The longest book in The Source Chronicles quartet. Can't begin Healers until I finish Harbinger.

And of course, I have another half a dozen stories in the works - novels, since I don't usually do short stories.

Maybe I really should consider setting some goals along the way...

[vg-ford.livejournal.com]

You should! I find setting goals helps me actually DO something in the year.