It’s that time of year when I need to think about what I can do to make next year the best ever. First I’m reflecting on what I accomplished this year. One long-time goal has been achieved – I finished the sixth revision of The Scribe of Irohila, a middle-grade novel of 46,500 words, and am finally able to send it to agents.
[Joyously tucking a blooming rose in behind the ribbon on my cap.]
But this is only a beginning. What can I do next year to build on this year’s success? Here are a few goals I’m setting for myself:
1. Finish revisions on River Girl – This project is dear to my heart because it focuses on the little town in the mountains I now live in – Happy Camp, California. River Girl is a middle grade historical (1920s) and only 30,000 words. It has been revised four or five times already, and critiqued, so I’m hoping this will be the final revision before I start the submissions process.
2. Get critiques on The Alyssa Project. I finished the first draft of this YA novel way back in 2002, and am currently working on a second revision. I will do a third revision before I ask for critiques… the novel needs a lot of work, but like a flower before it blooms, I see lots of fresh potential there.
3. Finish writing my current WIP, Oja, which is currently at 50,400 words. I need to write a few more chapters, at least. Right now I’ve got the ending planned, but I’m not sure how long it will take to get there.
4. Go back to my unfinished manuscripts and work on plotting/characterization issues, and get at least one of them finished during 2010.
5. Choose another manuscript to revise after I’m done with River Girl. I’ve got a collection of first draft novels waiting for my attention.
6. Create a spreadsheet that lists all of my writing projects, progress, sales, etc.
That’s already six potential flowers on my imaginary rose bush. Here’s hoping that all these buds end up blooming like this:
This post was inspired by Karen: How Knitting is Like Writing.
My official writing website is here: Linda Jo Martin.
Glad I could inspire you! I like your goals, sounds like you’re picking up momentum to get some of your WIPs out into the world!
Good luck with the goals! They look great.