Le sigh. Now that the first draft of the novel is done, I'm kind of at a loss. With my usual impatience, I want to go back right now and start editing. I know better, though. I've read my work the week after I write it--and on those readings, I think I'm a genius. I've read it a year after I write it, too--and yeah, sometimes I'm still a genius. But much, much, much more often, I'm a moron who can't write and never should have tried and what the hell was I thinking?
The key, of course, is to start editing somewhere between "I should apply to Mensa!" and "I should throw myself into heavy traffic!" My expert calculations tell me that the proper time will be the beginning of November.
So what am I going to do with myself, huh? Writing-wise, I'm lost without a project. I'm beta-reading for someone (hi Tia! I love it so far!), but that's not writing. I must write.
Let's look at the writing-related goals I set for 07 back in January.*
Start and finish first draft of next novel.Status: Done.Use beta reader and CP suggestions for editing of The Malloy Legacy.
Status: Done.Create query package for TML.
Status: Done.- Query 50 agents for TML.
Status: Halfway there.
I won't scratch this off completely, since it's only 50% completed. Now, as much as I'd like to complete this, I have my particular reasons for not sending any more snail-mail queries out until a certain date. I think I'll send out the few remaining e-queries this week, though. - Write five shorts and send them each out at least five times.
Status: Erm. Well, I wrote one short. Haven't typed it up yet. I did research some markets for it, so maybe now is the time to start on this goal.
I'm off to do some beta reading, then maybe work on my short stories...in addition to all the other stuff I need to do today.
How have you fared with goals, writing or otherwise? Do you make goals at the New Year, or just when you need something to make you focus, or not at all? If you did make goals, are you on track to finish them this year?
Let me know in the comments. (Hey, lurkers...I know I have one or two. Say hi! You make me curious!)
*These are from memory, as I wrote them in a notebook that evidently ran away. If I forgot any, they'll be ones I haven't completed. Convenient, isn't it?
**That's writing goals. I've almost completed my writing goals. I may have finished my novel, but I'm still a freaking smoker. So, I celebrate my achievements even as I beat myself up. It's fun and painful.
My Rhapsody Playlist
Posts
Goals? I wanted to finish Starcaster and that might still happen. I wanted to get an agent for Forging, and that still might happen. I don't have any short fiction goals. I don't write short fiction enough to merit a goal. I did write one short fiction story this year! I submitted it to exactly one market. I outlined two others, but the stories just fizzled.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are enjoying it!
Yeah, I've barely written any short fiction since college. That's kind of why I wanted to do some more--that, and it's another market I can try, more work I can submit that's done much more quickly than a novel.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't meet your goals by the end of the year, I'm sure it will be soon after that! =)