2013: On Prime Numbers and Plans
I turn 47 this year. That's a prime number, as is 2013... I like prime numbers (my lucky numbers being 23 and 5) so I am taking this as a good sign. I had a huge year of ups and downs last year. REALLY BIG ups and downs. So I'm actually really glad to kick 2012 in the back side. In future years I will remember it as the year I first published, but I am really just hoping the other stuff fades.
2013 has some big events coming... probably the biggest is my daughter graduates from high school in June. But I also have a second book release and I am determined I will ALSO sell one of my young adult books... But lets get specific here. Goals always work better with some specificity...
Fitness Goals
This piece of my life has gotten out of hand. I need to lose quite a bit of weight. I'd like it to go quickly, but am realistic... though optimistic, too. My GOAL is ten pounds in January, then five a month through the rest of the year... after summer it will be a lot harder—it goes slower when you get closer to goal, but maybe a few of the earlier months will have a few extra pounds lost to make up for it.
I will do this by:
Weight Watchers
Daily walking
4 times a week something more intense for at least 30 minutes
3 times a week working with weights (and that pesky push-up/sit-up/lunge stuff)
Mental Health and Balance
This is more a family goal. Most of you who come around here know I am a nut, but honestly, my claimed insanity is pretty stable. I am calm and my reactions are fairly calm. But my family is going through some stuff, so this is really more a commitment to put some regular attention on them and how things are going. My kids, in particular, deserve to have me break my tunnel vision away from the writing more regularly. And I need to make a better attempt keeping in touch with the family that doesn't spend their lives on facebook (though I love that facebook keeps me in regular touch with a lot of people I used to only rarely talk to)
I also have a memorial to plan for the end of June and I need to make a point of doing this well.
And the Writing...
Always back to the writing, eh? It is the piece I seem able to maintain some illusion of control in...
January
1) Revise MEDIUM WRONG and polish for ABNA contest (first 3 weeks)
2) Send at least 10 queries for KAHLOTUS DISPOSAL SITE
3) Begin first revision of WHAT ALES ME
February
1) Continue revisions WHAT ALES ME
2) 10 more queries.
3) Finish typing SHOT IN THE LIGHT
March
1) First polish WHAT ALES ME. Send to reviewer friends.
2) Evaluate whether KAHLOTUS doing what I want: either plan revisions or query 10 more
3) Make Book release plans for The Begonia Bribe
April
[keep block open for unexpected revision of SOMETHING or writing of something requested (in my dreams there will be at least a 4th Garden Society book), maybe KAHLOTUS needs something (in fact probably it does).
Also, if getting nowhere, this is the month to learn the self-publishing stuff I need.
May
1) Revisions for WHAT ALES ME. Send to Ellen
2) Execute BEGONIA BRIBE release
June
BuNoWriMo: I have several books I want to write this year, but in jump starting my career, I thought my next Cozy Mystery idea was most promising. Unnamed... has retired lady cop who is now running a lingerie store as the sleuth... it was inspired by a real (and fabulous) woman.
[note, this will be challenging, as I think I have 10 days on a road trip this month, but I will try it anyway]
Other books on maybe list: Next Pleides, Undoing (a taking down of a secret society from the inside—probably a series), my young adult Armageddon one, or one from my file of ideas...) Also wrote half a book after my first that I've begun thinking has a lot of potential... would probably need to be totally rewritten and certainly needs an ending.
July
1) Revisions MEDIUM WRONG based on ABNA feedback
August
1) Second block for 'fill in here' what has been either requested as changes or do some self-publishing prep work
2) POLISH MEDIUM WRONG
September
1) Being revisions for SHOT IN THE LIGHT
2) Query MEDIUM WRONG
October
1) Continue revisions on SHOT
2) Keep querying
November
1) NaNoWriMo (see above)
2) SHOT to first readers
December
1) Revise SHOT per feedback (polishing for ABNA 2014)
So I think I'm learning... those two months in there to be a little flexible... We will see how that goes, but I have my hopes it will help to keep me on track.
What are your goals?
2013 has some big events coming... probably the biggest is my daughter graduates from high school in June. But I also have a second book release and I am determined I will ALSO sell one of my young adult books... But lets get specific here. Goals always work better with some specificity...
Fitness Goals
This piece of my life has gotten out of hand. I need to lose quite a bit of weight. I'd like it to go quickly, but am realistic... though optimistic, too. My GOAL is ten pounds in January, then five a month through the rest of the year... after summer it will be a lot harder—it goes slower when you get closer to goal, but maybe a few of the earlier months will have a few extra pounds lost to make up for it.
I will do this by:
Weight Watchers
Daily walking
4 times a week something more intense for at least 30 minutes
3 times a week working with weights (and that pesky push-up/sit-up/lunge stuff)
Mental Health and Balance
This is more a family goal. Most of you who come around here know I am a nut, but honestly, my claimed insanity is pretty stable. I am calm and my reactions are fairly calm. But my family is going through some stuff, so this is really more a commitment to put some regular attention on them and how things are going. My kids, in particular, deserve to have me break my tunnel vision away from the writing more regularly. And I need to make a better attempt keeping in touch with the family that doesn't spend their lives on facebook (though I love that facebook keeps me in regular touch with a lot of people I used to only rarely talk to)
I also have a memorial to plan for the end of June and I need to make a point of doing this well.
And the Writing...
Always back to the writing, eh? It is the piece I seem able to maintain some illusion of control in...
January
1) Revise MEDIUM WRONG and polish for ABNA contest (first 3 weeks)
2) Send at least 10 queries for KAHLOTUS DISPOSAL SITE
3) Begin first revision of WHAT ALES ME
February
1) Continue revisions WHAT ALES ME
2) 10 more queries.
3) Finish typing SHOT IN THE LIGHT
March
1) First polish WHAT ALES ME. Send to reviewer friends.
2) Evaluate whether KAHLOTUS doing what I want: either plan revisions or query 10 more
3) Make Book release plans for The Begonia Bribe
April
[keep block open for unexpected revision of SOMETHING or writing of something requested (in my dreams there will be at least a 4th Garden Society book), maybe KAHLOTUS needs something (in fact probably it does).
Also, if getting nowhere, this is the month to learn the self-publishing stuff I need.
May
1) Revisions for WHAT ALES ME. Send to Ellen
2) Execute BEGONIA BRIBE release
June
BuNoWriMo: I have several books I want to write this year, but in jump starting my career, I thought my next Cozy Mystery idea was most promising. Unnamed... has retired lady cop who is now running a lingerie store as the sleuth... it was inspired by a real (and fabulous) woman.
[note, this will be challenging, as I think I have 10 days on a road trip this month, but I will try it anyway]
Other books on maybe list: Next Pleides, Undoing (a taking down of a secret society from the inside—probably a series), my young adult Armageddon one, or one from my file of ideas...) Also wrote half a book after my first that I've begun thinking has a lot of potential... would probably need to be totally rewritten and certainly needs an ending.
July
1) Revisions MEDIUM WRONG based on ABNA feedback
August
1) Second block for 'fill in here' what has been either requested as changes or do some self-publishing prep work
2) POLISH MEDIUM WRONG
September
1) Being revisions for SHOT IN THE LIGHT
2) Query MEDIUM WRONG
October
1) Continue revisions on SHOT
2) Keep querying
November
1) NaNoWriMo (see above)
2) SHOT to first readers
December
1) Revise SHOT per feedback (polishing for ABNA 2014)
So I think I'm learning... those two months in there to be a little flexible... We will see how that goes, but I have my hopes it will help to keep me on track.
What are your goals?
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