Writing goals
I work better with deadlines. I work so well to them that I've learned to gauge exactly how long things take me to do and I don't start them until I have JUST enough time to meet the deadline. If it's a longer project that requires pre-reading, I'll do that early and then sit on it and think for a while. The actual writing of reports, for me, is quick and easy.
People who don't know me well start panicking and check a couple of times a day if I've begun yet. I think I should feel bad about making them uncomfortable but, really, I like it. I know I can do the job but I don't want people breathing down my neck and checking on me all the time. That's about as mean and conceited as I get, so I make the most of it.
Without deadlines, I don't achieve a great deal at all.
Writing is a little more nebulous than my day job. It's not regimented in the same way, so I have to create goals that help me achieve what I want. I'm very lucky to be part of a focused crit group, The Belles. We're a small group and have been together for years so we know each other's strengths and weaknesses really well. Every January, we have a planning meeting. Each of us writes down our goals for the year. When we first began this, the goals were very ambitious, as if writing them down ensured we'd have the time, health and inclination to do every one of them. We've learned better since then and choose goals that are achievable while still pushing our boundaries.
These are my goals for this year. I've written about them before but I thought, half way through the year, an update was in order. I've put in brackets where I'm up to with each of them. So far, with the exception of my website updates, I'm on target. I need to learn how to use databases (and other things) with my website so updating it is an easier task. I'll have to schedule some dedicated 'website time' later in the year to do that.
1 NaNo Edmo (March) (done)
2 NaNoWriMo (Camp NaNo April done, Camp NaNo July begun, NaNoWriMo November planned)
3 Write & submit four short stories, novellas or novels (two submitted, both accepted, third story 1/4 finished)
4 Edit one science fiction novel & submit (half-way through edits, looking good so far so this might be the last edits before submission)
5 Maintain website-update monthly (not happening that regularly - this task needs an upgrade in my skill-set)
6 Weekly blog entries (on target)
7 Post one free short story to website (done with another planned for the second half of the year)
People who don't know me well start panicking and check a couple of times a day if I've begun yet. I think I should feel bad about making them uncomfortable but, really, I like it. I know I can do the job but I don't want people breathing down my neck and checking on me all the time. That's about as mean and conceited as I get, so I make the most of it.
Without deadlines, I don't achieve a great deal at all.
Writing is a little more nebulous than my day job. It's not regimented in the same way, so I have to create goals that help me achieve what I want. I'm very lucky to be part of a focused crit group, The Belles. We're a small group and have been together for years so we know each other's strengths and weaknesses really well. Every January, we have a planning meeting. Each of us writes down our goals for the year. When we first began this, the goals were very ambitious, as if writing them down ensured we'd have the time, health and inclination to do every one of them. We've learned better since then and choose goals that are achievable while still pushing our boundaries.
These are my goals for this year. I've written about them before but I thought, half way through the year, an update was in order. I've put in brackets where I'm up to with each of them. So far, with the exception of my website updates, I'm on target. I need to learn how to use databases (and other things) with my website so updating it is an easier task. I'll have to schedule some dedicated 'website time' later in the year to do that.
1 NaNo Edmo (March) (done)
2 NaNoWriMo (Camp NaNo April done, Camp NaNo July begun, NaNoWriMo November planned)
3 Write & submit four short stories, novellas or novels (two submitted, both accepted, third story 1/4 finished)
4 Edit one science fiction novel & submit (half-way through edits, looking good so far so this might be the last edits before submission)
5 Maintain website-update monthly (not happening that regularly - this task needs an upgrade in my skill-set)
6 Weekly blog entries (on target)
7 Post one free short story to website (done with another planned for the second half of the year)
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