Tag Archives: goals

Back with my WWF goals

Posted on January 11, 2012 by | 3 Comments

The big day’s finally here: The start of the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Winter Writing Festival.

It crept up on me so quickly that I didn’t have as much time as I’d hoped to craft my goals — so I’m going to build on last year’s list. With a few modifications, it’ll work again.

Here’s the quick and dirty list:

  • Write at least 500 words on WIP OR
  • Edit at least 10 pages OR
  • BICHOK (butt in chair, hands on keyboard) for at least 30 minutes without Internet distractions OR
  • Craft winning query letter for one of my two 2012 GH entries (so I can be ready if I final again) OR
  • Read/give feedback to CP OR
  • Find a contest to enter and prep entry OR
  • Read one article in one of the many unread issues of RWR I have on file OR
  • Write a blog post of at least 150 words for my writing blog, Love & Laughter. Posts for the weight loss blog don’t count. OR
  • Read one of the GH entries I just received for judging OR
  • Pay my RWA dues. They’re due by Feb. 28 at the latest OR
  • Register for RWA National Conference OR
  • Get a massage. (If I could afford to do this one once a week, I would — but it’ll more likely be once during the entire festival.)

They seem like simple goals, I know — but I’m setting myself up for success. If I can’t make time to do one (or more) of those things each day, I’d better give up on writing.

What is my WIP, you ask? That’s a very good question. I still seem to be suffering from the story ADD I developed last March.

Currently, I’m expanding/editing Brad & Erin’s story with an eye to a specific submission. I also have plans to add to Dave & Melinda’s story, which is right at 50K now. Eventually, I want to get back to Beth & Cody, too — I only had about 20K left to write when I got derailed. Surely Beth has some redeeming qualities (though the Golden Pen judges were doubtful). And then there’s my NaNo novel starring Van and Allyson. I finished the 50K rough draft, but it needs major help.

See? Story ADD.

Guess with no shortage of projects, I’ll always have something to do! I’m ready to get down to work and have some fun. See you at the RSS.

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It’s almost here!

Posted on January 4, 2012 by | Leave a comment

Golden Heart finalist calls will come out in less than three months.

But that’s not the “it” I’m talking about (yet). It’s almost time for the annual Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Winter Writing Festival.

The festival starts on Jan. 11 and runs through the end of February — an extra day, with this being a leap year.

Okay, I cheated: This is the 2011 badge, from my old writing blog. But I will be participating again this year. I plan to give some serious thought to my goals before posting them here.

That’s the great thing about the WWF: You determine the goals. If you want to throw in there “get a massage,” you can. Of course, it makes sense to have most of them be writing-related — it is the Winter Writing Festival, after all, not Relax-a-palooza.

Come, write with me and the Rubies. You can get a lot accomplished while having a blast.

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Reassessing my goals

Posted on September 24, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Longtime readers of my weight-loss blog know that when I go AWOL from the blog, it’s because I’m not doing so well at the whole diet and exercise thing. That’s not the case here. I’ve been writing up a storm — I just haven’t had any time to blog about it.

With my 40th birthday looming — as well as the 2012 Golden Heart contest deadline and the NaNoWriMo, it’s time to reassess.

Unless I sign with an agent and get a publishing contract in the next two weeks, I’m not going to be published by 40. That’s okay. I know I’m getting closer. It shouldn’t be long now.

I can’t believe September’s almost gone, leaving the big-40 just 13 days away, on Oct. 7. Where did it go?

But I’m beginning to think it’s impossible for me to write another 25,000 words on my single title WIP and prep it (and another entry) for GH entry by the end of October so I can clear November for the NaNo.

With that being the case, I might end up throwing two contemporary series MSs into the ring — thus competing against myself (and hundreds of other entrants). Yikes.

Guess I’ll see what happens with the Rubies’ Make it Golden first line contest. I entered three first lines — from three potential entrants — on Friday. Finalists will be announced Tuesday.

I have a sneaking suspicion that my best first line is the one I hadn’t been planning to enter, from Dave and Melinda’s story. Beth and Cody (single title) and Kenny and Kristi (CS) were going to be my go-to entries. But Dave and Melinda’s story might be the strongest of all.

Who knows? Maybe I can write 10,000 words this weekend.

Yeah, right.

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Posted in Golden Heart prep, Musings

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Gearing up for a busy holiday weekend

Posted on September 3, 2011 by | 2 Comments

I’m off from the day job for this long, holiday weekend (thank goodness), but I plan to use my time wisely and get lots of writing-related things accomplished.

On my to-do list (after updating the blog, of course):

  1. Finish my current WIP, tentatively titled “Diva in the Dugout.” It’s the companion to my GH finalist, “Beauty and the Ballplayer” — the one I started in March, after getting the GH call … the one I figured “If that’s the story that’s going to succeed, I’d better write another one in the same series.”
  2. Get back into the swing of writing “Trouble in Paradise?” — the one I put on hold to write Dave & Melinda’s story … and the one I plan to enter in the 2012 GH. I’d like to write at least 5K new words.
  3. Re-edit “My Fair Fiancee” so I can get it out to my volunteer beta reader. (I lost the edits somehow — probably the same way I lost the edits on Meg & Matt’s story — and have to re-enter them. Thank goodness I have a hard copy to work from.) I’m planning to put that one in the GH this year, too (different category).
  4. Judge at least 2 of the 5 Golden Pen entries I received. I don’t want that deadline to creep up on me with 5 left.
  5. Write a synopsis and query for “My Fair Fiancee” so it’s ready to go.

There you have it: My weekend plans. Wonder if I can squeeze it all in before the Boyfriend gets back from his tennis tournament and wants to play? I sure hope so!

If I do, I’ll be able to curl up with Anne Marie Becker’s “Only Fear” when it’s delivered to my Nook on Monday. Right now I’m reading Jaci Burton’s “Changing the Game.”

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Posted in Bethany & Cody, Dave & Melinda, Golden Heart prep, Kenny & Kristi, Progress

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Write with me

Posted on January 9, 2011 by | Leave a comment

Today kicks off the Ruby Slippered Sisterhood Winter Writing Festival. I’m so there.

Come join me for the fun!

I haven’t tweaked my goals yet, but I’m stealing a page from Vivi Andrews, who commented that she reserved the right to reassess her goals come Feb. 1. I think that’s an excellent idea.

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