Summer and best laid plans for writing goals.

Remember what I said about 3000 words a day?

Forget it. Summer has intervened. Plus, waiting on information--CHUCK, CALL ME!!--and teaching classes and a book that got moved up a month in launch date (Mind Over Mind comes out in August!)...

I'm not giving up on my goal, mind you, just being more forgiving of myself if I don't meet it. However, having had the goal has helped me in a couple of ways:

1. I know I can meet it. I have done it. I can do it again.
2. Just trying to meet the goal has increased my productivity. I think I average about 1500 words a day.
3. I know a little more about what I need to meet such a goal in terms of preparation and environment. I can better apply that when the school year starts again and I have more quiet time.
4. I am able to handle more than one project at a time when so inclined. I'd been kind of monofocused of late, but this month, I was not able to do that and achieve anywhere near my goal for reasons beyond control of the story.

So, I've not met my writing goals, but I did learn a few interesting things about my writing and myself.

And now, I'm going to get to my writing. I might not make 3000, but I can certainly try!

Writing Goals, 2011

This is going to be an interesting year for writing, in part because I have some things going on at home that may sap my creative energy--or may resolve themselves. Also, I have an agent--with a big league agency!--interested in me, and I'm not sure where that will lead. So my goals this year are running in a "IF-THEN" pattern. However, here're the general plans:

1. I need to finish the school planners for 2012-2013. I'm waiting on further instructions, but they're 85 percent done.

2. I will revise Mind Over Matter, the second in the Miscria Trilogy, to submit in March. (Mind Over Mind comes out September 2011 from DragonMoon.)

3. I will write the second Neeta Lyffe book to submit to DamnationBooks bu June. I have the basic idea and flow of events. It will be another fast moving, crazy ride!

4. I will have four virtual book tours: ISIG II, Perfect Ten, Neeta Lyffe, and Mind Over Mind.

5. I will develop my marketing database, then use it! I hired my very good friend, Rebecca Butcher, to do the bulk of it, so I figure this goal is 70 percent done right now.

6. I'll continue to blog at least twice a week. I may add a third day, "Tour Tuesday" to tour friends' books.

7. I will resubmit all my short stories at least twice this year. I have 14-20 left to sell, depending on whether the ones out are rejected and if I can polish some and write more.

8. I will teach at the Catholic Writers Conference Online, the Catholic Writers Conference Live and the MuseOnline Conference.

9. I will write at least one more book--either I will compile my 30-Minute Marketer newsletters into a weekly marketing schedule OR I will finish Discovery OR I will write Gapman, Redcap or Damsel and Knight, depending on what the future holds.

10. I will revive my Dragon's Eye View newsletter. It got away from me this autumn because of stuff at home.

I am going to drop my weekly 30-Minute Marketer newsletter in March. I got so little feedback and few subscribers, that it's not worth keeping up. Likewise, I'm dropping my online classes on my website. It was so frustrating to me to have people sign up and pay then never do any assignments! Maybe in 2012, I'll look for other paying venues for my workshops, but 2011 is going to be busy as it is.

Monday, I'll list my 2011 home goals.