Writing Wins and Woes: How Did I Do?

The time has come for making some writing goals for 2016, but wait…Let’s examine my goals last year and see how I did.

1.My Submission goal is downsized now to one a month.
I submitted 24 articles/stories to  publishing places. That is two a month, so I made this goal. Yay!

2. Writing: I’m going to endeavor to write one hour every week day. That will probably include lots of stuff; journaling, blogging, or story/novel writing. It will not include emails, though. I’m not cheating that much.

I blew this goal big time. I had many times especially mid to late year I did not write one iota. I think this may be an impossible goal with holidays, sickness, vacations and family crises. I’m going to revise this one to a weekly goal.

3. Reading: One book a month, at least, and three of them must be writing books.

I easily made this goal. I read way more than one book a month. I read two Pearl S Buck books, a writing book, a Miss Read book, a few classics, Frozen Fairy Tales, My own Fairy tale book, Twice Upon a Time, Several Elsie Dinsmore books, Vitro, 2 fictional books about the Amish and I’m currently reading a divergent book and a book about Barbara Newhall Follet. However, I did not make my goal of three writing books. I only read one.

4. Get an agent. Or try to anyway.

I did try to get an agent. One time. One agent. Did not succeed. Quit and decided not to continue the effort.

5. Be on the way to publishing a book.

This is the hardest and most painful. I am not on my way to publishing my book. I have submitted somewhere and am waiting for a reply but things at this point do not look very hopeful.

New Goals for a New Year:

1. Three submissions a month. I’m upping this from what I did last year. It seems attainable even with working on publishing my book and finishing my novel.
2. Finish my novel; both first draft and finished product.
3. Read 20 books; 2 writing books. Since I only read one writing book and I need to improve, I’ll say two this time.
4. Reevaluate publishing my book. Decide whether I want to stick with a publishing company or self-publish. Decision dead-line: end of May. Work on whichever I decide for the rest of the year more diligently.
5. Write 4-5 hours a week. I’m changing to a weekly goal so I can do it all at once or in stages. This works better with my work schedule anyway.                                                          Well, there you have it. Whatever your goals may be, I wish you success in what you do. Each day gives you a clean slate to do it in. Enjoy.