Where do you want to be at this time next year with your writing?
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My own personal goal, which is only tied to the grand theme of New Years Resolution by coincidental timing of the calendar, is to complete a novel length work. Revised and polished ideally, but really Id just be happy to see a good first-draft completed. Its time to try again, stepping over the still twitching remains of my first attempt (Never try to do a novel without a good understanding of The Middle), with a new and clearer idea and shaper skills. And its the type of goal that I can actually control as much as I would be thrilled with making a short story sale or two off of the stories Ive got making the rounds, that one is pretty much out of my hands at this point besides continuing to provide postage.
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My main goal is to have my first novel, "Born of Two Worlds" finished, edited, and inquiry letters sent off to publishers, but actually I want this to be done by July, so by the end of the year I want to have the first draft of my second novel, title unknown, to be completed.
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
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I will have embarked on a 3 year journey wherein I quit my current job and write full-time. My wife will work to support the family and I am shooting to establish a full-time career during the next 3 to 5 years. Not concerned with being the "next John Grisham" or anything, just want to take the time now, while the time is right for my family so I can look back and know that I gave it my all. At this point I have the opportunity and will not be able to live with myself otherwise. Gotta scratch that itch and scratch it GOOD!
Posts: 45 | Registered: Aug 2003
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To finally get an answer (hopefully good) from the agent who has been holding my manuscript in her hot little hands for over a month now BEFORE MY HEAD EXPLODES!
Posts: 338 | Registered: Aug 2002
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1. Double the number of words written for my novel. (Currently about 40K words. Last year I wrote only 22K. That would get me about 2/3 the way through, so I could finish it in 2005.)
2. Write six new short stories. (Last year I wrote four.)
3. Write at least 13 lines of fiction every day, even if it's not part of a short story or the novel. (Hmm. Only have two-and-a-half hours left today. I'd better get to work.)
- Finish the 2nd draft of my current novel by the end of February (there's about 30,000 words to go, so that's not a trivial target...). - Write at least 100,000 words - Do some plot planning for one of my other ideas and start writing it! - Actually get my completed short story out & in front of publishers. - Maybe do something for NaNoWriMo this year.
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Nothing big, I just want to blow all my time replying to this forum. This is great fun! No, But seriuosly. Just being new, I would like to have at least one of my short stories completely ready for submision. It looks like I have a ways to go, compared to what I am seeing here. But what the heck you only go around once, right!
Posts: 471 | Registered: Sep 2003
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I resolved to get off my bum, finish a decent story and get it published. Just holding a magazine or somesuch with the words "by James E Kelly" is all I want for 2004.
Now I'm wondering what I'm doing here when I should be working towards that goal...
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What a great thread... I had set myself a goal, but it had nothing to do with writing!
I'd like to finish the stories that I start. I'd like to have one sent out. I'd like to catch up on my reading and some writing assignments. I'd like to write every day like I am supposed to (not counting posts).
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Hrm... My goal is to get around to doing some BIC. For whatever reason I can write when I got a prompt to, but otherwise its... get around to it later.
Posts: 46 | Registered: May 2003
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My first goal is to finish a rewrite of the novel I wrote for Nanowrimo. Then, if it is any good, send it out to agents. My second goal is to work on my short story skills and see if I can't sell a story...my third goal is to read 50 books this year(inspired by Stephen King.) I have read 1 1/2 so far Posts: 173 | Registered: Dec 2002
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YES! Read more, that's a goal for me too. I am currently reading <i>Little Friend</i> by Donna Tartt, and I would like that to be the beginning of something big for me and reading. Reading used to be my best friend and saw me through many hard times, especially meal times, hanging out on the play ground, and brushing my teeth.
I would also like to have all the important people in my life to have read my novel by March, so I can make changes and be approaching agents by April.
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If, by "all the important people in my life" you mean your family and friends, you might want to enlarge the net -- unless you simply want to entertain those you know. Too often, people closest to you will pull their punches, unlike an outsider who has no emotional connection to you and may give a more helpful critique.
Posts: 1810 | Registered: Jun 2002
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posted
Too true. I've been working up the courage to post thirteen lines on the fragments section of this site, so maybe that's a goal/resolution too.
Posts: 64 | Registered: Dec 2003
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Thanks for bringing this up, GZ. I had completely forgotten about my 2004 resolution. Alas, though I finished a versin of "Born of Two Worlds" it has been put on a shelf because I do not feel it will sell as a first novel due to lack of any human beings. I have written a rough draft and a second draft of another novel, along with twenty short stories, so I can't feel too bad.
Posts: 3567 | Registered: May 2003
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Though some of you who have been reading my stories may disagree, I have made headway with my 2004 resolution which was to get a handle on commas. I haven’t achieved perfect punctuation, and I doubt I ever will, but I have gained some ground. For 2005 my goal is to finish my rewrite, and start submitting my novella “The Pike”. My other goal is to do some in person networking- to say yes when I’m invited to groups (which I’ve avoided in the past) and to find time to attend at least two conferences/professional workshops in my home state. My fantasy goal for 2005 is to also rewrite and submit another short story and to finish the 2nd rewrite of my novel. Posts: 397 | Registered: Mar 2004
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I just want to improve my writing over the next year. I do plan on understanding grammar over the next year...hopefully it won't take that long.
Posts: 807 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Hmmm... Good thread! Now the real pain comes in sticky to these resolutions. I would love to say I'm resolved to get published, but I have little control over that. So instead, I resolve to: 1) Finish my polished draft of my novel, have a rock solid query/synopsis, and shop it to agents/publishers NLT September. 2) Have a rough synopsis/outline of the sequel and be working on writing it... Finished novel in no more than 6mos after I start writing. 3) Learn to not sprinkle commas, that, adverbs, and overly worded descriptions in every sentence I write.
And if I can only accomplish one thing, it'll be that last one!
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Last year's resolutions were too specific, and I failed to uphold any of them.
I am ashamed.
So this year, I've resloved to write more, read more, draw more (which has nothing to do with this thread, unless I illustrate my book...can I illustrate my book?) watch less TV, and spend far less time on my computer without designating what "more" means. No word counts, no page count, no books stacked on the desk. Just write when I want to watch TV, draw when I want to waste my life surfing an increasingly useless Internet, or read when I'm not doing either. I don't think it matters what I read, as long as I'm working my mind.
Making even a little headway on those final two will, I think, help with the first three, so I'll work on those above all.
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Last year I set three specific goals: 1. Double the word count on my novel. 2. Write six short stories. 3. Write at least 13 lines of new fiction every day.
I achieved the first two, but only did the third for about five months total.
For this year, I have set the following goals:
1. Write at least 250 words of fiction per day. 2. Finish the novel (first draft) by the end of March. 2a. Have it revised and submitted somewhere by the end of June. 2b. Write 50,000 words of a second novel by the end of the year. 3. Write eight new short stories.
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