Writing

New School Year Resolutions

Resolutions and goals

Source: creepyed

 

I tend to make resolutions three times a year at transitions in my life: the New Year, the start of summer, and the start of the school year.  They usually revolve around home management with the occasional weight loss goal thrown in if I’m really feeling ambitious.

Today is the first day of school for my son, so I reviewed my list of goals for the summer to see how many I actually accomplished.

On my Things To Do: Around The House list, I completed 1.5 items out of 10. ( The half item was “sell old cloth diapers” — we made the effort to sell them but haven’t sold them all yet.)

My Things To Do: Writing list fared only slightly better: 3 out of 13 items.  Two of those items related to getting this blog started up.

So what are my new goals now that the School Year has started? 

Well, a few weeks ago I did start a new task schedule/management/tracking system that seems to working for me.  It’s all about working on those basic routines.

So my first goal is to continue using this system.

I’m also going to make it a point to take baby steps.  Obviously I still have these Summer Lists to complete. But instead of looking at them as one big list, I’m going to focus on one thing at a time.

My current goals over the next couple weeks:

  • Home: do one item from the Things To Do: Home list each week.
  • Blog: Maintain a regular blogging schedule, at least 3 posts a week
  • Writing: Write out character profiles for the major characters in Brotherly Love

It’s going to be haaard sticking to those goals and not doing more and burning out by the end of September.

Especially the writing one. But it needs to be done. I need to pull my characters out of my head and onto paper so I can  restructure the plot so I can get writing again so I can finish the 2nd draft! YAY!  I’m really itching to jump back into the writing, but I know it will just create more mess to clean up later if I don’t make my plan now.

Am I the only one who makes these kind of goals multiple times a year?

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Road Trip Wednesday: What’s Your Novel’s Love List?

Photo by jamarmstrong

Every Wednesday, YA Highway asks a writing- or reading-related question.

This Week’s Topic is: Inspired byStephanie Perkins’ post on Natalie Whipple’s blog, what is your novel’s “Love List”?

I started writing a list of words that make me excited about writing my story (Working Title, Brotherly Love).  You’ll notice not all of them are positive words. They’re just words that when I think about them, I feel like, “Yes! I need to finish this book!”

 

I’m going to keep this paper in my purse so I can read it whenever I need a boost. I’m sure there will be more words to add later as well.

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I DID IT!

My crappy first draft

Yes, I did just shout that.

A couple weeks ago, I mentioned Candace Haven’s Fast Draft class.  Well, I did sign up for it, figuring at worst case it’d be a $20 donation to the instructor.  That’s so cheap for a writing class; it was worth the risk.

I’m so glad I did.

Because… (can I shout again?)

I DID IT!

I now have a 40,500-word first draft of my young adult novel that did not exist prior to May 14.  I’m taking a couple days off before starting in on the revisions (of which there will be tons, but that’s okay!).

What I really love is that I was able to do it without too much of a disruption to my family.  Okay, my daughter watched more TV in the last two weeks than she should have, and I only did the basics around the house, but I didn’t have to hide myself away, exist on 2 hours of sleep a night, or anything crazy like that.

I was amazed at how fast the words flowed once I got into the right mind set.  I hit 800+ words in 30 minutes several times, and even over 1000 words in 30 minutes a few times!  That is unheard of for me.

If you are a writer who struggles with the ol’ internal editor (that nagging voice that makes you re-write every sentence three times before you move on), give Fast Draft a try.  I didn’t think it’d work for me, but it did!  Candace says she does them several times a year.  Her next one is already scheduled to start July 7.  For only $20, what have you got to lose, considering you could have a complete first draft done at the end of 14 days?

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I’m Probably a Little Crazy…

I’ve signed up for two online writing classes and I’m considering a third.  This may be a little crazy, but ultimately I think all three can help.

The first two are on Margie Lawson’s website (and there’s still time to sign up!):

The Art of Developing Great Conflict taught by  Sharon Mignerey

77 Secrets to Writing Young Adult Fiction That Sells! taught by Tiffany Lawson Inman

Each is only $30 for the whole month.  The first lesson and assignment for the Conflict class have been posted and it looks like it’s going to be great!  I can’t wait for the first lesson for the YA class.

The third class will confirm I am indeed crazy, if I do sign up for it.  It’s Candace Haven’s Fast Draft and Revision Hell and it starts May 14 (so, again, plenty of time to still sign up!).

From what I can tell, the idea behind it is to write 5,000 words a day for two weeks.  I have to really push myself to write that much in a week, between two kids, my husband’s schedule, and my own perfectionism.  But that’s why I want to take the class: to learn how to get past my internal editor and just get the words out fast and fix later.

How about you? Have you taken any classes at Margie Lawson’s website?  Have you done Candace Haven’s Fast Draft?

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