I didn’t set a ton of goals (or resolutions) last year (they’re on my personal blog, if you’d like to see all of them). In writing, here’s what I wanted to accomplish in 2009:
Write
tonsa reasonable amount. I’m nearing completion on the first draft of my latest manuscript . . . . I’d like to get through the first draft of two more this year—and finish those accursed, beautiful revisions on last year’s two manuscripts.
I did most of that. I finished the MS in question and drafted two more. I revised and polished that first MS (and I’m getting ready to do it again). I didn’t go back to the first MS of 2007; if I ever do, it will require heavy re-conceptualizing.
I’m not sure, however, that three manuscripts in a year is “a reasonable amount.” I know it depends on how fast you write and how much time you “make” to write (and especially on whether or not you have an idea that sets you on fire)—but when you’re the primary caregiver to your two young children 24/7, that’s a lot. And creatively speaking, it’s a lot, too—at times, enough to burn me out.
And yet the only goals I’ve even begun to consider for the coming year are almost the same—repolish and rerevise the same MS and continue the submission rounds with it, draft two more manuscripts, and polish one of those. (This may be subject to change, of course; I may end up going back to one of the MS from last year to polish first. Who knows?)
Beyond that, I haven’t really thought about goals in most areas. I know I want to work on increasing the tension in the first half of that manuscript and look at the techniques required to do that. I’m also thinking of doing a series on tension, suspense and foreshadowing.
What do you want to accomplish and learn in 2010? Any requests for writing series?
I want to learn how to be a published author. Same boring goal as always. 🙂
That series you mentioned sounds good. Maybe voice, character development, or style. All good.
I want to learn how to write a better synopsis and query letter. I hope to find an agent and publisher for my two finished manuscripts this year. I’m also hoping to finish and submit the third book in my junior fiction series as well as a Y/A novel I started on New Year’s Day.
The series you mentioned does sound good, Jordan. What about sentence structure? 🙂 That would be great.:)
Writing three manuscripts in twelve months is a HUGE undertaking, even when writing is your full-time job, as it is mine. I have three due in ten months this year (Feb 1, July 1, and Oct 15), so it’s going to be a lesson in perseverance for me. The blessing: I’m single and live alone, so I can lock myself in the office all day long, and sit in bed with the laptop all night long, to get them written.
My goal with the second two deadlines this year is to finish the manuscripts early enough to get them out to Beta readers for feedback so I can revise them before I have to turn them in! (Can’t do that with the Feb 1 book–only had two months to write it and still lack about 70,000 words!)