Whew! I did it. I survived my first week after setting my writing goals. It wasn't easy, nor did I complete every goal. But I wrote more than I would've written without the goals, so that makes it all worth it in the end. Oh, and still no word from VCFA ...
My check-up on last week's goals:
- Write 500 words a day for at least 5 days on my current WIP. I wrote 500 words for only 4 days, but now my manuscript has 2000 more words than it did a week ago.
- Work on revisions for chapters 9-11 on my previous manuscript. I'm going to a revision workshop in the near future. When I told my friends that I was going to work on revisions before the workshop, a wise friend told me that it was like washing my clothes before taking them to the dry cleaners. So I abandoned this goal ... for now.
- Finish critiquing a writing partner's manuscript before my writing group meets on Saturday. I finished all but one chapter on my writing partner's manuscript, but I also read the first chapter of her new WIP (so I think I made up for it).
- Submit online. I didn't do this one because I'm not sure my manuscript is ready to be submitted (see goal #2). Maybe after the revision workshop.
My new goals for this week:
- Write every single day, but at least 500 words on 4 days.
- Finish critiquing a manuscript for my group at my upcoming revision workshop.
- Read The First Five Pages by Noah Lukeman (homework for the revision workshop).
What I learned this week: Even with my goals, time has proven once again to be an elusive foe. I've learned that I give in to far too many distractions. Of course, some distractions take a priority over my writing (like my darling children), but I learned that my best writing time last week occurred when my kids were in bed asleep. And I mean really asleep, not in their rooms awake, preparing to come out every five minutes.
I also learned that it will not be the end of the world if I don't get into the MFA program that I applied to weeks ago. Everyone had great suggestions of how I can work on improving my craft, namely practice, practice, practice. Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!
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9 comments:
Congrats on meeting your goals. And for having a great attitude about your writing right now. It's all a WIP. :)
I never manage to write every day. After studying all day, I just can't handle any more "book" work.
Good job on writing 500 words for four days! :)
Great goals. I can't wait to be finished with school so I can be making similar goals and really get back to writing what I want to be writing. Good luck in the coming week. You can totally do it!
So, I turn on my computer to write and what do I do? Check to see if any of my blog friends have posted anything new. Is this counter-productive? I don't know. But I DO believe that reading your friend's new chapter totally makes up for not reading the last chapter of her other WIP. I know that she appreciates all of your suggestions. Now she just needs to get off your blog and go write some more so she has something to share for the next meeting.
I think you set very achievable goals, and you did very well on the ones for the past week. Nicely done. Good luck with continued progress!
I'm in awe of you high school English teachers, by the way. When I first went for my BA, I started out as a secondary English ed major, but knew within a month that I was not cut out to teach high schoolers. I eventually taught college writing, but it was far easier than what you guys do.
Your blog is beautiful, btw. Love the layout. Now a follower ;)
Look at you go with all those goals!! And even though you didn't make all of them look at how much you did!! Just awesome Amy :) I didn't meet all my goals either, but I did get more work done than I would have without them.
Great job on the goals! I LOVE "the First Five Pages" AFter I read it I bought it. Enjoy!
Awesome jobs on accomplishing many of your goals and good luck on this week's goals!
It's so easy to give in to distractions. I do it so much more than good for both my writing and my studies. However, once you've figured out when it's the best time for you to write, and make it a habit, maybe it'll get easier. Hopefully. :]
Good for you! I find the more writing/editing/critiquing I work on at the same time, the more I accomplish. If I'm only doing one, I often do less on the one.
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