Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Goals for the Month - Letting Go of Stuff

Over the past week I've done some spring cleaning, but I've still got a long way to go. Cari and I worked on her room on Sunday. Like me, she is a saver, which means she had lots of stuff to go through. I've also decided to move some furniture around, which means get rid of stuff. I've filled up several bags and boxes to give away to various charities and people, but this month I'm also going to focus on cleaning up my writing act.

With the new month, I've set some new writing goals. Here they are:

Book Reviews - Finish one interview and three reviews this month.

Short stories - Work on "Grandma's Suitcase" (now at 1800 words). Have 3,000 words by the end of month

YA Novel - Pull it out, dust off the cobwebs, and start over. Note to self: You can do this!

Critique group - Bring something to read to two meetings. Usually I give up my reading time to others, but this month I'm going to stop being a slacker and bring something to read.

Market/Contests - Find one new market or contest and submit.

Blog - Announce winners of my short story contest in honor of National Short Story Month by June 5th.
Find one new market and post on blog.
Find one new contest and post on blog.

Saturday Writers - Follow up with MO History Museum about speaker for June.
Send out e-mails about Cuivre River Anthology
Update website twice during the month

Book Stack/Shelf - Give away or recycle at least 10 books this month--to library, to critique group, to Saturday Writers, to my sisters, or as a blog giveaway. I'm taking three books to critique group today, so seven more to go by month's end.

How about you, do you have any writing goals for the month?

14 comments:

  1. These sound like good goals...except for the recycling/giving away of books! :) (Although, I do that, too.) I tend to plan my bigger goals in 6 month increments so my next batch will be for July thru December.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Donna,

    Please do dust off that novel. I'd love to see you finish it. I love the concept and the small amount that I've heard. No time like the present. You have to finish it before bookstores are a thing of the past :)

    Thanks for the book idea. I won't be at SW for June (darn) but will bring a stack when I come in July.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Donna,
    You are very ambitious. I am in alull, because school has been so harried, but I will kick up my heels in two and a half weeks when it is all over for the summer. I applaud you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What an impressive list! I'm definitely a slacker. Somebody, please, light a fire under me!

    Pat
    www.critteralley.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, what a set of goals! I am tired just reading the list!

    Writing goals? I would like to turn out one good poem.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Madeline,
    These are just my short-term goals for the month. I also have longer term goals for the year.
    And it really isn't easy to let go of books, but I'm doing it to make room for more.
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Tricia,
    Thanks for the encouragement about my YA novel. I need a kick in the pants.
    Sorry you'll miss the June meeting. We will miss you.
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi Linda,
    From one busy woman to another: You deserve a break with all the time and energy you spend with teaching--not to mention your grandkids.
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Pat,
    You definitely are not a slacker. Your job, blog, and activities keep you dancing all day.
    Take care,
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Claudia,
    Poetry is so hard. I admire anyone who can write poetry. My limit is an occasional haiku or a naughty limerick.
    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  11. Donna, those are some fine and bodacious goals! I put a new market, St. Anthony's Messenger, on my To Do List this month. Have you ever tried it?

    As for my other goal, it's the same goal I have every day: Try to take over the (writing) world. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi Cathy,
    St. Anthony's messenger is on my list of places to submit. A writing friend of mine has been published there twice, and she won a huge award for a fiction story.

    If you take over the writing world let me know so I can celebrate.

    Donna

    ReplyDelete
  14. I hope, too, to be accomplishing a few of these things!!

    ReplyDelete

Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V - Interviews with Lonnie Whitaker and Dr. Barri Bumgarner

Here is the second installment of interviews with contributors who have stories in Mysteries of the Ozarks, Volume V , from Ozark Writers, I...