Driving home from work the other day, I saw a bumper sticker that read:
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Wow. Um, you mean all those goals of losing 10 pounds and writing more were just wishes? No wonder they didn't come true. Except, when I actually had a set plan of writing so many pages a day, or running a mile three days a week.
Plans are good, lists are good -- I love lists, I can write lists all day -- love checking off items from the list, love seeing what's left on the list. So, here's my goals, my plan, my list:
Goals:
Finish First Draft of GODDESS IN THE MECHANICA
by writing150 pages by September 19th
Write 14 posts for Those Kennedy Women
(convince co-bloggers to do the same) complete by August 1st
Blog grand re-opening by September 1st
Plan:
Write 2 pages a day, every day
by planning out the scene before I write it
Meet with Mom and Sister 2nd or 3rd week in July
Brainstorm ideas for blog posts.
Write 3 posts a week in July
List:
Research late 1800s in Minnesota
Research/invent cool Steampunkish gadgetry
Research Alchemy
Research Nordic, Greek and Irish Mythology
Read craft books
Read lifestyle books
Visit other lifestyle blogs
Take pictures of every house/craft/garden project I undertake
Unrelated to writing goals:
Re-stain porch railing, base around screens and stairs
Paint exterior trim
Paint exterior house
Phew. Here's to plans and lists and I'm reallyreally happy to back in the saddle again! Can't wait to see how everyone else is doing!
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Wow. Um, you mean all those goals of losing 10 pounds and writing more were just wishes? No wonder they didn't come true. Except, when I actually had a set plan of writing so many pages a day, or running a mile three days a week.
Plans are good, lists are good -- I love lists, I can write lists all day -- love checking off items from the list, love seeing what's left on the list. So, here's my goals, my plan, my list:
Goals:
Finish First Draft of GODDESS IN THE MECHANICA
by writing150 pages by September 19th
Write 14 posts for Those Kennedy Women
(convince co-bloggers to do the same) complete by August 1st
Blog grand re-opening by September 1st
Plan:
Write 2 pages a day, every day
by planning out the scene before I write it
Meet with Mom and Sister 2nd or 3rd week in July
Brainstorm ideas for blog posts.
Write 3 posts a week in July
List:
Research late 1800s in Minnesota
Research/invent cool Steampunkish gadgetry
Research Alchemy
Research Nordic, Greek and Irish Mythology
Read craft books
Read lifestyle books
Visit other lifestyle blogs
Take pictures of every house/craft/garden project I undertake
Unrelated to writing goals:
Re-stain porch railing, base around screens and stairs
Paint exterior trim
Paint exterior house
Phew. Here's to plans and lists and I'm reallyreally happy to back in the saddle again! Can't wait to see how everyone else is doing!
What a great bumper sticker. I could use one on the back of my car. Or even plastered across the top of my laptop screen haha
ReplyDeleteGood luck for your writing goals. Your research list sounds interesting, lots of awesome mythology to delve into :)
I know! It was like the Universe said, Um, helloooo. Yeah, the mythology is fun -- just so I don't get lost there!
ReplyDeleteYour lists are very intriguing. I'm interested to read your story just from those. In the meantime, I need to set some goals and make a plan for myself.
ReplyDeleteHi Stephanie! Thanks -- we'll see how it all shakes out...I thought you did have some goals.
ReplyDeleteI guess I have goals, but I'm not great about making a plan. Right now the self-publishing is going somewhere, and my writing habits are getting better. I just need to actually stick with the schedule that I set.
DeleteHi Amy! So glad to see you back. Sounds like a great list of goals. I find my writing goes faster and more smoothly when I plan out a scene before I write it, so I'm looking forward to hearing how that works for you. I'll keep an eye out for that grand re-opening come September!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim! It's such a simple thing -- plan it out before you write -- but I never used to do it, just trudge on ahead and it was usually (83%) horrible. It's so much better to plan!
ReplyDelete