Ready? Set. Write! is a way for writers to keep in touch with each other and keep themselves accountable to the goals they set. This year it's hosted by Katy Upperman, Alison Miller, Jamie Morrow and Erin Funk. Check out their blogs for more details and be sure to link up each week.
Week one is dedicated to goal setting. Which...is not easy for me. I'm a huge procrastinator. But I'm going to give it a shot.
1. I'm sticking with the goal my CPs and I came up with last month and that's completing my current WIP, a YA contemporary titled When The Wind Blows, by June 30th. To do that I need roughly around 1000 words per day to finish on time. As of now I'm on track to finish. I'm at 42K and usually draft around 55K-60K words.
2. After that it'll be revising WTWB. I'm not 100% sure how much time that'll take and exactly how I'll go about it until I'm finished, so I'm playing that by ear. Everyone always says let the draft sit but I write so slow the first half basically is and by the time I get to the end it will have.
3. I also need to think about a query letter...and I'd rather not. I'll fit that in somewhere down the road.
4. I want to keep up with reading at least one to two books a week. I set my book goal for the year at 80 and am already around 66 or 67 books. Hoping I can make it to 100.
5. Get to the beach more often this summer and visit the Gulfarium again (of course taking kiddo along). Both are a huge inspiration to WTWBs.
Good luck with your goals, Maddie, especially writing 1,000 words a day! And forget about the query letter til ya need it. Thats what I did and it made writing way more enjoyable. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks. I've kept up the 1K a day since early May. Fingers crossed it lasts. And ugh..query.
DeleteI love that so many people are including reading in their goals. I need to add it to mine!
ReplyDeleteDo it! I figured if it's there I have to do it.
DeleteFantastic goals! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI would love to go to my inspiration place for my WiP. (It's in Michigan, so...not sure that's going to happen anytime soon.) That's awesome that that's one of your goals. I'm a fairly slow drafter myself, so I don't really let things sit and ruminate before I get revising either. Good luck finishing up that WiP! That's one of my goals for RSW as well, though I'm not as far along as you are. :D
ReplyDeleteWell mine is only 45 minutes away so no excuse. And so glad to know of other people who draft slow like me!!!
DeleteI want to come to the Gulfarium with you! Also, write your query letter NOW. I always write my query-like blurbs early in the drafting process, and doing so helps me to get to the heart of the story, which helps with the writing. You can always go back and change it later, but yeah... Super beneficial! Best of luck with your goals, lady!
ReplyDeleteHow about you write the query for me?! Haha. I really hate them. Like loath. And if you girls don't go this week, or you want to go again, maybe we can plan for when you get back!
DeleteThese are awesome goals! We're so close to being finished with our WIPs!! I copied your reading goals, too, because I want to try and get more reading in this summer.
ReplyDeleteYes we are!!!! We will do this!
DeleteI should've added the beach to my goals, too, haha, what a good idea! Every year I intend to go to the beach--it's only a couple hours away--but I rarely make it. Anyway, good luck on your goals this week (and this summer)!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad...I'm only 45 mins away and rarely go. But kiddo is older now so it's easier. I will do it!' Thanks!
DeleteI also want to get to the beach a lot this summer so that's an unofficial goal of mine. So it reading a book a week. :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck finishing up your draft!
Have to have fun goals! Thanks!
DeleteI write slow, too, so I know what you mean with the revising! It seems like you're on track to finish soon, so I think you'll get plenty of revising done this summer. And query letters? I know everyone hates them, but I find them fun! (Weirdo here.) At least it's not a synopsis, right? Good luck for the week :)
ReplyDeleteHaha. See I don't mind the synopsis. I'd rather do that than query!
DeleteUm...I LOVE goal 5! I think I should include going to the beach as a goal. Too bad beaches have nothing to do with the current story. :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I hope you have a wonderful writing week!
Hmm...maybe it can be research for a possible future idea! ;) thanks!
ReplyDeleteugh, query letters! I started working on mine today and am already wanting to bang my head on the keyboard. Good luck with yours and your summer goals!
ReplyDeleteThey're the worst! I'm horrible at them.
Delete1000k a day is a great goal. stay focused and positive. Don't worry too much about the pesky things like querying until you've reached your word count goal. Good Luck
ReplyDeleteI like your thinking. I'm a procrastinator so that may be what I do!
DeleteThe beach!! Too fun--I haven't been to a beach in a loooong time. You can totally do 1,000 words. Good luck with that query letter too--sometimes they're one of the hardest things to write!
ReplyDeleteThanks. And yes they are. Why can I write an entire book but have issues with 250 words?
DeleteI find setting goals difficult too because I just work until I don't have anymore free time to write, and it's hard to predict that. I hear you on the whole letting it sit thing too. I don't write quickly either, so I jump into revisions right away. Good luck with finishing WHERE THE WIND BLOWS by June 30th! You've got a nice head start on your summer goals!
ReplyDeleteThanks Erin! And yay for slow writers. I feel like there isn't a lot of us.
DeleteI had to look up what the Gulfarium was, but it sounds cool! Good luck with your 1K words! (And that query. Ugh, hate those!)
ReplyDeleteThanks. And yes it is cool. A lot of fun!
DeleteMy revising goals are similar; not sure how much time it will take, but you have to start somewhere!
ReplyDeleteThank you. And yes! Starting is the hardest part.
DeleteI set writing goals as well. I think reading helps writing. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteMe too! And thanks!
Delete1000 words are totally doable! Have a great writing week!
ReplyDeleteI'm so proud of your determination and focus, MB. Cannot WAIT to read the finished product!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jamie!! Less than 2 weeks!!
DeleteHi Mandie, good luck with your goals! I Think they sound doable for the summer - and I like that you've thrown in some fun as well. I mean, it is summer, right? It's so hard to balance sometimes. And I'm right there with you about queries. Not my favorite thing, either. :)
ReplyDeleteI love when people say they don't like queries! Makes me feel better! And yes, have to have some fun!
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