Hey! In honor of our 6-month goals check-in episode, I thought I’d start our first discussion thread. How are your 2022 goals coming? Did you set the right ones? Are you on track, or finding your way—or abandoning those lousy old goals for shiny new ones?
Be kind to yourself! Shout out what you DID do not just what you didn’t. And please, be kind to everyone else too.
When we recorded the episode, I wasn’t sure if I could finish the revision I was working on to get it my agent before we left for Spain. I did it! It took 8-10 hour days and really letting every other ball I had in the air drop, but I prioritized and really tried to not do ANYTHING that could possibly done later. The thing that probably saved me was that I’d gone into the draft and written in the revisions I wanted to make to the end FIRST. Then I went back and alternated between revising on paper and in the actual draft in an incoherent and disorganized way that just kind of felt right. By the time I got to the end I was in a very “oh F** it, it’s FINE” space—but I’d already DONE it. And I’d been working toward it (It all got so crazy that I’d forgotten by then how much I’d actually done and how much I had just thought about). Anyway, I hit the last page and then, tbh, I hit send—I’d done all I could. We’ll see what happens next!
Continually shifting here, but progress is happening. I've also learned to write first thing (when I'm able to get up in time) and it's probably the most important shift. As a result, I've been able to write/revise 4 new picture books. Also joined critique groups, participated in pitch contests, and am prepping for [another] revision of my MG. Still not ready to query, but I'm much closer to that goal.
I have not met my goals :-(. But I've made SOME progress, and with each failure to reach my goal I at least move one step further along the way to eventually reaching it. I AM going to get this draft finished at some point. I am determined not to give up.
OMG. Every draft is another mountain to climb… And you’re so right to focus on finishing the draft instead of re-writing the beginning (or even the middle) again and again. You have to get to the end to know HOW to revise the earlier parts… and getting to the end once makes you so determined to keep doing it!
When we recorded the episode, I wasn’t sure if I could finish the revision I was working on to get it my agent before we left for Spain. I did it! It took 8-10 hour days and really letting every other ball I had in the air drop, but I prioritized and really tried to not do ANYTHING that could possibly done later. The thing that probably saved me was that I’d gone into the draft and written in the revisions I wanted to make to the end FIRST. Then I went back and alternated between revising on paper and in the actual draft in an incoherent and disorganized way that just kind of felt right. By the time I got to the end I was in a very “oh F** it, it’s FINE” space—but I’d already DONE it. And I’d been working toward it (It all got so crazy that I’d forgotten by then how much I’d actually done and how much I had just thought about). Anyway, I hit the last page and then, tbh, I hit send—I’d done all I could. We’ll see what happens next!
Continually shifting here, but progress is happening. I've also learned to write first thing (when I'm able to get up in time) and it's probably the most important shift. As a result, I've been able to write/revise 4 new picture books. Also joined critique groups, participated in pitch contests, and am prepping for [another] revision of my MG. Still not ready to query, but I'm much closer to that goal.
That SOUNDS like a lot of goals met. And smaller goals in pursuit of a big one are the way to go!
I have not met my goals :-(. But I've made SOME progress, and with each failure to reach my goal I at least move one step further along the way to eventually reaching it. I AM going to get this draft finished at some point. I am determined not to give up.
OMG. Every draft is another mountain to climb… And you’re so right to focus on finishing the draft instead of re-writing the beginning (or even the middle) again and again. You have to get to the end to know HOW to revise the earlier parts… and getting to the end once makes you so determined to keep doing it!