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Let The Countdown Begin

December 5, 2006 | Writing

Today is Tuesday, December fifth. Nineteen more Christmas or Holiday shopping days left and twenty six more days until January, 2007. I don’t know about you, but retailers in Chicago started Christmas around Halloween. I intend to spend a very quiet holiday with my family. We’re going to see Blue Man Group and I’m excited. I’ve also accumulated quite a few new DVDs, so we’ll be hanging out watching movies. I also bought the first three seasons of Smallville.

This is the time of year when we look back at what we’ve accomplished and make plans for next year. I posted my 2006 goals on the wall of my writing room, fulfilled at least three and got one I hadn’t expected. I didn’t get an agent or find a publisher, BUT, I have almost completed the first draft of the first book of a paranormal series and a submission to a black romance anthology (thank you Dyanne Davis) was accepted. I’ve made new writing friends, gained a writing change coach, Molly Herwood, through an online class taught by Margie Lawson and my critique group just keeps getting stronger and stronger. My tennis team is envied by other teams at our club and I value their friendship. They’re invading my home this Saturday for our annual holiday party and I’m thrilled they’re coming over. Party Time!

To prepare for 2007, I’ve started doing the following. I’m cleaning out my writing room, throwing out old papers, giving away old magazines to a school’s recycling bin, brought a Franklin Covey calendar system, purchased paper, ink print cartridges, pens, dusted my desk and bookcases and started developing my list of writing career goals. I’ll add different goals from now until the last week of December, finalize them and post them on my wall.

I’d like for you to share your 2006 and 2007 goals with me and I’ll post your responses here. Then in December, 2007 we’ll come back and see how much success we’ve had and what we’ve learned. Yeah, I mean to keep track.

So, if you’re willing:

1.What was one of your goals for 2006 and did you accomplish it or not? If you didn’t, are you going to move it to 2007 and what are you going to do to achieve it, this time?

For me: my 2006 goal was to finish editing my interracial romance and find a publisher for it. Well that didn’t happen. I discovered I write paranormal with multicultural characters and now that romance is being sliced and diced to be put in a separate fantasy series.

2. What is one of your goals for 2007 and how are you going to go about accomplishing it?

For me: My first goal is to send the first three chapters of my witches paranormal to agents by the end of January. The first draft is almost completed and I’ll spend January editing and getting my critique partners to look it over.

3. What are you doing to prepare to dedicate yourself to your writing career in 2007, now?

For me: Like I said, I’m cleaning my writing space, getting my writing schedule set and most important making myself believe writing is my career, so I can act like it.

Also: I need a name for my writing space. When we moved two years ago, I claimed our living room. Hey, no one every sits in the living room when you have a family room and big screen tv. I’ve decorated it, pictures, lots of books, music, computer, printer, and it’s my space. Any suggestions?

Email me at YasminePhoenix@aol.com., with your goals and suggestions for naming my room.

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  1. I’m so flattered that you consider me an achievement! Back at ya!

    Great post. I’ll be e-mail my topsy-turvy goals tomorrow. As you know, life threw me a couple of curve balls this year.

    Reply

  2. Good blog, Yasmine. You really made me stop and think. GULP!

    The first goal I accomplished this year was to write a new novel and get it to my editor.

    The second goal of completing a second book and getting it to Linda fell short so it’s being moved into 2007.

    Next year my goal is to write three novels. How am I going to accomplish it? Stay off the damned internet and emails! It’s the only way I can win at writing.

    Reply

  3. Hi Yasmine, This is a great blog. Let’s see….2006: I really didn’t set goals but I managed to write the first half of two stories for up-coming projects. One working title: The Crimson spirit and the other: Joren. Neither was turning out quite like I had planned them so I put them on the backburner to pick up later. I tend to do better after a spell of time goes by. Also I was recouping from Hurricane Katrina and not in a proper frame of mind.
    This is off topic from writing, but I did pick up another art form this past year. I began sculpting fantasy art dolls using polymer clay. it is an interesting medium and hope to continue but right now I’m focusing on my writing.

    My goals for 2007?
    To finish the critique/rewrite of my 2nd novel, Thorn’s Embrace and submit it to publishers. I also plan to finish The rough drafts of The Crimson Spirit and Joren. Lastly, I have a third novel planning within my brain and I would like to start the rough draft of that story. The hero will be named Pepper and he’ll be a grey fae. I’m still working out the details in my mind.
    Anyhow, hopefully 2007 will be a productive year for everyone.
    Debbie

    Reply

  4. Outstanding, Writers. Remember, I will be asking December 2007 if you met your goal(s). I’ll post another one of mine, Thursday.

    Reply

  5. Yasmine,

    This year has been super busy for me. I don’t remember that I wrote down goals. I was so busy trying to meet the demands of all of my committments. I wrote two new novels and edited four that are coming out next year.

    I think my goal for next year will be to stop and smell the roses. Yeah I know that sounds like a cop out but it’s something that I know I can accomplish. By the way Yasmine, you didn’t tell me you’d made the anthology. Congratulations. I knew you had made it past the first two rounds. I’m so thrilled for you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

    Dyanne

    Reply

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