I'm the president of an OWFI (Oklahoma Writers Federation, Inc) affiliate named Pen and Keyboard Writers. We try to help each other improve our writing through critiques and reviews and supporting each other's works.
One thing we did a few months back was to list our writing goals. Putting one's realistic goals in writing helps to make them real, the first step in reaching them.
My goals included the following:
1. Attend more conferences and book festivals, at least three per year. So far this year I've attended two conferences counting the Muse Online Writers conference this week. I've participated in the North Texas Book Festival and the Decatur (GA) Book Festival.
2. Finish Prairie Dog Cowboy and enter it in competition. The book is finished and will be entered in several competitions:
Western Heritage Book Award, North Texas Book Award, and OWFI Awards.
3. Prepare at least five entries for the OWFI writing competition.
4. Begin the sequel to Midnight Hours. I have a title Darkest before Dawn and a general idea of the main conflict.
At the Pen and Keyboard meeting Saturday, we're going to share our progress toward meeting at least one goal. I think I've done well so far.
Cross posted on Vivian's Site.
7 comments:
I have to set goals too, otherwise time flies and I haven't accomplished anything. Looks like you're right on track.
It sounds to me like you've done very well. Congratulations!
I am impressed you seem to have set reasonable and achievable goals. One thing I often have a problem doing. Good luck with your goals. I am sure you will be successful in meeting them all.
Deb, we need a way to monitor ourselves, or, as you say, times flies by without any results.
Helen, thank you. I finally learned to set goals that may stretch me but, even if I don't meet them, will take me further than I was.
Vicki, achievable is good, but too easy isn't. So I have to be sure I have goals that are possible to meet if I work really, really hard. Of course the goal of winning a Nobel Prize ... well, working toward that will push me to achieve more. *laugh*
Well, I've got lists all over the place. Those are my condensed goals for each day. If I don't write them down, I'll forget them.
The long range goals are another story. I know what they are. Finish my books!
Morgan Mandel
www.morganmandel.com
http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
It's nice to have goals that are not only possible, but that motivate us to keep improving our craft. Congrats on the progress so far!
Malcolm
P.S. Since I live near Atlanta, I almost went to the Decatur book festival, but then all of a sudden it was here and I had forgotten about it. I guess I should have written it down along with the date.
Oh, Morgan, your long range goal is short and to the point. Too bad finishing books can't be short. *sigh*
Malcolm, who knows, if you had gone, we might have met.
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