Tag Archives: goals

My Own NaNoWriMo in April

Posted on by
1

Sixteen months ago, I participated in NaNoWriMo, short for National Novel Writing Month. It’s a simple, fun community way to keep on track with writing. You can plot, plan, scheme for months at a time, but whatever you actually write for your book has to be written within that month of November.

Being the writer that I am and always trying to kill myself with too many To-Do’s  striving for better writing accomplishments, I signed on in 2010 and yes, I actually wrote over 50,000 words in 30 days. It was not my finest work, but it did teach me about discipline.

So now that I’m promoting myself as a business owner slash writer slash publisher, I’m thinking it’s time to kick it into high gear again. Blogging doesn’t pay the bills, but publications might. And Megan’s waited long enough for me to stop tweaking the Prologue and Chapter One, and just move on. She’s got scenes in her head that I can’t wait to get to…

So why am I waiting?

This decision has slowly crept up on me over the last few days, but now I know there’s no getting around it.

I’m committing to writing 50,000 words in April. My own NaNoWriMo.

On top of blogging every day.
On top of running New Inklings Press.
On top of completing my assignments for the Institute of Children’s Literature.

The funny thing is, I don’t feel overloaded. I feel directed. I feel organized.

I feel ready.

Ready to write an average of 1,650 words a day.
Ready to move on with the characters, settings, plots, and drama.
Ready to give Megan something to be proud about.

Ready to really work on doing what it is we were born to do.

I’m ready to Write It Out.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!

A Work in Progress

Posted on by
Reply

It’s 10:30 p.m. and I just now realized I don’t have a post ready for tomorrow.

Well, what can I say? I’ve been busy today.

I played the Wii.
I ate birthday cake.
I snuggled with my cat.
I spent a lot of back-and-forth with my graphic designer for the new company logo.
I watched some TV.
I ate pizza.
I fed the birds.

And I had a friend do a drive-by hugging.

Dot cleaned the house in such a wonderful fashion. She really did herself in. Because now I know she’s totally capable of this kind of cleaning. *Insert evil-Mom laugh here.*

And I planned my grocery list. For my dehydrator. I’ll start with apples and bananas. And grapes. Then move onto tomatoes and beef jerky. And once spring truly arrives, I’ll play with herbs. I might even try some potatoes.

I’ve crossed a lot off my To-Do List lately; but I’ve also added to it. It seems that’s always the case. Just when I think I’m done, there’s another task. Even when I’m close to finishing a project, I find a reason to not quite get there. It’s a little infuriating.

But this year, so far (and it’s only March!!), I’ve been doing better at finishing what I start. Little by little, I’m learning what it feels like to set more than one goal, and take it one step at a time; and cross that finish line one foot in front of the other.

I’m also learning that there are many different ways to reach goals. And success has many definitions.

I figure as long as I’m breathing, and learning, and living, I’m doing okay.

And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!