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I can’t believe it is already the end of the year! I know, I say that at the end of every year. But it’s always true. Seriously, where does all the time go?
With it being the end of the year, it’s time to evaluate the 2019 goals I had set for myself and consider some goals for the upcoming year.
Last year I had stated, “Although I don’t know what will happen in the upcoming year, my current writing goals for 2019 include…” Then, I listed multiple goals I had.
Well, I think the word current was well-placed in that statement. As the year progressed, my ideas and goals changed. I ended up finding a new system for goals I implemented throughout the year that seemed to work well for me, and I hope to continue with it in the upcoming year. More on that later.
My 2019 Goals and Progress
In the meantime, here are the goals I had stated last year and the progress I had made on each of them.
- continue writing monthly for Hands On As We Grow
- I did continue writing monthly for Hands On As We Grow, which I have really enjoyed doing. All of my writings that have been published on Hands On As We Grow can be found on Writings/Mentions. Even though I submit a post to them on a monthly basis, sometimes multiple posts may be published in one month and none are published in other months. I hope to continue writing on a monthly basis for Hands On As We Grow in the upcoming year.
- continue writing at least two posts each month for my website
- I have written at least two posts each month for my website, and I even did five to six posts for a few of the months. This month is actually the only month all year long that only has had two posts published (this one and an introduction to a project I am working on called Aah! Blown Away, Crash!). I hope to continue writing a minimum of two posts each month for my website throughout the year.
- attend one SCBWI conference
- I did attend an SCBWI conference in September called Adventures in Nonfiction: Part II. I even had the pleasure of attending dinner the night before and introducing two of the speakers during the conference. I am very thankful I was able to attend! I’m trying to decide if I should attend a conference (or two) in the upcoming year.
- be accepted by a literary agent to represent my works
- I did quite a bit of research on literary agents and submitted a total of four different manuscripts and a proposal with samples to a number of literary agents throughout the year. I did receive some positive feedback from a few of them, but none of them offered me representation. With that being said, any response at all is a bonus for me even if it is a rejection! I admire all the work a literary agent must do- weed through the numerous manuscripts they receive each year (many of which may not be even close to ready for publication), contact authors/illustrators for offers of representation, continue to be in contact with those they do represent, submit manuscripts to publishing houses, negotiate contracts, keep up with current trends in publishing, and more. Maybe someday I’ll have a literary agent.
- research, write a proposal, and submit needed information for a children’s nonfiction project I have recently started
- In addition to research I needed for the nonfiction project itself, I did do quite a bit of research on what to include in a proposal. I did finish the proposal along with some samples, and that was one of the things I had submitted to literary agents over this past year. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been accepted. I’m not sure if I will continue to work on this in the upcoming year or if I will shelve it for now. I’ve had very positive responses from others concerning this project, but I know it will require a lot of time if it does get accepted.
- research, write a proposal, and submit needed information for an adult nonfiction project I have an idea for
- This is one of those goals that I decided to not continue.
- write at least one children’s book manuscript
- I did write a new children’s book manuscript, but I haven’t looked at it in quite a while.
- revise at least one of my current incomplete children’s book manuscripts
- I did revise a few of my children’s book manuscripts. I also learned how to write graphic novel scripts and turned one of my picture book manuscripts into a children’s graphic novel format. I have other manuscripts I would like to look at again and see if they are worth editing and submitting.
- do at least one school visit or story time (I didn’t do any this year, but I had so much fun doing them last year!)
- This is another one of those goals that I decided to pass on this year, although I did purchase and read Sell Books and Get Paid Doing Author School Visits by Kim Norman.
- submit at least one article to a magazine
- I did complete this! Sometimes magazine articles are scheduled well in advance, and I actually have a couple of articles that should be published in 2021 and another that is scheduled to be published in the fall of 2020. I was also surprised to receive a response from Reader’s Digest almost two years after submitting a short true story, which ended up being published in their September issue.
- research some information about creating a course and possibly create a course (which will require even more research)
- I did do some research and ended up having two courses published on SchoolhouseTeachers.com: Foods and Food Production and Who are Community Helpers? I hope to have one more course published on SchoolhouseTeachers.com in 2020.
- decide what to do with a particular children’s book manuscript I’ve had set aside for a while
- I was referring to Aah! Blown Away, Crash! in this goal. I ended up bringing this particular manuscript to my writing group to be critiqued and had very positive responses. The members of my writing group were very helpful in offering suggestions and talking through it with me. I now intend to self-publish it in 2020. I’ll try to keep you updated on its progress.
- continue going to writer meetings
- I have continued attending meetings each month with my writer’s group. I’m looking forward to planning our topics for 2020.
- continue as a Network Chair for SCBWI Iowa
- Yes, I have continued with this. My title will be changed to Regional Social Chair in 2020, but my duties should remain the same. I will continue planning/leading the monthly meetings, write a blog post for the SCBWI Iowa website, and assist writers and illustrators on their publishing journey.
- continue adding and creating pins (and possibly a few boards) to my Pinterest account
- I did add and create new pins to my boards, but I didn’t do this on a regular basis.
- maybe join Twitter
- Didn’t happen!
So, those were all of my 2019 goals from the beginning of the year with updates. How did you do on your 2019 goals?
Other Updates in 2019
As I had mentioned before, my ideas and goals changed a little as the year progressed. Here are some other things that happened with my writing adventure that were not in my original goals for 2019.
- Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles was chosen for the 2019 Read Across Connecticut Program
- I created a teacher’s guide for Pickles, Pickles, I Like Pickles
- I created and published Reading Journals (with some insight from my daughters)
- I created and published an Adventure Writing Prompt Journal (which was a fun project with my daughters)
- I rented a PO Box and started an email list
- I started writing a monthly newsletter to those who are signed up for my email list
- I visited Mount Olive Pickle Company’s gift shop in North Carolina with my family
- I attended a webinar about writing for the Christian market
- I read multiple books and learned more about writing (I wrote about one book I really liked here.)
- I updated my email signature
- I signed up for Google Alerts
- I created a class/course, which I should be teaching at a community college in 2020 as long as everything goes as planned
- I started working on a book that includes information from the class
- I had two posts published on Money Saving Mom
- I was quoted in an article on US News
- My daughter and I (mostly my daughter) have been learning some basics of Affinity Designer to try to create illustrations for Aah! Blown Away, Crash!
My 2020 Goals
Having writing goals helps to keep me focused on actually completing writing projects.
I think it’s beneficial to have some kind of an idea of goals for the upcoming year, but things happen, plans can change, and ideas may lead in a new direction. I don’t know what the future will hold, but I have found it to be more beneficial for me to create monthly (and even daily) goals with a few long-term goals still in mind.
Since my writer’s group meets monthly (except for December), I have been creating a monthly list of goals immediately after getting home from those meetings. I display this list on a wall by my writing area, and I refer to it throughout the month. As I complete items on the list, I check them off. I try to complete as many of the goals as possible before the next meeting. Whatever doesn’t get completed may end up on the next month’s list, or it may be deleted completely.
In addition to this, I write a list of things to do for the day on a dry erase board most mornings. Some days I am able to complete everything on my list. Some days I’m not. This daily to-do list gives me a direction and reminder of tasks to complete. And it gives me something to erase, so I actually feel like I am accomplishing something!
So, with all of that being said, I have decided to not list a full year worth of writing goals at this time. That doesn’t mean I don’t have any writing goals! I plan to continue working on this writing adventure when I can. This is still something I am only doing part time when I’m able.
As I had stated earlier, I do hope to continue writing a monthly post for Hands On As We Grow and a minimum of two posts for my website, publish Aah! Blown Away, Crash! (I have a publication timeframe in mind that I’m not sharing right now), and to teach a course (which should happen as long as everything goes as planned). I also hope to complete a book that includes information from the class I will be teaching sometime in 2020. I’m not sure how realistic all of those goals are, but I can dream, right?
I will continue to write monthly writing goals for myself as I continue my writing adventure in 2020. I hope my writings can encourage others and bring glory to God in some way. As Proverbs 16:9 says, “We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.” I am excited to see where this writing adventure will lead next.
Do you have any goals for 2020? I have rambled on long enough about my goals, and I’d love to hear from you! May you have a blessed New Year.
Brigitte Brulz 