Writing Goals

 

There’s something about starting a new year that brings out the optimist in all of us. That calendar flip represents a clean slate and the perfect time to finally lose weight, stop smoking and save some money. And to writers? It means another chance to buckle down and get those words down on paper!

The Mafia writing goals for 2017 are below. Feel free to post yours in the comments. We’ll check back in a few months and see how everyone is doing!

Kevin_Springer_3_400x400[1]Kevin Springer:

My writing goals are to carve out more writing time and to give myself the permission to not write the perfect first draft. By following this, I should be able to reach my goals of finishing my current WIP, a second project, and start a third.

 

kimKim Zachman:

  1. I will finish the first draft of my fledgling MG fiction project by March 2017. I plan on attending SCBWI’s Springmingle in Atlanta in March and getting a formal critique. Based on that critique and comments from my Middle Grade Mafia friends, I’ll start revisions with the plan of having the second draft finished by August 2017.
  2. I have four nonfiction project ideas right now. I need to pick one and work on it. To do that, I’ll need to do some basic market research and gather information on the topics to decide which is the best one to tackle. Then I will draft sample chapters, an outline and a proposal that is ready for submission by September 2017.

To accomplish all of this writing productivity, I plan on committing at least one hour a day to the fiction project and two Saturday mornings a month to the NF project.

Oh and I’m going to exercise more, eat less sugar, cook healthier meals, organize our basement storage area, and declutter my closet.

I realize that these goals are rather high and quite possibly unattainable but I’m going to try anyway.

Beth O’Neal:

  1. To launch my salad blog, so my friends can finally re-create the delicious salads I bring to potlucks, for which they request recipes, that I inevitably forget to send.

2. To use writing my Grand Canyon story as a segue into writing my novel, because it takes the pressure off and it makes me laugh.

3. To explore the story about my dad, because I’m afraid if I don’t tell the story, someone else will make the same mistake I did.

4. To complete my boy scout book, writing on a laptop, two hours a day, in 45 minute increments with a 15 minute break in between, completing 10 pages a week, at a cafe or (maybe the park.)

My critique group will be so proud!

debbieDebbie D’Aurelio:

  1. Write when I think there’s no time to write.
  2. Write when there are distractions and the to-do list isn’t done.
  3. Complete two MG novels and two Chapter Books
  4. Read at least 15 MG novels
  5. Take the dog out for walks more often. He gets bored and restless and it helps me think.

L.S. Bridgers:

Write for fun! Good ideas come from happy places. Be happy writing.

LisaLewisTyreheadshotLisa Lewis Tyre:

  1. Complete MG book draft #3 with Nancy Paulsen Books.
  2. Finish rough draft of YA books, BLENDED, and SHOT
  3. Write 4 days per week no matter what is happening. No matter WHAT!
  4. Research MG by working with youth at my church.
  5. Stop wasting so much time. Ugh.

Now that you know OUR goals, write yours in the comments. The writing journey is so much fun with fellow travelers.  Happy New Year!!

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