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Why Torture Myself? ~ Calisa Rhose #Goals #amwriting #amediting #MFRWAuthor
Osiyo~
Though it’s not Thursday, I thought now would be a good time to post my writing goals for the year. Yes, I’ve been procrastinating doing this. I’m a very good procrastinator. š But, January is quickly slipping away and I need to do this before the New Year isn’t new so, here I am.
Some of you may have read my goals last year, that HUGE 2-year plan I set out with last January 7th. What a disastrous mess that turned out to be! If you missed it, you can find that memorable post of My Writing Plan For 2024-2015 here. I warn you, take a deep breath before reading it! LOL
I’m doing it again. Yes, again! Why? Why torture myself? You might be thinking I’m a glutton for punishment, that I like to set myself up for sure failure. You’d be wrong. I did it for the same reasons, I guess, that I started edits on a five year old manuscript this weekend. Partly because I’d never set a long term plan and wanted to see if I could. Well, I can set goals. I did. And, as you can probably tell…I failed. Miserably.
I also did it, and am doing it again this year, to push myself, challenge myself. I didn’t set those goals last year for anyone but me. That’s why I do it. But, as with all new things, goals are meant to learn from, I think. And learn, I did!
What did I learn? For one, not to bite off more than I can chew. In other words, I need to set realistic goals, not what I want to do in one or in two years, but what I can do in that time. Can I realistically write four novellas and a full length manuscripts in 12 short months, plus revise another novella to re-publish? Obviously not when it takes me three months or more to write just one.
Click on Image to purchase Risk Factors
Did I accomplish any of my goals for 2014? Yes. I was successful in promoting Risk Factors after it’s new release with my new publisher, Kensington-Lyrical Press, in March. (Do you like how I did that? š )
I didn’t succeed in getting any other goals completed. Not even blogging once a week. In fact, I didn’t get one novella finished last year. Why? Because I overwhelmed myself. Good lord!! On top of the goals I set, I took on a new project, that isn’t finished yet, either.
Part of my failure is due to a burn out that began in May and didn’t fully end until October. I couldn’t write, didn’t even look at a ms much less work on any. I had to give myself permission to take a break and reevaluate my writing and regroup.
This year I’m taking a new direction with my writing. So, take a look at my new goals for 2015. Yeah…no more two year plans for this writer. But I will be diving into the Self Publishing pool this year, finally.
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GOALS FOR 2015
1. Learn to mute phone when working!!! (can’t turn it off with fil here)
2. Blog at least once a week, aside from guests and regular UnCover Monday features
3. Edit completed full length ms, HW, in progress
4. Post some free reads on website
5. Write two novellas, both already started, but not the DDD novellas from last year
6. Self publish HW, already have a cover in the works and tentative date, May
7. Submit, or self publish at least one of two novellas, not sure which pub route I’ll take yet
8. Write a second full length ms*, my first paranormal, in progress (Juliet’s story in my 2015 goals)
9. Figure out a better marketing solution, for me, or at least a more productive way to use what I already have
* By ‘write a second ms’ I mean complete the first draft in 2015.
So, there you have it. Eight (not counting #1 š ) simple, less stress-inducing goals. Still challenging, but hopefully, doable.
What about you? Will you be making goals (again) this year? How tough are you on yourself? Do you torture, or love yourself with your goals?
Dodadagohvi~
My Writing Plan For 2014-2015 ~ by Calisa Rhose
Osiyo~
Happy week two of 2014! I got a little busier than Iād expected last week and I didnāt get to post my 2-year writing plan as Iād hoped. Such is the life of a pantser. We don’t plan well, or at least this one doesn’t! š Now that the granddaughter is back in school and life has sort of returned to normal, and I don’t foresee any (more) unexpected events for a while, Iāve put the plan to paper, as they used to say.
Iāve set goals before. Iāve set resolutions too. Iām not fond of resolutions because by March Iāve a) already broke one or more, or b) forgotten what they
How I wish my marbles were so cooperative!
were because Iām not a list maker.
I write things down on scraps of paper, envelopes-often belonging to someone else in the house- or one of the hundreds of tablets I keep laying around. But, then, said ‘someone’ takes their/MY envelope. How rude. Right? I am also addicted to post-it notes. I love that they stick any and everywhere!
But those lovely sticky notes- well, they end up in the oddest places I never think to check! Oy…
Or, and this is most usually the case, I forget where Iāve put āthatā scrap of paper or the specific tablet with the info- I knew Iād remember where I put it- was. I’ll never learn NOT to rely on my (un)trusty mind. *sigh*
So, Iām going to try making a plan. Not plotting, mind you, just the bare basics of what Iād like to accomplish if disorder wasnāt nipping at my heels 24/7; family, responsibilities, obligationsā¦ Things Iād want to do over the next 48 months if I didnāt, sayā¦have a life. š
My Writing Plan For 2014-2015
(in no particular order because this IS NOT a list, and that would be too much like plotting :P)
2014:
1. Finish expanding contemporary romance, short story āJust One Night in Paradiseā and self-publish by the end of Marchā This āwill-be-aā novella is almost ready for edits and polishing so should be easily doable if I donāt chicken out.
2. Finish full length contemporary novel, Hearts Afire, fireman WIP.
3. Finish full length paranormal novel, In Ghosts She Trusts- Julietteās story- (bk 1 of Ghostly Trust series or trilogy), ghost WIP.
4. Finish Redesigning Sassy-bk 1, Dew Drop Diaries series (contemporary novellas)
5. Write Chasing Lainey-bk 2, DDDiaries
6. Write Saving Shelby-bk 3, DDDiaries
7. Write Marrying Lucy-bk 4, DDDiaries
8. Self-publish Dew Drop Diaries series.
9. Submit Hearts Afire (publishing house/format TBD)
10. Blog weekly (besides guest posts)
11. Promote any/all books out.
12. Rewrite and re-publish Home.
13. Contract an agent. (still considering this so may not do it)
2015:
1. Set new 2-year plan if this first year pans out.
2. Write paranormal novel, Ghost of a Chance- Romeoās story, (bk 2 of Ghostly Trust)-Julietteās twin brother.
3. Write contemporary novel Winterās Song.
4. Decide how or where to publish Ghostly Trust books.
5. Publish/submit Ghostly Trust books.
6. Promote any/all books out.
7. Blog weekly.
8. Write bk 5 of DDDiaries.
9. Write bk 6 of DDDiaries.
10. Write bk 7 of DDDiaries.
11. Write bk 8 of DDDiaries. (writing these depends on how the first four do)
12. publish bks 4-8 of DDDiaries**
**Write four other novellas if not more DDDiaries.
This first year alone will be a huge challenge for me. I typically eke out one book or novella a year because I get lazy, break something, or just get *too busy* outside of writing. My worst downfall is that I let distractions keep me from the stories burning a hole in my head.
Itās so easy to just not open that word doc each day, so Iām also going to try to change that about my writing time. Iām going to tryto set specific hours for writing and other times for blogging, āplayingā on the web, research, social media, etc. It will most likely take me a while to find a system and schedule that works for me, that Iāll be able to work with.
I’m not even sure what time I’m the most productive because my self-discipline is so off the scale I can’t find it, but Iām going to set this goal for myself aside from everything else Iāve listed above because I NEED to. This is a must to become more productive in my writing, and therefore more successful as a writer.
We all know itās almost impossible to get rich off writing, to write the great book that makes a movie, or just one people will rant about and buy. But thereās not even a glimmer of a chance to be successful in any capacity if I donāt writeā¦and sell. 
Some of these list items may change because I mightāve bitten off more than I can chew, infact, Iām almost certain I have, but I did it on purpose. If I have to much to do, Iāll at least try to make it and I figure I will be able to accomplish the part I can and still not be a total failure. LOL But Iām going to try to keep up with myself and do it all–because that’s how I roll, or more like tumble. š
First I have to get past my initial self-publishing experience and realize I lived through it, no matter how bad or good it goes. š
And so, there you have it. My writing plan.
Oh, for the record, Iāve already got my cover art for Redesigning Sassy ready to go- itās bee-oo-tee-ful!- and some of the other DDD series covers are purchased and ready to finalize once I settle on the titles.
What do you hope to accomplish in 2014? Are your goals too high? Not high enough? What IS just right?
Happy writing my friends and best wishes for your goals no matter what they may be!
Dodadagohvi~
I write contemporary and paranormal romance, with sensuality as the key ingredient and spice for kick.
Pen of The Dreamer 