My birthday came and went on Sunday: presents, cake, phone calls, various renditions of birthday songs... good times.
But it means it's time to pull out my goal list from last year and see where I am now.
1) Get a short story published.
Hey! I actually managed that one! Seventy was published in MBRANE #5 this summer and Falcon War is still being looked at. I need to send a follow up e-mail.
2) Get a novel in an agents hands - I'd love to sign with an agent by this time next year, I'll be happy if I have an agent who has requested a full manuscript to read. These things take time and I will have patience.
Yeah, not so much. It's not the agent's fault either. I haven't queried yet. I'm not ready to query. I'm not content with any novel yet. I don't think any of them are ready for publication. My fault, no one else's. Maybe next year. Maybe not. Editing takes time.
3) Improve my writing skills. In particular I want to work on description. I can get realistic DL but my characters look like talking heads half the time. I want to get to the point where I can write description of the characters movements naturally.
This is a WIP. I'm getting better at description, but it isn't my strong point yet.
4) Keep reading both fiction and nonfiction. I like to pick up articles on scientific advancments and discoveries. It gives me new ideas to play with in my sci-fi worlds and it's good to learn new things. :o)
Yes! I managed that!
Well, two out of four is... well, fifty percent honestly. Not very good. Butt better than I actually anticipated when I dug out the old post. This gives me something to work on. I guess I'll just keep plugging away at editing and hope that I can query next year.
Happy Birthday! I'm an August girl as well :)
ReplyDeleteGood job on the goals, the fact that you keep them written is pretty cool stuff.
Hey, half is not bad at all. ;) Nice work on what you've gotten done. :D
ReplyDeleteGreat job. This is a good idea. My birthday is coming up in a month or so, I may try to make my own list. Seems like a good way to measure progress.
ReplyDeleteOn 2--Good for you knowing when you aren't ready.
ReplyDeleteOn 3--buy and devour Monica Wood's Description. That book is the one I go back to again and again.
And happy belated birthday & congrats on the sale!
I think you accomplished more than 50%, because you were actively working on the writing--and you always will be so there's no failure there. The only thing you didn't do is query! So give yourself a 75%. And that's excellent.
ReplyDeleteI just have one goal for the year: finish one short story and get it out there. I have four I want to finish, but I'll settle for one. (Hey, seeing as I got two published last year I may get one published this year, too!)
Happy Birthday! Best wishes on all your goals.
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