I had four writing goals for the month of September:
1. Get to 30,000 words in Fifth Season.
2. Outline the current draft of Chaos Season (it may seem strange outlining after the first draft, but I need to get an overview of the book so I can plan the developmental edit.)
3. Edit the first 3-4 chapter of Chaos Season.
4. Finish the rough drafts of the short stories for my Young Seasons collection.
I did manage to finish items 1 and 2, and started 3 and 4. However, I didn't get very far with them. My productivity has been dragging this month. It's probably a case of trying to do too much on too little sleep. (OK, a new Facebook game didn't help either.) So for October, I'm going to focus on just Chaos Season and Fifith Season. I'm over 32,000 words for Fifth Season, so I'm going to shoot for at least 45,000 words in that while I edit 3-4 chapters of Chaos Season.
In addition to the books, I have several other goals for October. My family and I plan on several appearances with the 501st on the weekends. We plan to see our friends in Madison for our annual get-together. I have to help Alex with a book report on top of his homework, plus take him to taekwando and archery classes. (Eugene and I will be part of the archery class as well.) And on top of all this I have to figure out how to make Alex's Halloween costume (he wants something very specific based on a documentary he's seen.) Who knows how much of this I'll manage to accomplish? For now, my first goal is to go to bed early and try to shake my sore throat before it gets worse.
How often do you meet your own goals? Do you ever feel you plan too much?
Sounds like some ambitious goals.
ReplyDeleteWhat documentary did he see?
ReplyDeleteStill sounds like you got a lot written and edited this month. Good luck with October.
Pat, I always seem to take on too many goals.
ReplyDeleteAlex, this was a documentary series called First Peoples.
I'm a total over-planner, and then I get overwhelmed by the fact I didn't get to everything and reevaluate it all and start from scratch. It's a viscous cycle, but at least I know it's happening.
ReplyDeleteSounds like we do the same thing, Crystal!
ReplyDeleteI think I work backwards with my goals.
ReplyDeleteI tend to make a list of all the things that need doing, then I tack the number of days/hours I think it will take to get it done.
At the end I have a bird's eye view of how much time I'll need to get all my projects done.
I have to give myself a little leeway because sometimes my projects take me outdoors and that puts me at the mercy of the weather.