Recently I've been setting a schedule for subjects to work on at work (I'm a security guard with plenty of free time to write and read). I find that I get more done this way, because otherwise I can just sit there and zone out or play card games on my laptop. I've got a good start on my nanowrimo novel, but I don't want to do what I did the first time I won nano - take the whole rest of the year to finish. This year I plan to finish in January. Write or Die is a program that has shown me I can regularly write a thousand words in a half hour. If I could do nanowrimo at 1700 words a day, I can surely do 750-1000. That puts me at 25k for December and 25k for January (though my goal is to finish my first draft at 85-90k).

My call to you Holy Worlders is to make a reasonable, yet challenging goal for finishing your novel or short story, or even getting started - believe me, I know what it's like to take months preparing when I really just need to start. You have until Dec. 31 to post your goals for January. I'll start another thread for weekly goals.

My goals for January are: finish 1st draft of The General's Shadow (nano novel); edit short story Crystal Vendetta and submit to Flagship (Flying Island Press ezine for positive sci-fi and fantasy).

Thanks for posting this!

Hmmm... I'll have to think about my goals. I think it might end up being something simple like 'write for 30 minutes every day', because I don't have time for much more, and if I don't actually set time aside for writing, it won't get done at all.

That would be great. Include some prep time or regroup time afterwards to see if what you wrote fits. I say that because I could spend 30 minutes easy doing either of those and not get any writing done. I'm also going to post a weekly writing goal thread where you can put how you did that week as a form of accountability.

If you haven't heard of Write or Die, it is a program that you can visit online for free or buy for $10 to put an advanced version on your desktop. What it does is fill the screen and force you to type by having the screen go red if you take too much time between typing. You can adjust the settings to increase or decrease that time before the screen goes red - even to the point of it having warning alarms go off if you wait too long.

It's a great program and with it I can write 1000 words in 30 minutes "easily".

Do you have a project in progress you could work on for January or would you start fresh?

I've decided my goal for January will be:
Research publishers for my picture book Mack Moves House and submit a query/manuscript to at least one publisher. (More if I decide to do multiple submissions.)

Nano in Jan.
(Goal of 20K)

Okay *holds breath*...

I am going to put myself out there. I am going to finish my final edits for The Mark of the Diegose (and hopefully find a better name) by the end of January so that I can begin the publication process...

*begins biting her nails*

I have two projects... one of them in the writing stage, and the other one in the development stages. So I'll probably end up working on one of those!

I just discovered Write or Die, and I love it. My dad was laughing when it started erasing all my work!

Good! It's good to have something in the writing stage so you can keep writing daily while developing another idea.

That's hilarious. I've never tried kamakazee mode. It is funny.

lol It was funny. I was just playing around with it... and I stopped typing just to see what would happen, and suddenly the words started disappearing!

Now that you've told us, we will be here to support and encourage you! (And badger you if you slack off!) Go, Airianna Valenshia!

*grimace* Leave it to my HW family to hold me to my goal.

Airianna,
Do you have a word limit goal for your final edit? When you submit it do you have a publisher in mind?

I'm going to hit right around 100,000 words when I am done, Timotheus. I am still researching my publishers... have any you'd recommend?

It would depend on the style and genre of your book. Do you know of any books like yours? I've heard advice to check the publishing companies of books you enjoy that are similar and check their submission guidelines. They may mention an agent in the thank you section at the beginning, which you might be able to query.

I was reading an article on Eric Wilson leaving the CBA, and saw a new publishing company, Splashdown. You can check out their sub guidelines here. I like their submission process of having you critique someone else's manuscript in return for yours, and then based on the improvement you make after you get yours back, they make their decision. Sounds more fair.

Another option would be Marcher Lord Press. They are Christian SF/F.

Thanks for the help, Timotheus. I have looked into Marcher Lord Press and am very impressed with them. I'm still looking around though, so I am greatful for the info.

I need to find a realistic goal for editing. I'm doing Holly Lisle's How To Revise Your Novel course, which is very good, but also long and difficult. I'm only on lesson 5 of 22, and it's been like 10 months. Granted part of that is focusing on my current book, but still.

For now I'll say finish through lesson 6. (edit on The Tsadakeen)

I'm pumped about Splashdown, especially since MLP is closed to submissions. I want to finish editing one of these two books soon, but know that the better they are before I turn them in the better. After I finish this book I'm going full boar on editing my first novel. Holly's Lessons are supposed to take a week each, but I'd love to finish editing it by March 1. I would love encouragement on that one, because man will I need it. That's a ton of work.

Check that, I'm going to finish lesson 5 by Jan. 1

It is going to be hard for me to schedule finishing the last 16 lessons between now and March 1. Part of this is because each lesson is so different in complexity. The first 8 lessons are the hardest, noting all the plot/char/style problems and then it's supposed to fly from there. Hopefully that means more done than the pace I've had.

I'm not just throwing out goals without any idea how I'll make them happen. Part of my goals are writing, another editing, and lastly planning for future goals so they can be realistic. I'm holding myself accountable to not meeting them. My punishment is one day of no reading (not including devos) or video games for every week I don't achieve my weekly goals. That means if I miss two weeks in Jan., I will have three days of no fiction/games as punishment for the next failed week.

My homework for this week is to
1) Get to 75,000 words in TGS
2) Finish Lesson 5 in HTRYN
3) Generate plan to finish HTRYN by March 1
4) Prepare for podcast interview on Saturday for AudioTim

Aside from these goals, I also want to read my new book and edit my short story, but I can't at the expense of these priorities. (same goes for playing my new Wii...) This prioritization will be part of how we succeed in our goals.

Well, I've already posted this on the sci-fi forums, but it won't hurt doing so again here.

For Me:
Complete/Edit/Polish We Will Survive (and I have a coupon for a free proof-copy, so that's a motivator!)
Write/Edit/Get Critique No. 2 in Truth Light Chronicles
Capture all the short story ideas I have floating in my mind and cage them on paper

Those are very worthy goals, Timotheus, and I like your method of "punishment." Keep us updated on your progress, and we will keep encouraging you!

OK, I won't set goals just for January, but more of an abstract goals. Less defined and stuff, because I'm a very schedule-less guy (Is it still a goal if there isn't a time-frame? )

Anyways, my goal is to finish The Two Fathers I've hit fifty thousand words, or somewhere thereabouts, and I'm about two thirds through the first draft. Hopefully I will finish the first draft by February.

Oh, and your punishments are very creative and a good way of dealing with priorities! =D

eruheran

I purchased a 2009 edition of Children's Writer's and Illustrator's Market, so I've officially started researching publishers for my picture book...

Eruheran,
Finishing in February is a good goal, but I might suggest making weekly word count goals to break it up so you stay motivated and on task. I think having a time frame is important because otherwise writing 150 words a day or something small like that can be considered good enough. If I know I have to write 1k a day, then I do it or make up for it the next day, but at 5k per week minimum I know that I'll make enough progress to finish in a good time. My first book hit 50k in november for nanowrimo, but then took until the second week of October to finish. Part of that is because my only goal was to write it. Then I didn't have enough time to prepare for the next nanowrimo and missed out. Then I spent that next year brainstorming because my only goal was to write my next book. Granted, the many ideas I came up with will help down the road, they didn't help as much as daily writing goals.

Phila,
Good job getting that book. That's a great resource!

I don't set monthly goals. I wrote about 95,000 words so far in December, and over 80,000 in November. I intend to write at least 800,000 more in 2011, and reach a million total (just about 200,000 to go) by the end of March.

OK, if you are crazy like Luke, you don't need monthly goals.

Seriously though, what kind of craziness is that Luke? That's unreal! This is why I want to do audio interviews with Holy Worlds members, to see how they write. While your story is an exceptional one, there has to be encouragement somewhere (after the daunting comparison to my own wordcount).

Wordcounts are a motivational tool to keep me accountable. What is yours Luke?

Really high word counts.

No, really, I try to write a chapter a day, in addition to any short stories and blog articles I do. My chapters typically average between 2,000 and 3,000 words, depending on the book.

That's why I'm hesitant to set any goals like that--they take time. A lot of time. Right now, I just don't have the time to set specific goals, because I will fall behind. I haven't even been living in the same house for more than a week for the past month--my schedule isn't exactly set in stone. Right now I'm trying to make more time for some other hobbies (that are earning me money) and keep writing sort of less definite or whatever. So a goal like 'the end of February' works better for me. =)

And, if I may venture. Luke--you are insane. Absolutely and completely. But I wish I had that kind of time on my hands.

eruheran

I WriMoed five months straight July - November. I didn't win all of them, of course, but I met a lot of people who. . . *whistles* Luke's goal is real enough. I just wonder when he'll slow down to edit! That's first draft he's pumping out!

Agh! Now there are two of them! I don't think I can handle it. Must...fight. (Too late)

(Sorry--that was off-topic but I couldn't resist. Rerailing thread...)

eruheran

I edit too. If I don't feel like writing, or get it done sooner, I spend the rest of the time editing. On good days I can write three thousand words in two or three hours and then edit for a few hours.

Where do you find that much time? That's like five or six hours a day

eruheran

Didn't notice this thread until today, but I think it's a good idea. My goal for January is to finish the "Tolkien Revisited" and "Endocosmic/Exocosmic" blog submissions that I promised Jay many moons ago, as well starting and posting my first rant-review that I discussed with InTheLion'sPaw back in August. Seems piddly compared to monstrous word-count goals, but for a world-class procrastinator like myself, this will be enough on my plate for one month.

Those are fine goals in my opinion, Seer! The blog posts will be highly appreciated by Airianna and me, and I can't wait to read them!

Yes it is. I'm not in school and I don't have a job. I have all the time I can use.

Way to go using your time so wisely! Thank you for being a testimony of the power of the Spirit to give us self control.

The weekly goals thread has been posted. Anyone interested can head over there.

My goals for January are somewhat flexible, but as they stand now they are:

- Polish and seek reader feedback for a finished novel.

- Begin major editing on the sequel to the previously referred to novel.

- Polish and seek further reader feedback for a picture book manuscript, then look into submitting it to an agent or publisher.

Okay, so I'm three days into January... and I haven't written a single word.

I did write a ballad for school that involved two characters from my story, though. It took about two hours. Does that count? It worked out some minor plot points!

It counts as writing, certainly, but I don't know what your goal was. I can't see where you confirmed a goal on this thread.

Sorry, I never officially confirmed my goal.

So I'll make it official now:
My goal is to write for 30 minutes every day. (at least, but I'm not sure that my schedule will let me do any more. )

I think I've got a goal now...hopefully posting here will encourage me to actually stick to it. *deep breath* I want to get No Man's Land (tentative title) up to 25,000 words by the end of the month. I think I have enough plot ideas to carry me at least that far...and if not, we'll see if having a goal will force me to work past the holes anyway.

Doing great folks! I'm really encouraged by all these goals. I love to see people working towards their dream and I want you to know you're not alone. I think posting goals and our progress, struggles and victories will help us grow closer as a community and hopefully make victories common.

Would it be helpful or confusing for me to post a summary of our goals on our Facebook discussions page for each week? That way they are more compact and easy to keep track of between comments and it will get us checking the Facebook page more, which is a great resource for announcements and also has chat so we can discuss our efforts.

That's a good goal, Princess! In which case, I say any kind of writing counts - except, perhaps, forum posts.

Tim, I do not use Facebook anymore - what a relief! - but you are welcome to post my goals on the list if you desire.

We need "Motivate [name]" threads, where everyone can come on to encourage, reward, and threaten said person into meeting their goal. I need social pressure to make goals.

I'm writing that first draft TODAY. Yes, self, TODAY. Diadine, Mirage, get your act in gear. You too, Kathrine. Tell me where and when your story starts so I can rewrite that beginning scene.

* pokes Droid* So how's it going?

*whistles*

*pokes Droid again, harder this time* Sooo, how's it going?

*rakes deep breath* Well, I'm finishing Truth Light's still unnamed sequel today. The first draft, that is. And have utterly failed at filling in the gaps to We Will Survive. I got stuck on trying to give it a half-decent opening scene.

I have an two articles to write and two PMs to answer and then I can work on it.

*pokes* How're your goals doing?

Aw, don't worry - just keep it up! I hope the articles go well. What topics are they on?

I have several publishers marked with posties in my Writer's Market, so I will be researching at least 3 of those online this afternoon or evening...

Well, I'm about 5,500 words short of making my goal of getting 25,000 words on No-Man's Land, and I don't think I'm going to make it. I don't think I have the enthusiasm to keep going right now, and the words are coming slowly. Tomorrow will be busy and I really don't think I'll be able to push myself hard enough to get 5000 words in one day on Monday. On the other hand, if I'd pushed myself harder earlier in the month and not skipped writing on some days, I'd probably have it. All in all, I'm still pretty pleased. This is a lot more writing than I would have gotten otherwise.