Monday, March 30, 2009

A Pinch and a Punch

I know. I am a day early but it is the repressed girl guide in me. I am early for everything. I love the beginning of a new month as it brings with it a new set of goals to achieve.

And the goal in April, is to complete the first draft of my new manuscript "The Gift of the Gab". I currently have 10,000 words, so that is only 40,000 words in 30 days. Easy peasy. Well it sounds good on paper but I am also moving house in April, so that may step in to try and hamper my efforts, but is also the reason I really need a goal to keep me focussed this month.

As you may have guessed from previous blogs, I am having trouble finding my groove. In the past when this has happened, I have discovered that the best way to get back into the swing of things is to write. Write some more. And then do a bit of writing. So that is what I intend to do. Starting tomorrow. Then by the end of April, I will have a 50,000 words.

Goal for May...mmmm...edit those words. How do you set your goals? If you are a published writer working to deadlines, how do you go about maintaining those deadlines?

I will keep you posted on my progress

5 comments:

  1. My goals are haphazard, especially when you're waiting for a response from HM&B! Familiar? ;-)
    For April it's to get away those comp entries for the Great Beginnings contest. If I get the big R then it'll be also to send away the next ms.

    Good luck with the moving!

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  2. I found setting myself a daily word count that I had to achieve during Nano worked really well - I always wanted to get ahead so actually finished early.

    Having said that I think goals have to take into account what's going on in your life. When I moved house I wished I'd started packing several months earlier but I'm sure you're much more organised than me!

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  3. Hey Felicity - hugs for that lack of groove! I'm feeling it too and am just plugging on and trying to get enthusiastic by reading lots of MHs to get me in the mood!!

    My goal for April is to write again!!! Sounds simple and perhaps it would be if I could decide what mss to actually focus on.

    Good luck with yours!

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  4. Me...organised to move house...never...but thanks for the vote of confidence Lorraine. We have moved many times, so I tend not to start packing too early as I find if I do, the move goes on for far too long. I am hoping my writing will be more organised that my move.

    And I hear you Rachael. I have also been reading heaps, which I have to say is helping. I read Anne Oliver's latest and it was fantastic. How can you not love a book where the first word is 'condoms'. I think you just have to pick your focus and force yourself to start. Good luck.

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  5. Would you believe I actually posted a comment here and it's disappeared... hmm that will teach me for not checking! Computer gremlins!

    You'll get those 40,000 words down! I have faith! If it means you don't eat, or sleep and and you can't read by the end of the month I'm sure you'll do it! ;) My goals are very similar to yours when I'm not unpacking the 40,000 boxes. Write a book one month, edit the next. Inevitably the editing takes longer than that because I have days when I hate it and I want to delete it...

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