June Goal Wrap-up and Review

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June was kind of a nutty month for me.  The kids got out of school, I started a new part-time job at our library, I took on the responsibility of managing a site I had previously only written reviews for, and I had some mid-month excitement with my son’s hospital visit.  I also started writing for Examiner.com as the Mansfield Family & Parenting 101 Examiner, which requires a few articles a week.

I didn’t do as well on my goals as I had hoped at the beginning of the month, but I feel ok about it because my priorities changed as things in my life changed, and I had to change my goals as that happened.

I’m hoping July will be a bit more predictable, but if it’s not I will try to roll with the punches.  Or whatever.

1. Add other section to book – I didn’t do this at all.  The book got put on hold with all the other new responsibilities.  I’m still trying to figure out how to fit it back in to my life so I can work on it, but I haven’t quite figured that out yet.

2. Increase my use of social media. – I feel like I did well on this one.  I try to tweet daily, and have something to say besides “here, read my new post” and I share things on Tumblr.  That also goes on my Facebook account, and I keep in touch with people through there to some extent too.

3. Use work schedule to better organize my time. – HA!  This one is amusing.  It didn’t happen.  Not even a little.

4. Guest post on another blog. – I did not do this.  I have not had time to think about articles for other blogs now because I’ve had enough trouble keeping up with my own!

5. Submit 1 new story/poem to three magazines/markets each. – Hrm.  No, not this one either.

That’s it.  Like I said, I didn’t carry out much on this list, but I did do other things so I’m not unhappy.  I have lots to do in July, so stay tuned for my current goals.

Related articles

• June Goals (famelessramblings.wordpress.com)

 

June Goals

1. Add other section to book.

2. Increase my use of social media to expand my network. I’m going to attempt to do this again since I didn’t do very well in May.

3. Actually start using the work schedule I created so that I’m more organized and have more time for M. and the other kids.

4. Publish one guest post on another blog.

5. Submit 1 new story/poem to one to three magazines/markets.  I want to try this again too, but on a smaller scale since I want to keep focusing on the book.

My kids get out of school at the end of June, and with the house on the market now this could shape up to be a very busy month.  I realize one of my continual goals, which I thus far haven’t seemed to reach, has been to get better organized and on some sort of schedule.  Frankly, I’m sick of hearing myself say it and wouldn’t be surprised if you are too.  It has always been a weakness for me (time management), but I plan to change that.  I’m always open to tips, but I know some things that work (or definitely don’t work) for me already, I just need to stick to it.

Do you have June goals planned out?  Is summer your “break” time, or is it when you have more energy for both work and play?

 

May Goal Wrap-up and Review

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Here it is, the end of May already.  I feel like every month just goes by faster and faster.  It can be overwhelming, but in a lot of ways I’m grateful for that.  It means I have a lot going on, and I’m not stagnating.

So let’s get to it.  Here are my May goals, and how they panned out:

1. Finish 1st revision of book – I finished this, as many of you may have seen in an earlier post or on Twitter.  I’m currently reading it through completely, in as few sittings as possible, to help catch any continuity errors.  I also have a whole new section I want to add, which is good because the wordcount is still too low for a novel.

2. Increase my use of social media to expand my network. Meaning: Tweet more, update more, and have something to say! Spamming is so uncool. – I’m still working on this.  I need to figure out how to balance my use of social media.  I’m either on it, and feel like I’m wasting my day (and I frequently am) or I’m not on it at all, which doesn’t broaden my network at all.  I consider this a work in progress.

3. Publish 3 new articles/reviews on pay-per-click or other sites. – I published a Memorial Day poem on Associated Content, which I linked to on my “Published” page, and I have one article each processing in AC and Helium.  So I guess if both get published I’ve reached my goal, and if one or both don’t, then I really haven’t.  I’ll let you know.

4. Find 2 new freelance jobs. – I have not found two new ones, but one of my ongoing clients, who generally asks me for two reviews a month, asked for the usual two reviews, plus three articles.

5. Submit 2 new stories/poems to three magazines/markets each. – Not even a little.  Not one.  Maybe next month, if I’m not too wrapped up in everything else to do more writing.

So there you have it.  Mostly successful, some not very, but I’m satisfied overall.  How did you do on your goals?

Related articles

• May Goals (or Oh My God, another month is gone!) (famelessramblings.wordpress.com)

 

Sunday Night Ramblings

The last couple of weeks have been busy, and in some ways rough.  S. is home now (at his dad’s) and doing ok.  We’re still keeping an eye on him, and he’s still under a doctor’s care, but he seems to be improving.

I’m looking for a rental property in town.  I don’t want H. to have to change schools.  It’s bad enough that she and M. will probably have to share a room because finding a 4-bedroom in Storrs to rent is nearly impossible.  And yes, I know kids share rooms all the time, but the age difference between 11 and 3 is huge, and H. hasn’t shared a room since she and S. were very small.  It’s not going to be an easy transition.  Still, as much as I hate moving I’ve always loved being in a new place.  I like arranging everything, finding everything places.  It’s satisfying in a way that just keeping up a place isn’t.

My work has suffered lately.  Mainly because my work ethic has suffered lately.  I have made some strides toward getting back on track and getting back to work, but I still have a way to go.  Part of the problem now, ironically, is that I have too many potential projects in mind and a limited amount of time to get to them all.  I need to prioritize, and start getting some of them done.

My top priorities (other than home and family, of course) are my book and this blog.  I need to keep working on both, and if there’s more time I can get to the other things on my list.

What’s on your plate for this week?

 

May Goals (or Oh My God, another month is gone!)

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1. Finish 1st revision of book

2. Increase my use of social media to expand my network. Meaning: Tweet more, update more, and have something to say! Spamming is so uncool.

3. Publish 3 new articles/reviews on pay-per-click or other sites.

4. Find 2 new freelance jobs.

5. Submit 2 new stories/poems to three magazines/markets each.

As you can see, my goals are similar to last month. I still will continue to blog each weekday, but I consider that a given now instead of a goal to reach for. As for repeating goals, I plan to keep working on the ones I didn’t quite meet, get further in my book and add a new challenge for myself.

What are your goals for May?

 

I didn’t know it would be this hard!

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I’ll admit it. I’m an “instant gratification” person. I want results now. I want things done instantly. I want immediate feedback. I know this about myself, and try to squelch it as often as necessary because so little in life is instant. Good things tend to take time.

What I didn’t realize when I started on my campaign to improve this blog is that I would have to constantly rein myself in here too. I have been planning out posts ahead of time, and typing them up since I can schedule when they are posted. The problem is, once I type up a post, I want to immediately publish it.

I like to share my writing. I like to tell people about good things I’ve found online, or thoughts I’ve had. Generally, I want to tell you all immediately when I have something to say that you may (or may not) find interesting.

But posting everything immediately defeats the purpose of planning, and pretty much guarantees that I will run out of ideas and not have anything to post at all. Instant gratification is not always the best way to go. So in an effort to not burn myself out in two weeks, I’m sticking to my schedule. But I have some cool things coming up that I hope you’ll like too. I know I’m having fun creating them.

 

The State of the Pancake

This looks so much like my older daughter it's spooky. (Image via Wikipedia)

I have decided to make this blog a little more organized, be a little more consistent in posting, and plan better in general.  With that in mind, I will be trying out a few new “features” over the next couple of weeks, some of which will become regular weekly ones, some may not.

I enjoy writing here.  I would do it if not one person read it, but I prefer to think I have a few readers out there.  For all those who have commented, thank you for letting me know I’m not always talking to myself!  I would like to expand my readership, but I realize I have some work to do to make that happen.

I will still be doing some book and movie reviews here, probably not on a regular weekly basis because I have limited time to read some days, but at least one a month.  I also plan to keep the “Other People’s News” posts because I like to share the good things happening in the writing world around me.  I still plan to share my “trials and triumphs” as a writer, as well as the occasional post about life in general.

I write this blog because I like to write it.  I write it as though it’s being read because I like to feel I’m addressing someone.  Sharing my life as an aspiring author is partly so I have a record of it, partly because I know that when I read things written by other struggling writers, I feel less at sea in my own little dinghy.  It’s good to know that others go through the same things I do, and good to hear their good news when they have some.

I hope that if there is something you particularly like, or very much dislike, over the next couple of weeks you’ll let me know.  I’m always open to comments.  Not that I will be able to, or even try, to please everyone, but I like to hear opinions other than my own.  Occasionally.