It has certainly been a busy year. It was only around June this year that I got ‘serious’ about writing again. I’ve tinkered around with it on and off, just for myself, since I was a kid, but never dreamed of doing it seriously, then my best mate wrote a novel draft or two, got some things published and joined a writing site. Finally something happened, the planets lined up, and I started writing with the view to sharing my work.
I know how you feel, buddy.
Achievements in 2013:
- Collaboratively completed the first draft of a YA novel with my mate.
- Joined Scribophile, had some work critiqued, critiqued the work of others and made some great friends.
- Started a MG novel.
- Had 3 small stories published on online websites.
- Entered one writing competition and won a small prize.
- Successfully completed PiBoIdMo (30 picture book ideas in 30 days).
- Failed NaNoWriMo (50,000 words in 30 days).
- Wrote more than I have in the last ten years.
It’s not a bad start. The challenge is to keep that momentum going in future years.
Goals for 2014:
- Complete the YA novel to submission stage and begin querying publishers.
- Continue critiquing and posting work at Scribophile.
- Get the MG novel to final draft level.
- Submit at least one story per month. I’d love to aim for one per week but life will be busy next year and I don’t want to set myself up to fail – I may change this half way through 2014 though.
- Enter as many writing comps as possible – especially those aimed at children’s authors.
- Complete PiBoIdMo again.
- Win NaNoWriMo!
I also have the final year of my Master’s to complete as well as working….so even if I don’t reach all of these targets I’ll be happy just to keep writing in some way, shape or form.
Boo to failing NaNo, yay to everything else.
Wednesday Story Swap
My friend and I have made the commitment to a Wednesday Story Swap – each Wednesday we exchange something we’ve written, or something to do with writing. It could be a completed novel (ha!), a short story, poem or flash fiction. It could be just an idea, an outline or a first paragraph or chapter – anything writing-related is fine.
If you have a friend that writes you may want to set up a similar arrangement. It gives you accountability, keeps you sharp (critiquing other’s work definitely helps with your own writing) and ensures that you’ll write something each week.
I hope everyone else has reached their goals for the year. Have you made a list for 2014?
Treekeeping 
It sounds like you’ve done a lot for 2013. Your plans for 2014 are exciting. I’ve been talking about goals with my critique group. We each want to get published and we want the other members in our group to get published. We’re very supportive of each other. Mutual accountability works well for me. Sounds like it does for you as well. May you have a productive and happy 2014. Merry Christmas.
I think support is the way to go, when it comes to writing a win for one writer is a win for all. I must be channelling the three musketeers. 🙂
Thank you and I hope you have a great Christmas and happy and productive new year as well Gale.
I need to log in on my current blog instead of my old one.
This one takes me to Visions & Revisions – have you a different address now?
Yes, Visions and Revisions is the good one. I must probably destroy the old one to get it out of my hair.
You seems to have the most amazing year, lots of achievements and successes! I am looking forward to another year of back and forward critiques on Scribophile!
Cheers Yvonne, it has definitely been a positive start to the writing life. There will definitely be lots more Scribophile interaction I hope. Thank you for all your crits & support throughout the year. 🙂
Way to go!!! You’ve had a fantastic first 6 months. The next will be even better! (Big smiley finger to that.)
Haha…getting this message on my phone the ‘big smiley finger’ reference threw me, til I remembered my blog pic. It’s mostly thanks to your nagging. Let’s concentrate on getting this YA novel accepted somewhere….so the REAL work can begin! 🙂