The Massive List of 2012 Goals!
2011 Round Up - Highlight of the year was definitely my trip to Australia. Travel is one of the great bonuses of my job and that trip was amazing.
In general I feel pretty good about my level of creative productivity. I wrote a lot at the beginning of the year, slowed a bit in the middle, but picked up some nice word counts over the last four months or so. I wrote oodles of poems (mostly for my blog), one novlette, a handful of stories, and got a good chunk going on a novel. Considering I work full time with a commute, I'd say that's pretty darn good.
I think I made about 10 (or so) submissions to magazines and journals this year, of which 3 were accepted and 6 rejected, with one response still pending. Not bad at all.
My personal everyday goals are the ones that collapsed a bit. After I quit on my plans for participating in the half marathon in July/August, pretty much all my exercise stopped. No running, no yoga, etc.
Any meditation, affirmations, or breath work was also almost nil. That said, I give you
The Massive List of 2012 Goals!
I always vacillate on how I feel about New Year resolutions and goals. I think they're good to a degree, and I enjoy making them, because I love lists and I love the idea of scratching off the to-dos as they are completed. The past couple of years, I've been more in favor of loose, short lists, which allow for flexibility.
This year, however, I'm going back to the detailed style list. There are things I want done damnit (mostly career-wise), so I'm announcing them. The plan is to check back in once a month and update the list (i.e., strike out what's completed or change as necessary).
Fiction
- edit stories that have completed drafts -- i.e., "The Witch of the Little Wood," "White Noise," etc. -- and submit them for publication
- finish draft of Untitled Werewolf Novel by mid-year; begin rewriting process
- write a short story to submit to Awesome Anthology; edit it; submit it on time (I already have ideas) (story written, but not submitted on time)
- write and edit one new short story or flash fictions a month, or complete 12 new pieces for the year (7/12, BookStory +The Ghost +Cassandra +Bluebeard +A Home's Love +The Shadow +And Still the Elder Gods Sleep)
- submit one short story or flash fiction for publication each month, or a total of 12 submissions for the year. (1/12, no reply as of yet)
- continue to write one Fay Fairburn stories for therealljidol until the season is complete (without sacrificing my other work)
Poetry
- re-institute morning poetry ritual (read one poem, write one poem)
- finish still-unfinished-after-a-year 30 Day Letter challenge
- compile a chapbook/book of completed work and submit to a publisher
- start kickstarter chapbook that I've had planned for almost a year (optional)
- submit for publication one set of 3-5 poems a month, or a total of 12 submissions for the year (submissions: 3, acceptances: 2, rejections: 1, etc: 1 from last year selected for an anthology without my submitting it)
- go through previous morning poem journals to see if anything sparks a new poem
Exercise
- begin a modified Couch-to-5k with the ultimate goal is to be able to run three miles straight through (this would require that I hit the track 3 days per week
- restart 28 Day Yoga Plan with the goal of doing yoga every morning, five days a week or more
- take a hike (with hills) every Saturday (optional, but hoped for)
- participate in Wharf-to-Wharf run (optional)
Website/Blogging
- write a minimum of three posts per week -- one writing related, one life related, one whatever related
- post a new youtube video each month
- add to website "Shaking Hands" story with a drawing of some sort (perhaps a lizard on the wastes)
- add to website scans of "The First Kiss and Other Poems" chapbook
- add to website "Barbie's Wonderful Life" screenplay (if I can find it)
Art (optional)
- attempt to sketch something - anything - once a week
- attempt to paint a larger piece - anything - once a month
Film (optional)
- write spec-script
- participate in 48 hour film project
Events
- attend or participate in 10 readings and poetry slams (participated: 3, attended only: 2)
- would really like to get my ass to some conferences this year (local SF suggestions welcome), so look up the list, mark it on my calendar in advance, and buy my ticket
Personal
- make an effort to call family/friends via phone or skype who live out of state. I am not comfortable with phone calls, so this is a challenge for me.
- make an effort to visit family/friends who live in-state, but not in my immediate vicinity.
- make apartment more homey
- meditate for at least ten minutes every morning after yoga & every night before sleep
- do a new set of affirmations every month (optional)
- go to monthly women's circles (optional)
- do some breathwork (optional)
* * *
Some closing thoughts:
"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."
-- Neil Gaiman
[Cross-posted to my website.]
In general I feel pretty good about my level of creative productivity. I wrote a lot at the beginning of the year, slowed a bit in the middle, but picked up some nice word counts over the last four months or so. I wrote oodles of poems (mostly for my blog), one novlette, a handful of stories, and got a good chunk going on a novel. Considering I work full time with a commute, I'd say that's pretty darn good.
I think I made about 10 (or so) submissions to magazines and journals this year, of which 3 were accepted and 6 rejected, with one response still pending. Not bad at all.
My personal everyday goals are the ones that collapsed a bit. After I quit on my plans for participating in the half marathon in July/August, pretty much all my exercise stopped. No running, no yoga, etc.
Any meditation, affirmations, or breath work was also almost nil. That said, I give you
The Massive List of 2012 Goals!
I always vacillate on how I feel about New Year resolutions and goals. I think they're good to a degree, and I enjoy making them, because I love lists and I love the idea of scratching off the to-dos as they are completed. The past couple of years, I've been more in favor of loose, short lists, which allow for flexibility.
This year, however, I'm going back to the detailed style list. There are things I want done damnit (mostly career-wise), so I'm announcing them. The plan is to check back in once a month and update the list (i.e., strike out what's completed or change as necessary).
Fiction
- edit stories that have completed drafts -- i.e., "The Witch of the Little Wood," "White Noise," etc. -- and submit them for publication
- finish draft of Untitled Werewolf Novel by mid-year; begin rewriting process
- write a short story to submit to Awesome Anthology; edit it; submit it on time (I already have ideas) (story written, but not submitted on time)
- write and edit one new short story or flash fictions a month, or complete 12 new pieces for the year (7/12, BookStory +The Ghost +Cassandra +Bluebeard +A Home's Love +The Shadow +And Still the Elder Gods Sleep)
- submit one short story or flash fiction for publication each month, or a total of 12 submissions for the year. (1/12, no reply as of yet)
- continue to write one Fay Fairburn stories for therealljidol until the season is complete (without sacrificing my other work)
Poetry
- re-institute morning poetry ritual (read one poem, write one poem)
- finish still-unfinished-after-a-year 30 Day Letter challenge
- compile a chapbook/book of completed work and submit to a publisher
- start kickstarter chapbook that I've had planned for almost a year (optional)
- submit for publication one set of 3-5 poems a month, or a total of 12 submissions for the year (submissions: 3, acceptances: 2, rejections: 1, etc: 1 from last year selected for an anthology without my submitting it)
- go through previous morning poem journals to see if anything sparks a new poem
Exercise
- begin a modified Couch-to-5k with the ultimate goal is to be able to run three miles straight through (this would require that I hit the track 3 days per week
- restart 28 Day Yoga Plan with the goal of doing yoga every morning, five days a week or more
- take a hike (with hills) every Saturday (optional, but hoped for)
- participate in Wharf-to-Wharf run (optional)
Website/Blogging
- write a minimum of three posts per week -- one writing related, one life related, one whatever related
- post a new youtube video each month
- add to website "Shaking Hands" story with a drawing of some sort (perhaps a lizard on the wastes)
- add to website scans of "The First Kiss and Other Poems" chapbook
- add to website "Barbie's Wonderful Life" screenplay (if I can find it)
Art (optional)
- attempt to sketch something - anything - once a week
- attempt to paint a larger piece - anything - once a month
Film (optional)
- write spec-script
- participate in 48 hour film project
Events
- attend or participate in 10 readings and poetry slams (participated: 3, attended only: 2)
- would really like to get my ass to some conferences this year (local SF suggestions welcome), so look up the list, mark it on my calendar in advance, and buy my ticket
Personal
- make an effort to call family/friends via phone or skype who live out of state. I am not comfortable with phone calls, so this is a challenge for me.
- make an effort to visit family/friends who live in-state, but not in my immediate vicinity.
- make apartment more homey
- meditate for at least ten minutes every morning after yoga & every night before sleep
- do a new set of affirmations every month (optional)
- go to monthly women's circles (optional)
- do some breathwork (optional)
* * *
Some closing thoughts:
"May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art - write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself."
-- Neil Gaiman
[Cross-posted to my website.]