Tuesday, December 27, 2011

2011 Goal Progress

So today is my day to assess how I did on my goals for 2011, and I've just copied the list from my blogs (okay, the writing one, and only a link to the other ones) and I will summarize how I did.

January
Edit and Polish one of my WriMos.
Write and test pitch for ABNA: revise test repeat until ready.
Enter Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest

Assessment:  This was all done. Kahlotus Disposal Site was a semi-finalist in the ABNA contest, earned an agent (the fabulous Amy Tipton) then saw two rewrites with agent guidance and is currently on submission. 


February

Polish Legacy (should be a 2 week task)
Present option to agent: if she passes, send a dozen queries
Begin writing next Garden Cozy

Assessment: I did the revision, but then sent to another reviewer who had a series of changes she suggested (and I agree). It then got set on the back burner for the required stuff, but is planned for my ABNA entry this year and Amy is reading it, so its day is coming.


March
Finish Garden Cozy
More queries if appropriate
Read Confluence and take notes

I finished the Cozy, but not until MAY (so mixed bag) and did not touch Confluence.



April

Finish reading Confluence beginning to end
Map out how to change PoV/Villains to make it a YA
Edit Confluence

I was still writing Begonia Bribe, so no.


May

REwrite that Gardening Cozy (should have been about the right about of 'set aside' time) then send to peer reviewers.

The month WAS devoted to Begonia Bribe.... Just not exactly as planned. I finally finished it.


June

Write my Microbrew themed near-Cozy (in a WriMo)

DONE. This is still in first draft--in fact has some pages that still need typing. But I succeeded here.


July

Polish 2nd Gardening Cozy/ send to agent
Revise one of WriMos (probably Kahlotus): Send to peer readers

I polished the Garden Cozy and sent to READERS and did one of my Kahlotus revisions. So I was a round late with Begonia, but did what I'd planned otherwise.


August

Polish CONFLUENCE
Open spot for catching up if something has fallen behind

No on Confluence. But DID use it to catch up--Garden Cozy and Kahlotus winding--glad I left a catch-up slot!


September
agent fixes on Garden Cozy
Rewrite MicroMystery
Query
Cozy DUE to Editor

Another mixed bag. I didn't give my agent as much time as I should have with Begonia--BAD me. And I didn't rewrite the MicroMystery. I didn't NEED to query... this really was ALL about finally getting Begonia Bribe in shape (and at the scrambling pace, that was rough)


October

Query
Polish the July Rewrite

After the scramble for Begonia Bribe, I changed my mind about how much time was necessary to do this thing, so I instead started Chrysanthemum Campaign. Only managed about 12K words, but started is started.


November

NaNoWriMo: 1st draft of 3rd Garden Cozy

And strangely, I couldn't get myself to write this at this pace and Medium Wrong had been bugging me too much, so I wrote THAT.



December

Polish Micro and pitch to agent (pretty sure this will interest her)
So FIRM:  Is writing 3 books, editing 4 books and doggedly finding representation for at least one other work.

And I changed my mind HERE, too... go figure. I am madly finishing my 3rd garden cozy first draft.


Broad Assessment:  I planned to write 3 books and by year end will have written 4.  That is GOOD. I planned 2 polishings that didn't happen though... I still find it hard to make myself focus on the rewrites and the edit.s While I may not have adhered exactly to my plan, I think the only actual near-failure was related to how slowly I wrote Begonia Bribe, which threw my whole timeline off. Next time I have a hard deadline (heck, THIS time with my hard deadline) I am writing like a WriMo and will press until it is DONE. I think it was a good year in Writing though.




Summary of Blogging goals: I think I summed it up pretty well last year, and I think I succeeded in my plans, other than that brevity goal, on which I made progress...


The Fitness, Money and Relationship goals: Yeah, not so much... I started TWO fitness plans... both of which were short-term successful, then petered out, though the Couch to Keg program still has us walking together (I really need better clothes to run in this weather--nothing both WARM and allowing for MOVEMENT)... The money stuff, we managed a PLAN (not the exciting one that makes me cackle, but a practical if painful one) and if we stick to it, it will be a very lean... about 3 years... but then we will be DONE with it. That's all I'll say, as this gets into HWMNBMOTI and his privacy issues.

11 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

I admire your ambition, Hart! And your success. It would take me five years to do all of that.
Keep up the walking - you'll feel better. And probably come up with a dozen new book ideas.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I maintain that thou art super woman.

Tonja said...

I think you did great!

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

I feel like such a slouch. I didn't accomplish anywhere near as much as you.

Old Kitty said...

As always, I'm in super duper AWE at your utter NAKEDness!

Clothes will definitely be most overrated in 2012! Hooroah!

Take care
x

Krista McLaughlin said...

You definitely got more done than me this year! I wish I had planned out that much to keep myself on track. Maybe I will for next year. :) Congrats on your books and everything!

vic caswell said...

wow.
this is so very impressive.
i've never seen anyone break down goals like this... i mean new year's resolutions- heck yeah, but monthly goals? nopers... maybe this is something i should try.
great work hart!!
you've done excellent for sure!

Trisha said...

I'm not ready for my 'Goals review' yet...I'm still working on them. haha

You've done a lot of work this year, ON TOP OF having a "real life" job, so I say well done to you!!

Christine Murray said...

I'm tired just reading through that lot. And that didn't even include your day job or caring for your family.

Agree with Michael, definitely some super powers going on there.

LTM said...

MAN! You've had such a productive year. And so many accomplishments! Congrats, my friend!

Here's to another shimmering year! All the best to you for 2012! :o) <3

Sarah Ahiers said...

i know i've said this before but i'm always impressed/jealous of your year long monthly goals. I wish i could do something like that, because i love goals and to do lists, but the best i can manage is an internal "query this starting in february" sort of deal. It doesn't help that i don't have a stable of reliable readers so i'm never sure how long beta reading will take.
Le sigh.