Sunday, December 30, 2012

1000th Post: 2012 in Review

[half day early, even... I decided no one will be reading blogs New Year's Day]

I can't believe I've hit a thousand posts. It's a strange thing. A good thing, I guess. It's been 3.5 years and I've been consistent. I haven't been as good about getting around and trying to build this year, both because my personal life has had a lot of distractions, and because... when you reach a certain size it just becomes an unruly task.

Speaking of personal distractions... They've had an impact on my goals for last year, but I still need to go through the process of reviewing, just so I know how I did... If you are interested in the SPECIFIC goals:

Here is the End of the World Fitness Plan

Here were my Networking Plans 

And here were my Writing Plans


How'd I Do?

I can tell you right off I failed on the fitness all the way around. I started okay, but six days into the year was hubby's first health crisis and I just couldn't seem to make the time to take care of myself when I was picking up the slack for the long list of things he could no longer do.

The social networking, too... I feel like I succeeded on the Facebook piece, but the rest of it... not so much...

So really all there is to talk about is the writing piece.

January, polish Legacy for ABNA. Check.

February, fill holes in Chrysanthemum Campaign. Think this took more than the month, but check.

March: CC to peer readers for the month.
Revise WHAT ALES ME.
Plan promotional campaign for AZALEA ASSAULT

The first and the last happened. WHAT ALES ME revisions are what fell off because the others took more time.

April: WHAT ALES ME to peers.
Revise CC per feedback. Read out loud. Revise again.
Begin CONFLUENCE revision.

Only the middle one happened here (and didn't actually happen until May) but it was because my agent had wanted KAHLOTUS revisions, so that took precedence and was what I worked on.

May: CC to agent
Finish CONFLUENCE revision.
Revise CC per agent

Yeahno. Per feedback from peers, spend May REVISING Chrysanthemum Campaign. (and some of June)

June:  Turn in CC
BuNoWriMo: One of these pesky Armageddon stories...
RELEASE AZALEA ASSAULT

See, and now THIS is why I love a WriMo... Yes, yes and yes... Though CC was actually turned in about a week into July because my agent wanted a little more time and they were switching editors, so the new one wanted to read the first two books before this one ANYWAY to familiarize herself... But I wrote the first 60K of SHOT IN THE LIGHT in June and had a successful book release for AZALEA ASSAULT. THIS was the month I became a published author.

July: First Revision MEDIUM WRONG –
no, but this was a solid mind change. I kept writing SHOT IN THE LIGHT as I knew I was only about half done. And then I hit the years second major life obstacle... my dying aunt... And this was when Amy decided she wasn't the best to represent me, so I lost my YA agent... So Medium Wrong at 120K is ALMOST done... but then I got sidetracked for a solid two months (much more because of the dying aunt logistics than the agent piece—I totally respect Amy's decision and that only would have knocked me out for days, not weeks or months).

August: MEDIUM WRONG to peers
Revise WHAT ALES ME, read out loud
WHAT ALES ME to Agent
Um... no.

September: Final Revisions MEDIUM WRONG
MEDIUM WRONG to Amy

And no. But I DID decide MEDIUM WRONG would be my ABNA book, so I started FIRST revisions on it...

October: Slot for specifically requested revisions for MEDIUM WRONG/WHAT ALES ME
First revision summer Armageddon book

MEDIUM WRONG REVISIONS were all I worked on.

November: NaNoWriMo: Thenother Armageddon? (yeah, I think so... but things change)

DID NaNoWriMo, but changed my mind on WHAT... Ended up writing MEAN and DEMEANED, the first in my Pleides series.

December: Finally polish CONFLUENCE
If time, begin revision ILLUSIONS

And NO and NO. I've spent December actually trying to tie up loose ends... typing the rest of WHAT ALES ME (can't believe I'd forgotten the thing hadn't even been all TYPED yet! Trying to hammer out a synopsis for KAHLOTUS DISPOSAL SITE, prepping for WHAT ALES ME revisions. Readers have MEDIUM WRONG and I want to do THOSE revisions ASAP because it needs to be ready for ABNA.


So... Fails on a couple counts, but honestly, I'm pleased with how much writing I got done. I think it's worth noting that some fails are fails, but MOST are mind changes... an earlier failure or a reason from another direction changes what the current possible/priority is. We have to be FLEXIBLE to change plans, but I still think it helps me be productive to MAKE the PLAN--BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  (Ah... there's the cackle... I bet you'd wondered where it was)

How'd you do on your goals this year?

Tomorrow I will lay out my GOALS for the year...



9 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

After everything that's happened with your husband this year, I think you've done an amazing job, Hart.
And I certainly understand what you mean about reaching a certain size. I could have over 3000 followers now if I was still out seeking new blogs, but how on earth would I keep up with all of them?

Unknown said...

Every year brings its own challenges and successes. Moving forward--even a little--is the true mark of progress. Someone smarter than I once suggested that every long journey begins with but a single step. Sounds as though you accomplished that.

So, may your 2013 be filled with many more steps. (And better health for your family, too.) :-)

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy said...

Wow, Hart! Congratulations on the 1000th post. I can't believe how much you got accomplished. I am so proud of you.

Hey, if you need another peer reviewer, I would love to help you out there. I haven't written a book, but I sure have read a million of them.

Happy New Year!

Kathy M.

Sarah Ahiers said...

I'm always so amazingly impressed by all that you accomplish, not only during the year, but monthly. AND that you're able to segment out your months ahead of time. It's so awesome and amazing. YOU are amazing. HIGH FIVE!

Hart Johnson said...

Thanks so much, gang!!!

Kathy-I very well may take you up on that! I think you'd be a fitting reader for Medium Wrong, which is my next one to revise, so maybe March?

Tamara said...

Congrats on so many posts! That is amazing. I think it sounds like you did an awesome job this year. I hope the New Year brings better health for your husband and lots of great things for both of you!

Helena said...

Hart, you have had an extraordinary year of accomplishments, not only as a writer but as a wife, mother and niece. How splendid you've been! May 2013 bring you only the best of everything.

Arlee Bird said...

I think your year sounds fairly productive. There are always those unexpected life crazy times that change plans, but I guess they really should be expected and factored in the prediction equation as unknowns.
You did better than I it sounds like. Like always I probably won't make any specific future plans and mostly wing it. Maybe that's my problem.

Good luck with 2013 and I wish you tons of success.

Lee
Tossing It Out

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Hart - congratulations on 1,000 posts - fantastic achievement.

Sounds like 2013 is full of hope for new publications, changes to life .. I sincerely hope your family is easier this year too ..

You've mapped out life ahead .. good luck with everything .. cheers Hilary