What interesting blog posts we've had recently! Perhaps the cooler weather has pushed creative minds to even higher pinnacles! OK, that wording may be hokey, but I really have enjoyed the posts even though I've just zoomed by to offer brief comments.
In the last few years I've noticed I get an extra jolt of "get it done" adrenaline in the fall. Maybe because the end of the year is looming or because my birthday month of September is a good time for me to take stock and adjust my goals. A time to look at what I have accomplished and what I still want to finish before 2009 rolls around. This year, my "yet to do" list is pretty long.
Writing and promotion will claim a good chunk of the next three months. On the accomplishment side, I just finished line edits for my February release. Hooray! Yet to do are:
--Finish the first book in my nine-book series and do more in-depth plotting of the series.
--Step up promotion of my December release, finish planning promotion for my February release and then promote those first three connected books into 2009. That promotion includes contests, setting up MySpace and Facebook pages, targeting readers who don't traditionally read romances, finishing videos of each book, and more!
--I also have exciting promotion opportunities for the Valentine's Day 2010 anthology I'll be part of and am very much looking forward to working with two fellow authors in these efforts.
I'm also still getting to exercise my visual creativity with Web and graphic design projects. What great delight I find in pouring color and images and words onto a page or a Web site to elicit a wow reaction!
Doggies continue to be a big part of my life as my son and I push to prepare my current house to sell to buy property for a dog rescue and sanctuary.
And, of course, the holidays with family and friends will add sparkle to the next few months. (I've actually done a big chunk of holiday shopping for my grandkids--thanks to a fortunate stop at Toys R Us when they were running fantastic sales!)
There are lots of other things to look forward to on the easel pad posted in my office. (Yes, it's grown from a list to a sheet!)
How about you? We've talked about goal setting before, but do you feel a big push at certain times of the year to get things finished? Are the upcoming holidays a much anticipated time of joy or just more stress?
6 comments:
ACK! I feel like I've lost three months this summer- Where the heck did it go???
My major goal is to get the contemporary full off to a Harlequin editor and proposals to agents for the historical series to agents by the end of November.
I've been informed I may have a large crowd here for Thanksgiving and then if my son can get leave at Christmas, he'll be here with his two kids. So after a very boring, dull and never want to do a holiday like that again year last year, I am excited about this year with all the company I'll have!
Hi, Paty!
I know what you mean by summer whizzing by. But you've had lots of other things going on, including your cabin and property in Princeton, as well as lots of company. So good things!
And it sounds like your holidays will be filled with joyful noise. Christmas especially seems more fun with little ones. Their excitement and wide-eyed joy are contagious!
Have you finished the contemporary yet? Or still more to go? Can't wait to hear what agents think of your series. I can easily see that as a movie or TV series. Wouldn't that be fun?
Genene -- I agree with the sentiment that summer has flown by. When I sent almost 300 pages a couple of weeks ago, it dawned on that it represented the harvest of a season "garden."
Well, you know me, I don't do lists. I often drive by that house near me that you looked at a few weeks ago as a future dog sanctuary -- I know you spoke with the owner or former owner -- did anything more ever come of it?
Good luck with all your projects!
Hi, Alice!
What a great way to look at a book: "the harvest of a season 'garden'." You obviously don't need to do lists or goals since you're so productive without them. Maybe I'll get to that point after almost 40 books. :)
I talked to the former owner of The House. His son now owns it, but didn't call me back, so I guess he wasn't interested in selling. That's actually good, because The House needs lots and lots of fixing, and I'm tired of house projects. I want to move into something that doesn't need any work at all.
Upcoming holidays? Isn't there a law against using that phrase before October...eek. That's next week. Can you tell holidays stress me? The kids have been hounding me about costumes for a month. We're having the flooring replaced in our kitchen, dining room, and living room sometime in the next month or two and we have to be in a hotel part of the time. My bright spot is the days Christmas and New Years fall on this year. I'll have almost three weeks off work.
Oops, Kendra! I think you're right about a law banning the mention that "H" word before October. LOL!
For the past several years, I've not been too keen on the holidays either, but I'm really looking forward to them this year. Go figure!
I feel your pain about getting your flooring replaced. I'll bet it will be beautiful for the holidays, though. And three weeks off--fantastic!
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