Did I meet my 2018 writing goals? How did I do?
2018 Writing Goals (year-end check in):
- 2 young adult novel manuscripts (1 ready for submission to publishers, start writing the other)--> 1 FINISHED BUT NEEDS EDITING, 1 IS BEING WORKED ON WITH A MENTOR
- 1 completed Malaika... play manuscript --> FIRST DRAFT WRITTEN AND BEING WORKED ON WITH A MENTOR
- 5 picture book manuscripts signed for publication--> ONE SIGNED (MISS LOU BOOK), PROCESS OF SIGNING MALAIKA #3, DEVELOPING MY OTHER PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPTS
- attend a weeklong writing workshop (either VONA or Highlights or both) --> DID NOT GET INTO VONA, ATTENDED HIGHLIGHTS WEEKEND WORKSHOP
- 2 literary/writing conferences (to attend)--> ATTENDED SCBWI CANADA EAST, KWELI, SCBWI LA, AND CANSCAIP CONFERENCES IN 2018
- sign an agent--> TOOK A BREAK FROM QUERYING AGENTS SO I COULD RESEARCH THEM MORE AND PREPARE MY YOUNG ADULT MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS
- Social media strategy: 1 blogpost weekly--> YES
- 1 newsletter bi-monthly--> OPTED FOR A SEASONAL NEWSLETTER
- 1 youtube video for my channel monthly--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED BUT POSTED A FEW OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS
- 2 tweets daily--> NO
- Instagram and Facebooks posts regularly--> YES
- Research (Jan-Jun 3 hours each week NOT COMPLETED, arts grants/funds to allow me to do 2 international research trips YES, I WENT TO BRAZIL IN JULY 2018)
Additional goals (implemented in June 2018):
- adapt a writing schedule over the summer--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- find a dramaturge to work on my play--> YES
- get my grant applications early--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- offer a workshop or course--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- take a writing course in young adult or fantasy--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- my 2018 reading goal was 50 books, I am currently at 41 (82% of the way there)--> COMPLETED 179 BOOKS BY THE END OF 2018
2018 Writing Goals (year-end check in):
- 2 young adult novel manuscripts (1 ready for submission to publishers, start writing the other)--> 1 FINISHED BUT NEEDS EDITING, 1 IS BEING WORKED ON WITH A MENTOR
- 1 completed Malaika... play manuscript --> FIRST DRAFT WRITTEN AND BEING WORKED ON WITH A MENTOR
- 5 picture book manuscripts signed for publication--> ONE SIGNED (MISS LOU BOOK), PROCESS OF SIGNING MALAIKA #3, DEVELOPING MY OTHER PICTURE BOOK MANUSCRIPTS
- attend a weeklong writing workshop (either VONA or Highlights or both) --> DID NOT GET INTO VONA, ATTENDED HIGHLIGHTS WEEKEND WORKSHOP
- 2 literary/writing conferences (to attend)--> ATTENDED SCBWI CANADA EAST, KWELI, SCBWI LA, AND CANSCAIP CONFERENCES IN 2018
- sign an agent--> TOOK A BREAK FROM QUERYING AGENTS SO I COULD RESEARCH THEM MORE AND PREPARE MY YOUNG ADULT MANUSCRIPT SUBMISSIONS
- Social media strategy: 1 blogpost weekly--> YES
- 1 newsletter bi-monthly--> OPTED FOR A SEASONAL NEWSLETTER
- 1 youtube video for my channel monthly--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED BUT POSTED A FEW OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS
- 2 tweets daily--> NO
- Instagram and Facebooks posts regularly--> YES
- Research (Jan-Jun 3 hours each week NOT COMPLETED, arts grants/funds to allow me to do 2 international research trips YES, I WENT TO BRAZIL IN JULY 2018)
Additional goals (implemented in June 2018):
- adapt a writing schedule over the summer--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- find a dramaturge to work on my play--> YES
- get my grant applications early--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- offer a workshop or course--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- take a writing course in young adult or fantasy--> NOT ACCOMPLISHED
- my 2018 reading goal was 50 books, I am currently at 41 (82% of the way there)--> COMPLETED 179 BOOKS BY THE END OF 2018
Here's to a new year and a fresh start!
2019 Writing Goals
- fully edit and prepare 2 young adult novel manuscripts for submission to potential publishers and agents
- prepare 1 complete Malaika... play manuscript for submission
- finish 5 picture book manuscripts ready for submission
- complete TD Canada Children's Book Week Tour in MAY 2019
- attend 4 literary/writing for children conferences-- KWELI, SCBWI CANADA EAST, SCBWI LA?, CANSCAIP
- research and query agents, sign with one (finally)
- Social media strategy, consider getting an assistant:
- 1 blogpost weekly
- 1 seasonal e-newsletter
- 1 youtube video for my channel monthly
- 2 tweets daily
- Instagram and Facebooks bi-weekly
- apply for grants 1 week early
- establish a consistent writing schedule
- get more involved in the children's writing/literature/literacy community "behind the scenes"
- new face-to-face critique group with my writing peers
- offer 2 workshops
- take a writing course
- read 200 books (focus more on contemporary young adult romance, scifi/fantasy, picture books, children's non-fiction, NYT bestsellers, slave narratives)
- 1 writing residency at Joy Kogawa House in JULY and AUGUST 2019
- booksignings and presentations in FEBRUARY 2019 BLACK HISTORY MONTH
- promotion, signings, presentations, and book launch for HARRIET TUBMAN: FREEDOM FIGHTER (Dec. 31, 2019) in US and Canada
- promotion, signings, presentations, and book launch for A LIKKLE MISS LOU (Sep. 1, 2019) in US, Canada, UK, and Jamaica
- network
- celebrate writing successes more often
2019 Writing Goals
- fully edit and prepare 2 young adult novel manuscripts for submission to potential publishers and agents
- prepare 1 complete Malaika... play manuscript for submission
- finish 5 picture book manuscripts ready for submission
- complete TD Canada Children's Book Week Tour in MAY 2019
- attend 4 literary/writing for children conferences-- KWELI, SCBWI CANADA EAST, SCBWI LA?, CANSCAIP
- research and query agents, sign with one (finally)
- Social media strategy, consider getting an assistant:
- 1 blogpost weekly
- 1 seasonal e-newsletter
- 1 youtube video for my channel monthly
- 2 tweets daily
- Instagram and Facebooks bi-weekly
- apply for grants 1 week early
- establish a consistent writing schedule
- get more involved in the children's writing/literature/literacy community "behind the scenes"
- new face-to-face critique group with my writing peers
- offer 2 workshops
- take a writing course
- read 200 books (focus more on contemporary young adult romance, scifi/fantasy, picture books, children's non-fiction, NYT bestsellers, slave narratives)
- 1 writing residency at Joy Kogawa House in JULY and AUGUST 2019
- booksignings and presentations in FEBRUARY 2019 BLACK HISTORY MONTH
- promotion, signings, presentations, and book launch for HARRIET TUBMAN: FREEDOM FIGHTER (Dec. 31, 2019) in US and Canada
- promotion, signings, presentations, and book launch for A LIKKLE MISS LOU (Sep. 1, 2019) in US, Canada, UK, and Jamaica
- network
- celebrate writing successes more often
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