Your 2018 Goals: Rounding the Third-Quarter Pole
Posted by David Duhr in 
It’s been almost half a year since we last checked in on each other’s 2018 writing goals — remember, so long ago, completing the sentence “In 2018 I will” and leaving a comment on this post or emailing me privately? — and so, with autumn fast approaching and three-fourths of the year gone, what better time to check in on those goals?
Are you achieving your 2018 literary goals? Have your goals changed? Do you have new goals? Let us know in the comments below.
Or if you’d rather talk this over privately, drop me a line: david[at]writebynight[dot]net.
Here’s the fun part where I ask some of you in public how you’re doing!
Barbara M., you shared that you wanted to finish an audiobook over the summer. Have you had the chance to do so?
Dot D., you wanted to complete a draft of your novel and get some editing done on another book. How’s it looking?
David L., you completed that sentence with “publish ‘Intrusion’ and ‘Dave’s You Must Be This Short To Enter’ this year.” Mission accomplished?
As for me, I wrote that in 2018 “I will complete a draft of the book I began writing in May [2017].”
Welp. I haven’t worked on that book for months. But! I have been writing drafts of short stories lately at what for me is a rapid clip, about one every two weeks. And the original book, it’s still often on my mind, and I know I’ll return to it. Maybe even before 2018 is over.
Anyway, it was a — sort of — calculated decision: I wrote about it in a June blog post, “Jugglers & One-Track Writers.” I thought I’d try to juggle for a while, but instead I stayed a one-track writer; it’s just that I switched tracks.
All that really matters is that I’m still pursuing literary greatness, regardless of whatever goal I set at the beginning of this year.
And that’s what I wish for all of you, too: That whether or not you’re accomplishing your goals, your literary pursuits so far this year have been fulfilling and will continue to be so.
WriteByNight co-founder David Duhr is copy editor and fiction editor at the Texas Observer and has written for books for the Dallas Morning News, the Iowa Review, Electric Literature, and others.
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My goal was to have 30 self-published books by the end of 2018. (I have 27 from previous years, so I only needed 3 more.) I have one novella in the typing/editing stage, and 1 short nonfiction guide on how to put together and use a series binder–also in the editing/adding-to phase. I just need one more novella. I’m thinking of pushing myself with a NaNoWriMo November to get that done. (Hubby’s been warned–he has to do the cooking for the month. LOL!) So, I guess I’m on track for my goal, but it will involve some serious work to… Read more »
Sounds like you’re on track, especially if NaNo works. Would you be disappointed if, for example, you publish two of these books in 2018 but the third publishes on, say, January 4? I guess the question is, how important to you is that December 31 date?
Mine are going OK. I definitely won’t hit the goal I expressed, but I’ve replaced that project with another and am still working on it, so that’s good enough for me. Thanks for asking. And good luck!
I’d be disappointed, but it’s not life or death. (Hum . . .I’m an old lady. Don’t know about that last part. LOL!)
How impressive and inspiring it is to read your posts, I have a book written, also a part 2 nearly finished, just can’t find the nerve to try to publish, only letting select friends read them so far. Signed up for an ‘on line’ how to publish course hope it gives me some insight. May Hill
Hi May. The key here is that you’re writing! It’s such an accomplishment to finish one book, much less a second. And I say that as someone who’s never finished writing an entire book.
It takes nerve just to send your work to friends, so with that step out of the way, I imagine you won’t have much trouble sending it to agents/publishers.
Good luck and keep us posted!
Here’s a note from Barbara about her progress on her 2018 goals: Okay, I have written the two new books. I’m still working on that marketing. The website is revamped and getting better. As to publishing, my cover designer got hit with life, then I had to spend my “publishing money” on repairs for my bike and car. So I may not get the two books out I wanted. I am polishing the second book for the Jillian Factor, and a novella which I hope to have both out by December. I did get the fantasy series cleaned up, but… Read more »
And here’s David L. on his own progress:
This has been a milestone month. My novel, “Intrusion” and my anthology, “Dave’s, You Must Be This Short To Enter!” are both published. As of this moment, they are only available on Kindle, but that will change in the near future. I was so stoked that I sent E-mails to nearly everybody on my E-mail list. Outlook thought I was spamming and temporarily suspended my account. Another highlight, I finished building the workbench in my garage and built and installed the cabinets. All that is left is to install the door handles.