With 2008 breathing down our necks, I was just curious ... how'd you do with your 2007 writing goals? Satisfied with what and how much you wrote? Did you surpass your goals? Did they change mid-year?
--Ted
--Ted
So ... How'd You Do?
- Thread starter TGTheodore
- Start date
2007 was a FANTASTIC year for me.
I wrote a number of short pieces of fiction for a museum open day to go with some artefacts.
I got a job a week before my 25th birthday. (March)
I had my first published (but unpaid) story in a niche magazine. (April)
I've ghostwritten a couple of articles (also unpaid but it's a start)
I've written more fanfic this year than last and prepped two novels and a few short stories.
I got a nice xmas bonus AND a raise in pay
And of course, I have lots more books to read
All in all, I would say a brilliant year.
Total word count is (approx): 90,000
I wrote a number of short pieces of fiction for a museum open day to go with some artefacts.
I got a job a week before my 25th birthday. (March)
I had my first published (but unpaid) story in a niche magazine. (April)
I've ghostwritten a couple of articles (also unpaid but it's a start)
I've written more fanfic this year than last and prepped two novels and a few short stories.
I got a nice xmas bonus AND a raise in pay
And of course, I have lots more books to read
All in all, I would say a brilliant year.
Total word count is (approx): 90,000
Considering I don't set goals, and that I accomplished more than jack squat, then yeah, I beat my goals.
Didn't make it into SNW (boo, hiss!) but I did NaNoMo in spite of everything in my life trying to conspire against it. I'm pretty pleased that I was able to stay the course with that.
I'd say the year was a good one. I will try to do more/have more success in 2008.
I'd say the year was a good one. I will try to do more/have more success in 2008.
I usually don't have actual stated writing goals, but I have to say it has been quite a writing year. I got on the Alternate List on Strange New Worlds 10 (yeah!), which was such an amazing feeling. Felt sad about no more Strange New Worlds. Did my first NaNo - and finished the 50,000 words - with a 56,000 word 1st draft of a novel - an actual finished story - which isn't very good but pretty workable if I really want to do a second draft. Haven't decided yet, but I felt terrific over deciding to do NaNo in October and kind of on a whim!
Didn't nearly finish enough writing projects, but looking to do more in 2008, including submitting my stories soon somewhere.
Great reading year too, I must say - challenged myself to read poetry, and found some really great stuff that I wouldn't have tried before.
Sally W.
Didn't nearly finish enough writing projects, but looking to do more in 2008, including submitting my stories soon somewhere.
Great reading year too, I must say - challenged myself to read poetry, and found some really great stuff that I wouldn't have tried before.
Sally W.
No, I didn't make my goals - but the 'various reasons' were good ones - a new baby on Jan 15th kinda messed with the whole year writing wise 
I did about 80%. A couple of huge losses and the WGA strike spiked my average.
SoD went a long way though. Whoo hoo!
SoD went a long way though. Whoo hoo!
I was kept so busy meeting my tie-in fiction goals that I didn't make enough headway on my original-fiction goals. But I managed to meet my two main original-fic goals over this past month or two, so they were delayed rather than unmet this year.
I'm only just starting to find my feet again in writing so it's hard to say where I am exactly. I suppose the fact that I've entered a few forum writing contests and have started on a short story (just a fanfic) should count as some sort of accomplishment.
Well, I hit all my deadlines, which is a good thing, and got lots of unexpected work, and got the ball rolling on some particularly nifty stuff that I'm looking forward to being able to announce soon.
However, I continued to be stymied in all my attempts to sell original novel-length fiction, which grows ever more frustrating. I'm hoping 2008 will be different, but it's not something I can even think about until April....
However, I continued to be stymied in all my attempts to sell original novel-length fiction, which grows ever more frustrating. I'm hoping 2008 will be different, but it's not something I can even think about until April....
i got several of my planned fan-fics done. YAY!
still got 4 left to do.
also ditched a load of concepts which lowered my target list considerably.
started writing my original-fiction short-story anthology.
still got 4 left to do.
also ditched a load of concepts which lowered my target list considerably.
started writing my original-fiction short-story anthology.
I think that is the scariest thing I've heard all year.
I'm not kidding.
I agree. I think we would all like to wish KRAD, and the rest of us pros and wannabes, good luck in 2008 to get all of our targets met, to get original fiction out there, and make enough money to give up the day job (that last part is a pipe dream, I know, but it's a goal!)
OT: KRAD, I'm looking forward to reading your CSI novel next year, I've got all those books too, thank god they're not as numerous as ST.
OT: KRAD, I'm looking forward to reading your CSI novel next year, I've got all those books too, thank god they're not as numerous as ST.
My level of satisfaction fell somewhere between the options "No" and "Not Quite" but I decided to think positive and answered "Not Quite."
On the one hand, it was a great year. Sky's the Limit came out, containing my first real solicited sale--the first time someone I hadn’t known for years asked me for a story. And my first mystery story came out in Resort to Murder. I got a poem published online, my first poetry sale in ten years.
On the other hand, it looks like I have two things lined up for 2008: jack and shit, and jack has left town.
On the third hand, I've rededicated myself to writing, and have started an original novel; I'm just over thirty-five pages into it and it feels good. I'm trying to write every day, not quite succeeding, but writing a lot more than I have in years.
But the publishing company I work for got bought by another publisher, and there are lots of fans and lots of feces involved, and the latter is often intersecting with the former.
It's a crazy business we're in, that's for sure. Here's wishing for a new year of more writing and more checks!
On the one hand, it was a great year. Sky's the Limit came out, containing my first real solicited sale--the first time someone I hadn’t known for years asked me for a story. And my first mystery story came out in Resort to Murder. I got a poem published online, my first poetry sale in ten years.
On the other hand, it looks like I have two things lined up for 2008: jack and shit, and jack has left town.
On the third hand, I've rededicated myself to writing, and have started an original novel; I'm just over thirty-five pages into it and it feels good. I'm trying to write every day, not quite succeeding, but writing a lot more than I have in years.
But the publishing company I work for got bought by another publisher, and there are lots of fans and lots of feces involved, and the latter is often intersecting with the former.
It's a crazy business we're in, that's for sure. Here's wishing for a new year of more writing and more checks!
To say that 2007 was a busy year for me would be like saying that a tidal wave is "slightly damp". I wrote and sold four and a half novels/novellas, five scripts and five short stories, plus a bunch of articles and outlines. And now I am going to sleep.
Pretty much - had my Trek story published, sold a new fantasy novel on St Nicholas' Day (december 6th), had the Jason And The Argonauts comics... (must get #4 finished this week), and scored lots of freebies for my regular review slots in Death Ray and Neo.
And fired my agent in the summer, which was frankly overdue.
And there are a couple of other things I'd love to mention but can't for fear of jinxing them.
And fired my agent in the summer, which was frankly overdue.
And there are a couple of other things I'd love to mention but can't for fear of jinxing them.
Pitched, sold and wrote two tie-in short stories
Pitched two tie-in short stories that didn't get picked up.
Pitched two shared-world fantasy novels. First pitch rejected, second one got to outline stage before getting passed, but the publisher asked me to send them more stuff when they reopen for submissions.
Pitched a novella that was accepted, but now isn't going to happen due to unforseen circumstances. (bleah)
Continuing to work on three non-tie-in novels. Hope to be able to pitch at least two of them by next year. Hope to pitch a tie-in novel and a tie-in short story next year.
Became a member of Writer Beware this year, which as far as I'm concerned is the more important contribution I've made this year.
Pitched two tie-in short stories that didn't get picked up.
Pitched two shared-world fantasy novels. First pitch rejected, second one got to outline stage before getting passed, but the publisher asked me to send them more stuff when they reopen for submissions.
Pitched a novella that was accepted, but now isn't going to happen due to unforseen circumstances. (bleah)
Continuing to work on three non-tie-in novels. Hope to be able to pitch at least two of them by next year. Hope to pitch a tie-in novel and a tie-in short story next year.
Became a member of Writer Beware this year, which as far as I'm concerned is the more important contribution I've made this year.
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