My writing goals will be few this month, as I start the month away from home and will have other things to distract me during the month and prevent me from spending as much time on writing as I’d like. Here are my goals.

1. Complete the book proposal, requested by an editor, on the Elijah and Elisha Bible study, and mail it.

2. Complete the planning phase of my next two Bible studies

3. Complete the research I need before undertaking an on-line poetry workshop in September (may start in late August). It is a workshop I will lead at the Absolute Write poetry forum, with a limited scope.

4. Attend one critique group meeting; present the prototype for the Documenting America newspaper column.

5. Read in some writing how-to books.

6. Wait for the editor and agent to respond to the two proposals I have out right now.

This will be the first month in a long time that I set writing goals, and the first time I’ll post them here. This may be a progressive post, edited several time today as these goals come to mind.

• Type final edits on the Screwtape Letters study guide proposal; mail to the editor by July 3.
• Complete proposal on In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People; edit; mail to agent by July 10. This will include work on the first 30 pages of the book, which are to be included.
• Begin work on proposal on the Elijah and Elisha small group study guide. By the end of the month I would like to see the proposal essentially complete, and the weekly study sheets I prepared for Life Group expanded into chapters. If I can have it ready to mail to the editor by then, fine, but I’ll be satisfied mailing it in August.
• Attend critique group twice. At the first one present the synopsis for In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People; at the second present the concept for the Documenting America newspaper column, including marketing letter and one or two sample columns.
• Finish organizing the scattered piles of paper about the house. Actually, I’d be satisfied to simply bring improved organization to this, even if I don’t finish it. At least I want to have all papers of all works in progress filed together, and drafts of all poems put in their assigned places.
• Organize the business end of writing, including establishing a mileage log so I can get rid of the scraps.
• Continue to post to this blog, at least 10 posts this month, and preferably 15 to 18.
• Begin outlining the next life group lesson I’ll teach, and prepare it in a way it can become a small group study guide.