Category Archives: goals

goals, self-publishing

2013 Publishing Goals

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My time off from writing during Christmas and New Year’s travels was extended by the flu. Finally the last three days I’ve felt like doing something. I read about 50 pages in China Tour, doing light edits. I should finish it tonight and get the edits typed not later than Saturday morning.

Then it’s send it off to a beta reader and get back to writing. My goal for the weekend is to add 6,000 words. If I manage to do that, I’ll be at 44,000+ words, on the way to…? I’m still not sure how long the book is, but if I get the 6,000 words added I think I’ll be at a point where I’ll have a handle on the length.

One things I haven’t spent much time on is my goals for 2013. Last year I decided to establish a publishing schedule rather than writing goals. It seems more definite, more intentional. I wasn’t writing to write. I was writing to publish. I intend to do the same thing in 2013.

Except, I haven’t spent enough time so far considering what I can actually accomplish. So for right now it’s publishing goals. I hope, before January ends, to do the necessary work to establish a publishing schedule.

Here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

  • Publish China Tour
  • Publish one other novel, either Headshots or Preserve The Revelation
  • Publish two short stories. One will be in my teen grief series, and probably be titled “Kicking Stones”. The other will  likely be in the Sharon Williams CIA agent series (if the inspiration comes), currently untitled.
  • Publish one non-fiction book, almost certainly Documenting America: Civil War Edition.
  • Publish two professional essays in the engineering field. These are actually written. I would only need to tweak them for a somewhat broader audience and figure out how to do covers, or bite the bullet and pay for them.

So there it is. Stay tuned for further updates.

Documenting America, flood studies, Genealogy, goals, The Candy Store Generation

2012 Writing Plan: Non-Fiction Books

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In addition to the non-fiction articles I mentioned in the previous post, I’ve also thought of and plan to work on some non-fiction book projects during 2012. One for sure, and three probable, are what I’m thinking of. I suppose, if I could become really, really productive, I might be able to write a fourth one as well. For all of these, I plan on self-publish.

  1. The Candy Store Generation is my first project, already started, but not very much done. This will be a political book. The Candy Store Generation is the Baby Boomers, and I’m convinced they (we) are ruining America. We are now in charge of business and industry, are the majority of teachers in the schools and universities, are in charge of the Congress, States, and local governments. And the USA is in decline. Could it be that the Boomers are at fault? I think so, and this book will show it. Status: I have written only about 4000 or so words on the way to 40,000 words. I have some research to do on the makeup of Congress, which I have started but am only 10 percent done with. Since this is an election year, I’d like to have this done and available by about May, but that is perhaps too ambitious.
  2. I have done much research into my wife’s paternal immigrant ancestor, John Cheney of Newbury, Massachusetts. He came to the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1635. I have an eleven page document of facts and figures that I would like to flesh out into about a 40-50 page biography. I have in my hands three or four histories of Newbury, which I can use to fill in something about his times. I also can take the bare facts and turn them into narrative. In fact, I started this at one time, and should be able to find it on a computer some where. Why do this? John Cheney has many descendants, many of whom are studying their genealogy. I encounter them on message boards all the time. Much misinformation has been posted on-line about John Cheney, and it would be nice to correct it. Also genealogy books sell for a good premium compared to books as a whole. A 50 page e-book would sell for at least $4.00, in print for $10.00. The cover wouldn’t be important. I have no schedule for this, as I’d like to see how other projects, already scheduled, go first.
  3. I have a number of articles written about floodplain engineering that would form the basis of a decent book. But the key thing I would put in this book is Federal floodplain regulations, and format and annotate them in a way to make them more useful than as they are published by the Feds and commented on by FEMA. I think it would be a 60-80 page book. I don’t know what I’ll do with this. It seems like a good idea, and would sell for a good price relative to its length. I just don’t know if I would have the time for this, or if the good price will offset the relatively small audience for this subject.
  4. A fourth work that has come to mind is a second book in the Documenting America series. I’ve already done some of the research for this. I would probably make it more time-limited, probably to the Civil War years: before, during, and after. I’ve already gathered some material for this, and may have written part of a chapter. You might wonder why I would write a second Documenting America book when the first has sold a grand total of 27 copies in eight months. I would answer: because I can and want to. It is a way for me to study history and get paid for it. How sweet is that! If I do this, it would most likely be at the expense of some other project.

Well, those are my plans, or a combination of plans and hopes/dreams. We’ll see how many of these non-fiction book projects actually come to pass.

goals, Writing

New Year, Old Goals Revised

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We arrived home about 8 PM last night, after 10 days and 9 nights on the road. How nice to have time last night in my own reading chair, and at my familiar work station in The Dungeon. How nice to sit up till 1:30 AM reading. Today is the day our company decided to have for New Year holiday, so I’m home. My wife and mother-in-law are still in bed as I begin to write this, though both have stirred at times in the last four hours.

I was up at 8:30 AM, tired of the prone position, and ready to drink some coffee and read. So I’ve been doing that. My mind thought to the new year. I’m not one to make resolutions, though goal setting is always possible. I thought about my writing career, and what I would like to accomplish. So I wrote some goals, quickly, without giving a lot of thought to exactly how achievable these are. I used to post monthly goals on this blog, but gave that up early last year. I will, however, post the goals I wrote on the last page of my current journal notebook.

  • Finish In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People. Currently at 15,000 on its way to 85,000 words, it’s well along but far from done. I will consider finished to mean having the book completely written and having gone through one round of edits.
  • Finish A Harmony of the Gospels. The harmony is done, and I’m working on passage notes and appendixes. This goal is definitely achievable.
  • Write 100 articles for Suite101.com. This might be a stretch. I have 116 written and three started. This is a good goal, one I should try very hard to meet.
  • Continue writing for Buildipedia.com, with a goal of earning at least $2000 from articles there.
  • Finish the Bible study I’m currently researching, To Exile and Back. This has turned out to be more involved than I originally expected. In a vacuum it would be easily achievable, but with other writing to do I’m not sure.
  • Plan, research, and write a small group study Essential John Wesley. This has been on my mind for some time. I’ve been mulling over what I would consider to be essential of his writings, and may even have a few notes somewhere.
  • Work on my small group study book Screwtape’s Good Advice. I began this three years ago because I had a publisher in mind for it, and prepared a detailed outline and four sample chapters before meeting with that publisher at a conference. When, after a considerable delay, the publisher said he wasn’t interested, I let it lapse. But it’s a good idea (if I say so myself), and so would like to follow-through with some more of the chapters.
  • Develop the Bible study Good King, Bad King. I began this a year or two ago, doing two lessons in it, but then didn’t find time to work on it further. I’d like to at least know the length of the lesson series, have an outline of the lessons, and know the research needed prior to writing. The actual writing, if the planning proves there’s really something worth doing here, is most likely a 2012 project.
  • Blog at least 120 times. Only 119 to go.

So there they are: 2011 writing goals, with some justification added and some thoughts on how achievable they are. I may check in from time to time on what I’m doing on them.

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April Goals.

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Late. Sparse. Not all writing related.

1. Replace my failing router. Do it tomorrow before rebellion occurs. Figure out how to install/configure/whatevertheheck ones does with a router.

2. Finish income taxes. Getting real close on the Federal haven’t started the state.

3. Do my mother-in-law’s taxes. Haven’t started.

4. Blog 10 times.

5. Write/publish 5 articles at Suite 101.

6. Work ten days on the Harmony of the gospels.

7. Somehow keep the dream alive.

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The March Report

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Good grief! I missed checking in on my March goals, and setting April goals. Here it is the 4th of April already. Okay, so here is the March report.

1. Blog 12 or more times. This seems a comfortable pace. I’d like to bump this up to about 16 posts a month, but will wait to make that a goal. >>> I bloggd exactly 12 times. Should have done more, but at least I made my goal.

2. Write and post 10 articles at Suite101.com. I think I can do this. >>> I fell one short on this, posting 9 articles at Suite101.

3. Write 1,000 words on In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People. Almost made it in February; might as well try it in March. >>>Well, I did nothing on my novel this month. My attention was pulled to working on the Harmony of the Gospels, and much time that I could have put into the novel, or into Suite articles, instead went to the Harmony. And I’m okay with that. I really got a lot done on it.

4. Work on a new Bible study, about the sacraments. I may have an outline somewhere. I’ll be teaching it in about two months. Time to get to work. >>>I completed quite a bit of work on this. The outline of the lesson series is done; I have a good idea of what it is I want to accomplish; and I’m reading a book for research. I could be much farther along, but I feel good about this.

5. Make three freelance submissions. This is pretty minimal, but I’m working a lot on work stuff still, and will be making a presentation on the 31st and two or three brown bags during the month. I find the time needed to research freelance markets and actually make the submittals tedious, and for some reason if I’m heavy into work stuff, including taking stuff home, I can’t concentrate on freelance. Of course, a couple of the work things I’m working on could make good freelance articles about engineering. Hmmm. >>>Not quite sure how to count this. I made two freelance submissions–or I could count it as five, if I count the articles I submitted to a Suite101 contest as separate submissions. It’s really not as much as I hoped to accomplish.

6. Read 40 pages in writer helps, not including blogs. That’s forty solid pages, books or magazines (not including ads). I would say I read maybe 20 pages, not 40. The research into the Bible study took up much of my reading. That and working logically through my magazine and newsletters pile. The first issue of my subscription to Poets and Writers magazine is next on the pile; I should get to it tomorrow. So this will be an easy thing to do in April.

So, all in all a month with a fair amount of accomplishment, but not as much as I hoped for. Taxes got in the way (as they will in April), as did the church parking lot project (as it will in April also. I’ll come back in a few hours with April goals.

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March Goals

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Okay, I’m doing this on the fly. I haven’t thought much about it, since I’ve been so heavy with work related stuff the last two weeks.

1. Blog 12 or more times. This seems a comfortable pace. I’d like to bump this up to about 16 posts a month, but will wait to make that a goal.

2. Write and post 10 articles at Suite101.com. I think I can do this.

3. Write 1,000 words on In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People. Almost made it in February; might as well try it in March.

4. Work on a new Bible study, about the sacraments. I may have an outline somewhere. I’ll be teaching it in about two months. Time to get to work.

5. Make three freelance submissions. This is pretty minimal, but I’m working a lot on work stuff still, and will be making a presentation on the 31st and two or three brown bags during the week. I find the time needed to research freelance markets and actually make the submittals tedious, and for some reason if I’m heavy into work stuff, including taking stuff home, I can’t concentrate on freelance. Of course, a couple of the work things I’m working on could make good freelance articles about engineering. Hmmm.

6. Read 40 pages in writer helps, not including blogs. That’s forty solid pages, books or magazines (not including ads).

That’s it for now. As I said this is on the fly and off the cuff, little thought.

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The February Report

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Oops, I didn’t mean to let this blog sit since last Thursday. It was a busy weekend, though.

Here’s my report on February 2010, how I did relative to the goals I set.

1. Blog 12 times or more. >> Blogged 13 times, so met this goal.

2. Write and publish at least 8 articles at Suite101.com. >> Wrote and published 10 articles at Suite 101, so exceeded this goal

3. Consider applying for a feature writer position at Suite101; more on that in a post later today. >> That was kind of a measly goal. “Consider”? Well, I have a kind of measly result. I applied, was one of three candidates, then withdrew my application in a fit of pique at life in general. So I’m going to consider this goal met.

4. Complete an article I’m writing for BiblioBuffet.com and submit it. Ran it through critique group last night, so it’s down to final editing. >> I completed it and submitted it. I heard back from the editor yesterday: She’ll make a decision by Tuesday night. She took some time off in February was the reason for the delay.

5. Make at least three freelance submittals (including BiblioBuffet). >> Made three submittal, exactly on goal

6. Write at least 1000 words in In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People. >> Almost; wrote 860 words. Although I didn’t make it, it felt good to be writing on it again.

7. Read at least 50 pages in a book about writing better. I have four or five at my disposal right now. >> I did this, but in writing magazines, not in books.

Okay, not a bad month relative to goals. Now I need to work us some March goals. Stay tuned.

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February Goals

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I’m finding it difficult to set goals this month, as illustrated by the fact that I didn’t get to my goal setting till the 3rd. I’m still feeling the effects of the cold I picked up early last week. Consequently my mind is more on seeing that cured than seeing my words on paper.

Still, without some goals, I won’t make any writing progress. So here’s some to start; perhaps I’ll edit them later (yeah, I always say that).

1. Blog 12 times or more.

2. Write and publish at least 8 articles at Suite101.com.

3. Consider applying for a feature writer position at Suite101; more on that in a post later today.

4. Complete an article I’m writing for BiblioBuffet.com and submit it. Ran it through critique group last night, so it’s down to final editing.

5. Make at least three freelance submittals (including BiblioBuffet).

6. Write at least 1000 words in In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People.

7. Read at least 50 pages in a book about writing better. I have four or five at my disposal right now.

goals, Writing

The January Report

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January was not a productive month. I can blame pneumonia, and the stomach flu, and then the cold I had. I could blame the two snowstorms. I could blame a heavy workload at work, after missing almost three weeks and having a must-make deadline on a floodplain project. I could blame having my wife gone much of the month (including my worst sick time), tending to grandson and daughter. And I could blame having the grandson stay with us for over a week and not feeling like writing when I could play with him or rock him to sleep.

For sure the pneumonia kept me from being productive. I never ran a fever, never felt poorly. I just coughed, from deep within, and then had to sit and be quiet to recover. That coughing takes a lot out of you–or me. I had little desire to work at writing after trying to hack my lungs up every five or ten minutes.

So, I think I did poorly on my goals. I’ll paste them in and we’ll see.

1. Blog 12 times. Made this, blogging 14 times.

2. Write and publish 8 articles at Suite101.com. I wrote only two articles at Suite in January. I did some research on two more, but they don’t count.

3. Make at least one freelance submission. I sort of did this, although it’s not really what I intended. I submitted a poem to a poetry contest at Absolute Write. Came in tied for 7th in a vote of forum members, so no prize. No entry fee either.

4. Write 1000 words in In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People. I did nothing on this novel. Maybe February.

5. Begin work with Demand Studios. I looked at their stuff once, including the list of articles I could claim, but didn’t begin writing for them. Maybe February.

One thing I accomplished that wasn’t on the list was writing an article for the Bibliobuffet web site. I’ll show it to critique group tonight, and hopefully submit it tomorrow. It will be a guest column, and I’ve no guarantee they will accept it. If they do, it’s a (small) paying gig.

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January Goals

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I think I’m feeling a little better today. I’ve had two days of antibiotics, on the third day of breathing treatments and the strong cough syrup. I’m still coughing, perhaps not as much and not as deeply, and my voice is a little closer to normal. I just washed accumulated dishes, so after sleeping most of the morning away, I’m ready for a couple of hours at the computer.

The 7th is kind of late for January goals, but this is the first time I’ve felt like typing them. Wrote them in my journal on the 4th.

1. Blog 12 times.

2. Write and publish 8 articles at Suite101.com.

3. Make at least one freelance submission.

4. Write 1000 words in In Front of Fifty Thousand Screaming People.

5. Begin work with Demand Studios articles.

I should probably have more goals than that, but in my reduced capacity I’ll feel good about getting that much done. Last night, while watching the football game on mute, I put together notes for a Bible study I want to write. I looked in the usual places, and didn’t find it. I’d like to get some of it typed today.