My 2016 Writing Goals (As Told by Bilbo Baggins)
2016 is just around the corner, and I can hardly believe it. Where did 2015 go?
As January approaches, I've been trying to get myself back into the swing of things, both with blogging and writing my novels. It can be easy for me to put things off (as you already know), but I'm starting off the new year with a fresh determination to stick to my goals. So without further ado, I wanted to share my writing goals for 2016.
I don't know why, but this post seems to want to use hobbit gifs. Can we just pretend I'm Bilbo Baggins for a bit? Okay, thanks.
Overall goals
- Write more! (This one is kind of obvious.)
- I want to get in the habit of making writing a daily routine, which involves using 750words.com as much as possible.
- Edit more. Years ago, my problem was that I never finished anything. Currently, my problem is that I never revise anything. I need to fix that.
The view I'm trying to have about my first drafts.
- Let myself follow my inspiration. Sometimes I get so caught up in finishing something that I make myself stay on one project, While this is good at times, I need to be able to let go and be a bit more free with regards to what I choose to work on. I'm hoping to find the balance between staying focused but also letting myself pursue plot bunnies. (Because I have to admit, I kind of thrive on plot bunnies. And adventures. I think I actually am Bilbo Baggins...)
- Basically? Just write my heart out. This goal trumps all the others. I don't really care what I get done this year, as long as I'm writing... because that is what will really help me grow. (It also helps me feel fulfilled and happy, so that's all the more reason to do it.)
Specific projects I want to work on
- Because I'm Irish. Every December or January, I get the itch to work on my baby, Because I'm Irish. (Okay, I know it sounds weird to say "baby" with regards to novels, but you know that novel you come back to time and time again? That's what I mean.) Whether it's working on the first draft, which I started in December 2011, or rewriting it, which I started last December, I'm almost always working on BCII during the winter. I've also worked on its sequel. The weird thing is, it takes me usually about 6 months to a year to finish working on all the various BCII things I've done. So I always finish by June or July of the following year. So, to keep on track this year, I need to start now and finish this next summer. I'm thinking of editing both BCII and its sequel, Because We Can. Once those are both finished, I can start writing the third and final book in the series (something that I'm admittedly not ready for, but I'm trying to be).
- Lost Girls. This has so much potential, I just need to edit it.
- Spaceboy. I started this randomly after NaNoWriMo. It involves space trips and space ships and cute people. It's going to be great.
(It's still Martin Freeman, so close enough.)
New things to try in 2016
- Tentatively, I would like to try out having beta readers, or at least let more people read my work than I ever have before.
- Working towards querying. Obviously, this was the goal all along, but I really want to make a point on polishing my writing so that I can get a move on.
- Short stories. (Maybe?) Of course, every time I try to write a short story, it turns into a novel, so...
- I want to write something where a girl spends the entire time pining over a guy and then absolutely nothing happens. Yes. It will suck. But it's quite realistic. (And perhaps a bit evil...)
These are by no means all of my writing goals, but these are some of them. I felt that writing them down might help me stay focused. Plus, it's always fun to share with you all. (And my third reason? I wanted to use all the Bilbo Baggins gifs.)
(What I will need while completing these goals.)
And now I want to hear from you! What are your writing goals for 2016?
8 comments
Oh my gosh... I think I'm Bilbo Baggins too!
ReplyDeleteI'm really big on setting goals for myself but I've been trying all month to figure out mine for the new year...and have basically gotten nowhere. I LOVE your "write my heart out" goal, that's kind of what I'm thinking of as my main goal too, nothing specfic, just freaking write. This year was kind of hectic for me as my goal was to be working on something new every month (whether drafting or editing/revising) and I had to finish everything in that one month time frame. It worked pretty well...but I think I kind of need to slow down and just take things slow.
Also, because I've been silently stalking you for like a year now, I have to say, you MUST work on Lost Girls because just from the little I know of it, it does have so much potential! You must edit it so it can get an agent and then be published and I can then read it. =) (also, I know we don't know each other well but when you're ready to look for beta readers (for anything), feel free to hit me up!)
Oh, and love the new idea with the girl endlessly pining over a boy where nothing happens, it's like...my life story if the boy were a fictional character in a book. =)
*quietly raises hand* I will be on a beta reader list if you ever make one. xD
ReplyDeleteI LOVE YOUR GOALS. And so many of these I want to do too!! I want to be more consistent with my writing. Like I'm a binge-writer (it's like 8K a day for a week and then nothing for 4 months...oops?) and I don't exactly mind that. But I'd like to work on more things instead of taking 6 months off throughout the year to mope. Because words are hard. xD Plus I really feel like my writing style grew and matured this year?! So I'm kind of excited to keep experimenting with the "new" way I've been writing. *nods*
I want to be a hobbit. SO I LOVE YOUR GIF CHOICES.
Caaait! Yay. Thank you. I will definitely remember that. XD
DeleteYes! I feel you on that so much. While I'm nowhere as fast as you are, I have trouble with keeping my writing consistent--it's either ALL the words or NONE of them. XD All or nothing. Yes! I feel you about writing styles. It's changed a lot for me too, especially in the past four years or so. I want to keep writing so I can make more progress and see my writing style grow and evolve.
THANK YOU. I love hobbits, they are perfect. XD
These are excellent goals, and perfectly punctuated with Bilbo gifs.
ReplyDeleteLove that guy, I would be up for being a beta reader.
I love Bilbo Baggins. You can never have enough of him. ^ ^ These are some great goals! Best of luck with completing them!
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I love you too, Jaime. XD I'm glad you liked it! I thought of you a couple of times while I was writing it.
ReplyDeleteAhhhh so glad I'm not alone. It's so hard to keep those short stories at bay. XD
Thank you so much! I can't wait to see your work published and finished as well, honestly. I hope you have a good time writing this year too, no matter what happens. ♥
This are some really great goals; I might still some for myself, haha. I love the confidence you have in your work. It's refreshing to hear a writer talk about moving forward.
ReplyDeleteHappy (almost) New Year!
LOL, I love this post! The gifs were so on point, and now I think every writer has at least a little bit of Bilbo in them. ;)
ReplyDeleteFor my goals, I really plan to just write. Keep working on my projects and bettering my craft and see where it all gets me. :)
Alexa
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