I've also coded them red, yellow, or green depending on my success for the week. Anal, I know, but a throw back to my days in corporate America. Also, if I don't meet a weekly or monthly goal I'm not going to worry about making it up. I plan to start each week/month as a clean slate.
Here then is an update on my goals:
1) Read three writing magazines each month: I've read one so far this month and am in the middle of another. YELLOW.
2) Participate in Three Writer's Digest On-Line Seminars: I might skip this one and just watch youtube videos instead...they are kind of costly...it's like paying for on-line video chess lessons when there are plenty of them free on the Internet. RED.
3) Write One Short Story or Article Each Month: I sketched out an article for Parent's magazine and an accompanying query, but I have not written an original short story for a while. YELLOW.
4) One Submission/Query a Day: I smoked on this one last week...sent out quite a few queries and submissions. GREEN.
5) Three Blog Entries/Week for This Blog and My Customer Service Blog: I haven't kept up on this as much as I should have. I'll have to do more entries this week. I have a few sketched out. See also Zen of Customer Service. YELLOW.
6) Sign Up For a Spring Semester Class: Nothing yet. YELLOW.
7) Customer Service / Techno-Thriller Book: Haven't done much on these this week...took a break to work on other projects. Hope to get back to the techno-thriller this week. Holding off on the Customer Service book until I get an agent, although I may start marketing my concept as a speaking engagement/workshop/seminar. YELLOW.
8) Read Three Craft Books: Reading The Art of Compelling Fiction. Good so far, but very detailed, making it a slow read. GREEN.
9) Read More Fiction: Reading "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown since his work is similar to what I'm trying to write. I also checked out a collection of short stories by Raymond Carver and EL Doctorow. GREEN.
10) Read More Blogs/Emails: Haven't done as much of this as I would have liked, but I will try to get caught up this week. YELLOW.
I will probably spend the day working on my ROW80 goals and will update this post later.
Here then is an update on my goals:
1) Read three writing magazines each month: I've read one so far this month and am in the middle of another. YELLOW.
2) Participate in Three Writer's Digest On-Line Seminars: I might skip this one and just watch youtube videos instead...they are kind of costly...it's like paying for on-line video chess lessons when there are plenty of them free on the Internet. RED.
3) Write One Short Story or Article Each Month: I sketched out an article for Parent's magazine and an accompanying query, but I have not written an original short story for a while. YELLOW.
4) One Submission/Query a Day: I smoked on this one last week...sent out quite a few queries and submissions. GREEN.
5) Three Blog Entries/Week for This Blog and My Customer Service Blog: I haven't kept up on this as much as I should have. I'll have to do more entries this week. I have a few sketched out. See also Zen of Customer Service. YELLOW.
6) Sign Up For a Spring Semester Class: Nothing yet. YELLOW.
7) Customer Service / Techno-Thriller Book: Haven't done much on these this week...took a break to work on other projects. Hope to get back to the techno-thriller this week. Holding off on the Customer Service book until I get an agent, although I may start marketing my concept as a speaking engagement/workshop/seminar. YELLOW.
8) Read Three Craft Books: Reading The Art of Compelling Fiction. Good so far, but very detailed, making it a slow read. GREEN.
9) Read More Fiction: Reading "The Lost Symbol" by Dan Brown since his work is similar to what I'm trying to write. I also checked out a collection of short stories by Raymond Carver and EL Doctorow. GREEN.
10) Read More Blogs/Emails: Haven't done as much of this as I would have liked, but I will try to get caught up this week. YELLOW.
I will probably spend the day working on my ROW80 goals and will update this post later.
The colors remind me of my Project Sheet Statuses. LOL. It's good that you're willing to look at things with a clean slate. Guilt is a writer's worst enemy, next their own inner critic. At least you're making progress and that's the name of the game. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteAl, too bad the blogging doesn't accommodate the actual colors! It would be quite colorful.
ReplyDeleteBut truthfully, you've done great. One thing I've found (at least for me) is that certain things are hard to multitask. The query/submission thing and writing is one of them. The same goes for blurbs, blogging visit days and tweets days - so I try to batch those into one non-writing day. Outline and brainstorming though, seems to work alongside almost anything.
You've gotten a lot done in the greens and your yellows seem to all encompass 'sketching out' and preparing 'rough work' for later drafts - so that's seems good. Congrats and hope the rest of the week goes well for you.
~Kate
Thank goodness ROW80 is flexible! Way to go.
ReplyDeleteGreat way to show your progress. Love the Zen of Customer Service and look forward to more posts.
ReplyDeleteI love the clean slate idea, Al. You've inspired me to rework my goals, yet again. I love the ROW80 flexibility.
ReplyDeleteYou've accomplished quite a biit, and you have a lot of goals. Keep Rocking The ROW!!! ~clink~
Organization seems to be a strong suit, can you share the gift? :-)
ReplyDeleteThe Art of Compelling Fiction sounds like one to add to my reading list. Craft books always read like textbooks if you take the time (and take notes). I've just cracked the cover on Becoming a Writer and found this to be true. Like signing up for your own class. I need due dates and exams for motivation.
Hope you have another great checkin tomorrow.