Round 4 is Here

Welcome to Round 4 of http://aroundofwordsin80days.wordpress.com

These are my goals – subject to change, of course:

1. By the end of this round, I intend to have Living Beyond My Circumstances completed. OK, that’s barring any major rewrites. In keeping with Kait’s advice to make specific goals, that will mean writing two more chapters and the appendices plus editing the intro.

If things go well, Deb (it’s her memoir) and I just may have a publisher before Round 4 is over. Just listen for the hooting and hollering.

2. Within the next two weeks, I should be finished editing the two manuscripts I’m working on.

3. I plan to continue regularly updating my blogs. It’s about time I got serious about SEO as well.

4. By the end of October, I want to have my essay and my research paper written for my labour doula certification course.

5. I don’t remember which fellow Round 3 ROWer included reading for skills development as one of his/her goals, but please consider the goal stolen.

6. And speaking of stolen goals…I want to thank those who faithfully encouraged others, myself included, during the last round. You motivated me to do the same, and then volunteer as a sponsor this time. I hope to get to know a lot of you over the next few months.

Tentative Goals

1. Submit at least three of the picture book ideas I have kicking around.

2. Complete the outline and the first draft of three more chapters in my children’s chapter book.

So, what about you? What do you hope to accomplish between October 3 and December 22?

I’d like to add the ROW blog hop. Why not pop by and see what some of the other ROWers have set as their goals?

http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=109495&type=basic

Welcome to Round 4

I admire those who say, “I can’t not write.” I’ve often wondered if I was one of them. After a little analysis, I came to some conclusions. I could lay aside my aspirations of becoming a published author (although my co-author wouldn’t take kindly to that), and I could forego becoming widely recognized (again, refer to my co-author’s feelings). However, sharing what’s important to me in written form is just part of who I am.

I remember writing several poems by candlelight when I was a child. Over the years, I’ve written journal entries, short stories, magazine and newspaper articles, and a full-length fiction manuscript, not to mention countless notes and letters to friends and family. And then there are my nine blogs. From book reviews to fitness tips. From childbirth information to housekeeping humour. Such is the span of my interests.

Although some would say I’m scattered, I prefer to refer to myself as “eclectically-interested.” I’ve received advice such as “We should do one or two things in life and set aside the rest.” While I have to be careful not to spread myself too thin – or take on every exciting opportunity that comes my way – I must remain true to who I am. I will forever be going in a dozen directions at once.

I’m well aware of the importance of “branding” one’s self. Instead of poetry or science fiction or self-help, my brand could be labeled encouragement. I felt, in a special way, 2011 was to be the Year of Encouragement. Every time someone says, “You’re such an encouragement,” I do a happy dance. (As a writer, I’d encourage you not to use a word – say encouragement, for example – several times in the same paragraph. Just a free tip.)

When one of my favourite authors asked if she could use my book review in its entirety as the foreword for her novel, I was thrilled. Seeing my name on the back of a book I’ve endorsed makes me smile. And, yes, I’m sure when I see my name on the front of a book, I’ll be very happy, but that is not the be all and end all for me.

When Kait called for sponsors for Round 4, I saw it as an opportunity to encourage my fellow ROWers. So, whether you write novels or poems, blog posts or journal entries, set some flexible, achievable goals, and start writing.

For those of you who are new to A Round of Words, I’d like to share what most surprised me about this group. It truly is a community of writers. I was thrilled when fellow ROWers stopped by my blog to cheer me on. I was also grateful to the group member who included encouraging others on her list of goals. It motivated me to do the same. Hopefully, you will find yourself encouraged. And perhaps, you’ll want to do the same for others.

Things are Changing

Time for some changes…

I have additional incentive to post regularly – especially on my book review blog. I now have “a column” on our city’s Facebook site. The operator posts my book reviews and runs my bio at the bottom. Cool, huh?

This week’s goal for the book I’m co-authoring is to complete the proposal and send it off into the world. Scary, but very exciting. (I also hope to get one of the two remaining chapters written.)

Instead of completing the edit of the manuscript I’ve been working on by the end of the week, I’ve extended my deadline to the end of the month. I’m so thankful for flexible clients.

I now have another manuscript to edit. I have given myself three weeks, but I think it, too, can be completed by the end of the month.

I’m doing OK with my reading schedule, but I need to get busy writing the essay and research paper. Hopefully, they’ll both be complete by the end of the first week of October.

I must get on the ball with my plans to encourage my fellow ROWers, but as you all know, life can get crazy busy.

While it will be great to shout HOORAH when we reach the end of this round, I’m giving myself every Sunday off from my regular routine. In fact, I’m heading to the park soon. Journalling. Reading. Taking pictures. Drawing. I’m not sure what I’ll do, but it’s good to get out of the house/office every now and then.

Keep on keepin’ on, my fellow writers.

Almost There

The end is in sight…

At least the end of this round. I want to thank the organizer(s) for putting this together. It’s a great way to connect as writers and a good way to encourage us to set flexible, doable goals and keep us on track. Kudos!

Goal: Keep up with my blogging. I don’t always hit my daily goals, but I’m doing well with weekly ones.

Goal: Work on Deb’s book five days per week. I’ve changed the goal to “Devote significant chunks of time to this project at least two days per week.” My goal is to work on – and hopefully, complete – the proposal today. If I don’t get it done today, it’s my goal to do so by 10:00 p.m. tomorrow.

Goal: Edit my client’s manuscript. I’ve made a good start, and it’s coming along well. My goal is to have it done by the end of next week.

Goal: Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification. I plan to write the essay this week.

Goal: Encourage at least five ROWers each week. Still some work to do here. I certainly appreciate all of you who pop by and comment on my blog. I invite you to check out my other blogs too.

Goal: Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. I just had a brainshower. (It was too small to call a brainstorm.) When we’re all done, I intend to touch base with every ROWer who posts for the final check-in. I don’t know if it’s doable, but I’ll give it a whirl.

Have a great day.

 

Budgets – Time and Money

These have been my goals…

1) Keep up with my blogging.

2) Work on Deb’s book five days per week.

3) Edit my client’s manuscript.

4) Research and write an article I’m working on.

5) Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification.

6) Encourage at least five ROWers each week.

7) Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. 

So, I’ve been drowning in financial reality. Potential income does not pay the bills. I’ll need to divert some time to actually earning money. However, if I budget my time more wisely, I should be able to accomplish the following in the coming week…

1) Keep up with my blogging.

2) Complete the proposal for Deb’s book.

3) Edit 50 pages of my clients manuscript.

4) THIS ONE’S DONE – AND PAID FOR. Yay!

5) Stay on track with my reading. Maybe, just maybe, complete my essay.

6) I should be able to do this today.

7) This is still up in the air, but for me personally, I think I’ll take a mini holiday: no computer, just a good book, my journal, and maybe my painting supplies.

I Can Do This

Good morning, fellow dreamers…

Goal: Keep up with my blogging. Monday – fell behind…Tuesday – caught up…Today – hey, it’s early.

Goal: Work on Deb’s book five days per week. I’m seriously considering changing this to working on it a full day or two half days per week. When I flit from one project to the next, I don’t feel like I’m making much progress. My goal this week is to complete the proposal – and I’m well on the way. Yay!

Goal: Edit my client’s manuscript. Now that the read-through is done, I will be starting the edit next week. Must remember to do this. Must remember to do this.

Goal: Research and write an article I’m working on. Pretty much time to put this one to bed. Still working on the fiddly stuff.

Goal: Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification. I’m doing OK with the reading. I hope to get the research paper done next week. I have yet to focus on this since last week, but I have made a significant start on the open book test – so far, without opening a book. I’m pretty much on track for the reading.

Goal: Encourage at least five ROWers each week. If the new week begins today, I best get at it. Nothing so far this week, but I plan to change that today.

Goal: Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. I don’t know what else I’ll be doing, but I do know I’ll be encouraging other writers I know to join the next round. Don’t know how we can celebrate collaboratively, but I do plan to join the next round and bring my friends along.

I’m write glad there’s you. :^)

Slight Revisions

Slight revisions in the works…

Goal: Keep up with my blogging. I’m a day behind, but that’s not too bad.

Goal: Work on Deb’s book five days per week. I’m seriously considering changing this to working on it a full day or two half days per week. When I flit from one project to the next, I don’t feel like I’m making much progress.

Goal: Edit my client’s manuscript. Now that the read-through is done, I will be starting the edit next week.

Goal: Research and write an article I’m working on. Pretty much time to put this one to bed.

Goal: Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification. I’m doing OK with the reading. I hope to get the research paper done next week.

Goal: Encourage at least five ROWers each week. If the new week begins today, I best get at it.

Goal: Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. I don’t know what else I’ll be doing, but I do know I’ll be encouraging other writers I knew to join the next round.

A final item before I sign off…One of my blogs seems to be opening the door for an editing job. Hooray!

Have a wonderful weekend, all!

 

Beat the Clock

It’s 11:53. Can I make it in time to link to this post? We’ll see.

Goal: Keep up with my blogging. Despite the fact that I’ve been doing day trips with my hubby this week, I’m keeping up with my blogging. Yay!

Goal: Work on Deb’s book five days per week. This one will have to wait until my routine returns to normal – whatever that is – next week.

Goal: Read through a manuscript I will be editing. The read-through is done. The phone call to the author has yet to be made. Again, next week…

Goal: Research and write an article I’m working on. Just about done. Hooray!

Goal: Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification. I’m on track with the reading. The writing will start probably – you guessed it – next week.

Goal: Encourage at least five ROWers each week. Almost there.

Goal: Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. I’m thinking of keeping track of some e-mail addresses. That way I can continue to encourage others after this round is done.

It’s now 11:58. I better hurry.

Making Progress

Again, I decided to use my template…

Goal: Keep up with my blogging. I’m pretty much on track. Instead of starting a new blog about menopause, I’ve decided to post about it on my other sites from time to time. Thursdays free2soar post reads as follows:

Responsibilities – Numerous

Ambition – Non-existent

Menopause – Today’s winner

Goal: Work on Deb’s book five days per week. This goal has been slightly revised. Deb and I have set up phone meetings. We have developed a new list of priorities, and it’s all getting very exciting. It is my goal to get the book proposal ready by September 9. When this book gets picked up by an agent and/or a publisher, you’ll be able to hear us cheering no matter where you live.

Goal: Read through a manuscript I will be editing. I’ve completed the read-through. I intend to give the author a call within the next two weeks to discuss how she wants me to go about the editing. Before that, I want to come up with several angles that would make great magazine articles so we have an option if she decides not to go ahead with it in book form.

Goal: Research and write an article I’m working on. This has proven more challenging than I thought. I want it to be more than a copy and paste kind of thing. I hope to have at least the first solid draft (perhaps the final draft) done by the end of the day.

Goal: Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification. If I devote a couple of days to the essay and three to the research paper, I should be able to get them done in short order. I have set the end of September as my new deadline. Not much change here…except I’m on track for the required reading. I would like to have almost all – if not all – of the requirements for certification done by the end of the year.

Goal: Encourage at least five ROWers each week. This past week was a good one. I’ll try to keep it up.

Goal: Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. Maybe we can have one final check-in the week after this round so we can share with one another what we did to celebrate. It’s not the same as celebrating together, but it’s something.

Have a wonderfully productive week, all.

Pluggin’ Along

The goals are the same as last time, but the answers are different.

Goal: Keep up with my blogging. I’m a little behind, but that’s OK. That other blog I was considering will have to wait.

Goal: Work on Deb’s book five days per week. Instead, I’m thinking of devoting one day per week to a single major project. In the end, I would spend at least as much time on it, and I would have enough time to get into the rhythm of the project. I got some good advice at my writers group last night. Thank you, Lisa (http://girlswithpens.com).

Goal: Read through a manuscript I will be editing. I should still be done this by the end of the week. Then I’ll have to talk to the author and see how she wants to tackle publication. Putting true stories out there can be tricky when it comes to the whole liable/slander issue. Sigh!

Goal: Research and write an article I’m working on. This is today’s project. I have one page written. By the end of the day, I would like it to be done – or close to it.

Goal: Write my essay and research paper for my doula certification. If I devote a couple of days to the essay and three to the research paper, I should be able to get them done in short order. I have set the end of September as my new deadline.

Goal: Encourage at least five ROWers each week. It’s comin’.

Goal: Figure out what we ROWers can do to celebrate when this round is done. Since I’m not on Twitter, a T-party is out – for me, at least. But T-party does have a nice ring to it. I’m probably going to spend a day painting with a friend. I’ve recently gotten back into acrylics.

Enjoy your day of writing, editing, researching…whatevering.