Writing and dog goals instead of quitting to bag groceries

Like most writers, I have a to-do list of goals, which waver between packing up my words and shutting down the blog, facebook, the virtual world for good, never to write again …

… or, aiming high – very high – to become rich and famous, changing the world, connecting people, making them laugh and cry and think and maybe getting a beach house, yeah, a beach house. Ocean front. Or ocean block. Preferably in Rehoboth.

Most years I waver somewhere in the middle, not wanting to quit, but with a firm grasp on reality that I can’t even afford to vacation in Rehoboth any longer, not with tuition times two, the mortgage, and not one, but three vehicles with over 150k miles on them.

Then the election happened and my brain hurts and problems loom larger than I ever dreamed possible, so why not pack it all in and read, drink, and run, watch some Netflix, and find a permanent gig bagging groceries, where I can turn off my brain at the end of my shift.

It was on the edge, about to do just that, when an editor shared she thought an essay I wrote was “pure gold.”

And while commiserating with One Funny Broad, an established writing colleague, real live journalist, a humorist from the great state of Texas, about the plight of politics, ageism, and writing in an empty room, she messaged this:

 

This is refrigerator worthy praise.

Something to stick on the fridge to remind me again and again to keep at it, because “beautifully deadly” are some damn good words to be associated with. Except my fridge don’t stick, stainless steel is complete bullshit, so I’m posting here.

I’ve long been a list maker; often listing items already completed, just for the sheer joy of crossing them off. However nothing here is done yet; it’s a long-term to-do list, not a quick trip to Costco for boxed wine.

Kidding. Costco doesn’t sell boxed wine.

So here goes it.

Writing Goals for a New Year

Setting my goals for this year, (read last year’s here) and writing it down so we have it. Here. In print. This is in addition to scribbled index cards taped to the filing thingy (official word) to stare me straight in the face and remind me I got people to see, places to go, words to write.

Mostly, I’m posting here to fulfill #1 of the new goal list:

1. Post weekly (hence this lame-o post)
2. Submit 3-5x a month: goal for monthly publication.
3. Create system for submitting/pitching
4. Increase social media presence: twitter, facebook, insta
5. Increase my blog subscribers to 250 (subscribe puh-leeze! sign up above!)
6. Earn 5k in essay writing; earn 30k income total
7. Attend 3 writing conferences, maybe: BlogHer (?), ASJA, Writers Digest, BinderCon
8. Learn Excel, google analytics; become proficient in WordPress
9. Meet writing mentor Kathy Curto 4x/yr for support and accountability
10. Present at spoken word, writers read event;
11. Speak at Working Womens/Newtown Arts Festival again
12. Establish a writing group
13. Run a 5k each month for entire year
14. For the love of Darwin, organize iPhoto
15. Call congress weekly, and every time I post political on social media
16. Write handwritten note to someone somewhere monthly

So there we have it. I wrote it down. Now I just gotta sit my arse in the chair and get it done. Time will tell.