Monday, June 9, 2014

Ready. Set. WRITE! goals


Last summer I participated in Ready. Set. WRITE! as motivation to get some writing done, and now I’m doing it again this year! It’s a summer writing intensive hosted by Jaime Morrow, Alison Miller, Katy Upperman, and Erin Funk. Goal setting is Monday, June 9th, and the intensive goes all the way until August 25th. Weekly check-ins will be on Mondays, and I’ll be posting about the following things:

1.  How I did on last week’s goals
2.  My goal(s) for this week
3.  A favorite line from my story OR one word/phrase that sums up what I wrote/revised
4.  The biggest challenge I faced this week (ex. finding time to write, the siren song of SNIs)
5.  Something I love about my WiP

We’re only writing 2-3 sentences on each post so we don’t spend more time typing these blog entries than working on our WIPs! So without any extra babble, here are my goals for Ready. Set. WRITE!

 
1. WRITE EVERY DAY. I have a notebook that I’m carrying around with me, so I can write in there or on my laptop…or even a scrap of paper at the bottom of some MapQuest directions in my car. And I don’t care if it’s a story scene, a travel blurb, or summer grad school homework. Just write something!

2. PICK A PROJECT and go for it. I’m bouncing between two or three half-formed summer projects at the moment. I’m trying to find something I can write in conjunction with my thesis in the fall because all the second year MFA students say it helps having a separate writing project to turn to for fun when your thesis drives you crazy. I’ll update further once I decide which to go with!

3. REREAD/REVISE PARTIAL TNW DRAFT (140 pages). I’m slowly printing out and working through the draft I worked on last summer, to refresh my memory and hopefully spark some new ideas. I’m at the point in the draft where my outline thins out and am lacking plot points, so I hope combing back through the draft will help me find some threads I need to continue. Plus I can clean things up a bit too! Ideally I’d like to finish this read-through by the end of June so I can continue writing.
 

And that’s all! Keeping it simple this summer.

Goals for the Week:
1. Edit chapters 8-12 in TNW.
2. Write a potential epilogue for TNW.
3. Finish decent character outlines for the story idea I'm currently throwing around.
 
Are you participating in Ready. Set. WRITE? What are your writing goals for this summer?
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12 comments:

  1. Jaime MorrowJune 9, 2014 at 10:21 AM

    I'm very much in the same boat with your Goal #3. The plot definitely thins out in the barely there outline of my second half. Hopefully we can both hammer out a plan and run with it this summer! :D

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  2. Melanie CrouseJune 9, 2014 at 10:28 AM

    I'm sort of in the same boat as well...but different. I'm working on a series with two other people, and all my ideas for my character ran out at the end of book 3! I've got a whole other book I need to write, and I need to figure out what to do with it. Good think I have all summer to figure that out. Good luck!

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  3. Katy UppermanJune 9, 2014 at 10:31 AM

    I love your "write every day" goal, Kaitlin. I think I'm going to jump on your bandwagon and make it one of my unofficial goals. Staying in the writerly mindset is so important to maintaining momentum. Best of luck this week!

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  4. CrystalJune 9, 2014 at 11:00 AM

    I always have several stories skittering around in my brain and it's so hard to pick which one to work on sometimes, I totally feel you on that. Good luck picking a project and meeting all your summer goals! :)

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  5. Ghenet MyrthilJune 9, 2014 at 11:19 AM

    Good luck with all of your goals! I love that you're committing to writing every day. I'll be revising this summer, so my plan is to work on that manuscript every day, even if some days mean less writing and more brainstorming. :)

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  6. Rebecca BarrowJune 9, 2014 at 12:05 PM

    Writing every day is one of the best goals to have, I think, and scribbling notes definitely counts! I'm always writing notes on torn bits of paper at work. It's a great way to remember ideas or note down silly, fun things :) Good luck with your goals this week!

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  7. Alison MillerJune 9, 2014 at 1:06 PM

    I love this: WRITE EVERY DAY. What an awesome goal! I tend to write 5 days a week so that my mind has a chance to work too, but I always find myself dabbling or jotting down SOMETHING on the weekends. :)

    Good luck with your goals this week! And so glad you're back!

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  8. prerna pickettJune 9, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    I love notebooks. That's how I first started writing, and I really need to get back it. I might go buy one before going on vacation so I don't find an excuse to not get some writing done. Good luck with picking your next project and revisions!

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  9. Cortney PearsonJune 9, 2014 at 4:42 PM

    Such good goals--I try to write every day too, although it can get hard! And I'm like you--I have about three different projects I'm trying to juggle between! Although I'm sure an MFA program is demanding, that sounds great to have a second project as a distraction!

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  10. KimJune 9, 2014 at 8:30 PM

    Goals are always difficult for me. I set the bar low, but I have a busy summer ahead so...we'll see. Best of luck!

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  11. amyJune 10, 2014 at 11:51 AM

    I keep a notebook with me too as well as my phone. I've downloaded a lot of writing apps trying to find the right one. Procrastination at its finest. Good luck with your goals. Have a great writing week!

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  12. Sara BirenJune 14, 2014 at 7:40 AM

    I've also got the goal of writing every day and have a couple of notebooks handy at all times, too. When I was an MFA student, I didn't have a "side project" when I worked on my thesis but I was also working 50-60 hours a week in a retail setting, so I guess that was "FUN" enough for me. :) Good luck!

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