admin new year

2019 Writing Recap – A Bullet Blog

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas, you say? Well, of course…but it’s also time for Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas for Writers.

Our homework for day three was to make a list—an unadulterated, from-brain-to-paper list—of all of our 2019 writing accomplishments, big and small. So, without further ado, and giving myself permission to write in first draft mode, here’s mine:

  • Placed in three contests
  • Sent 85 queries
  • Wrote/edited 30 picture book manuscripts, several magazine articles, two novels, and some out-of-my-comfort-zone ‘other’ stuff
  • Won a PB mentorship and worked with A.W. to polish three manuscripts, among other things
  • Wrote ‘The End’ after completing 50,000+ words for NaNoWriMo
  • Possibly formed a new critique group
  • Possibly met a new critique partner
  • Blogged (personally, and on my group blog)
  • Spread the word about YOUR BEST YEAR 2018
  • Read THE ARTIST’S WAY, ON WRITING, THE PLOT WHISPERER, and a whole lot more
  • Began editing one of my YA novels, BLOODY AUTUMN
  • Wrote hundreds of poems
  • Attended as many of my bi-monthly critique meetings as possible
  • Completed Storystorm, 12×12, and Susanna Hill’s Making Picture Book Magic course
  • Won two of Susanna Hill’s ‘Would You Read It? Wednesday’ pitch contests
  • Got my first ever check for writing
  • Quadrupled my twitter following and doubled my website following
  • Lost weight—I’m sure there’s a way to make this writing related!
  • Purchased a trip to Paris for 2020 (Again, I’m sure there’s a way to make this writing-related!)
  • Attended the LASCBWI and NESCBWI conferences
  • Made FANTASTIC writer business cards
  • Did my morning pages from August 4th through the current date
  • Completed my artist’s dates for the duration of Julia Cameron’s 12-week program
  • Attended my first writing retreat

BAM! I feel soooooo cool just writing all of that down in one place! Great idea, Julie Hedlund! What did you accomplished in 2019?

admin new year, resolutions, successes, writing

12 Days of Christmas Reflection on 2018 Successes

Children’s author Julie Hedlund, challenged participants of her 12 Days of Christmas for Writers (http://www.juliehedlund.com/12days) series to post SUCCESSES (rather than resolutions) on our blogs this year. I noted in my blog, TO RESOLVE OR NOT; NOT THE RIGHT QUESTION, that Julie belongs to a (hopefully growing) group of people who believe the way New Year’s resolutions are traditionally made come from a place of negativity.  We tend to resolve based on what we did NOT get done or did NOT achieve in the previous year.  Instead, she suggests we set goals for the New Year that BUILD on our achievements from the previous one. I decided to participate in this Anti-Resolution Revolution! Here is my list for 2018:

January 2018:  I wrote.  I attended my monthly critique meeting (while being a full-time mother, full-time Optometrist, and wife).

February 2018:  I celebrated the launch of a friend’s book at a bookshop.  This visit led to my meeting Vivian Kirkfield, a truly fabulous person, in March.

March 2018:  I met Vivian for the first time and asked her tons of questions about how to become a published writer…. she introduced me to 12×12.  I was a finalist (12th) in #50PreciousWords.

April 2018:  I went to the NESCBWI, where NO SHOES STANLEY was born.

May 2018:  I read GET KNOWN BEFORE THE BOOK DEAL and BUILD YOUR AUTHOR PLATFORM. I also attended my first “The Craft of Writing” critique meeting.

June 2018:  I launched my writer’s website!  I also participated in my first #PitMad. July 2018:  I participated in my first critique meeting where we read 25 pages of our novels… I introduced the group to my YA, BLOODY AUTUMN.

August 2018:  I met with Vivian to interview her for our three-part, get-to-know-Vivian blog series on my new website.  An agent who signs 1 out of every 20 writers whose ms she reads told me she wants to read the first several pages of BLOODY AUTUMN. 

September 2018:  I participated in #PitMad.  I interviewed Vivian and then wrote the second installment of our get-to-know-Vivian blog.  I was featured on Susanna Hill’s “Would You Read It? Wednesday” blog.  I read GUIDE TO MAGAZINE ARTICLE WRITING and submitted “Honeybee-leaving” to Skipping Stones Magazine.

October 2018:  I participated in Susanna Hill’s Halloweensie Contest.  I was featured on Susanna Hill’s “Would You Read It? Wednesday” blog.  Skipping Stones emailed to say they’d publish my “Honeybee-leaving” article!!!  I finished writing my first draft of my first YA novel, BLOODY AUTUMN.

November 2018:  I was featured in Susanna Hill’s “Would You Read It? Wednesday” blog.  I bought my 2019 WRITER’S MARKET.  I started and completed my first draft of my second YA novel, SPECTRUM BREAKDOWN (NaNoWriMo).  I interviewed Maryann Cocca-Leffler and wrote an article about her for our critique group’s secret surprise.

December 2018:  I participated in Julie Hedlund’s 12 Days of Christmas for Writers.  Skipping Stones told me that my copies of their magazine are in the mail.  I participated in Susanna Hill’s Christmas Story Contest.  I submitted about 100 PB queries over the course of the year.

I wonder what next year will hold?  I can’t wait!  Let the journey continue!

What do your 2018 (writing) successes look like?