My 2019 Writing Goals - Making It Work

This might be a little late for a start of the year post about my goals, but that's all right. I'm taking it easier on myself. Last year was rough, and for the sake of my health, I need to be kinder to myself in 2019.

I'm not going to pretend that I will find the perfect balance this year. What I will try to do is be okay with that. Easier said than done, I know!

I've been giving a lot of thought about what I want to do this year. My first instinct is: I WANT TO DO IT ALL! My first instinct is highly ambitious and unrealistic. Someone ought to give it a talk.

Nothing has lessened my drive to want to do all I can do, to make myself better, to release tons of stories into the world. So to satisfy that drive, I will make this the year of little steps. One little thing a day for my career. It might not be writing. It could be just tweeting or blogging or critiquing. They're all small things, but add up a whole year of them, that's huge!

Here are the goals I want to accomplish:

1. Finish writing and publish Of Death and Sorrow. This will be the only major project for my name. I already have 25,000 words down, and it's going to be a big book. I won't be setting a deadline. I will give the story as much time as it needs. I will give me as much time as I need.

2. Write two books for my pen name. Last year I published two. (I wrote 69,000 words in four weeks to be able to release one novel by Christmas!) Writing for my pen name is much easier than what I write for my own name. I'm following tropes, and the stories are light and fun. Two isn't unrealistic.

3. Blog twice a month. While I've been keeping up with posting, I haven't been very good at visiting blogs in the latter half of last year. I want that to change. If I only post twice a month, it will give me time to visit your blogs. That makes me happy.

I'm also happy to welcome writers to guest post on my blog. I already have two terrific guests lined up for February and March. If you'd like to take over my blog for a day, please email me ( christinerains.writer@gmail.com ).

4. Spend less time marketing. I got into the habit of using my entire mornings to work on social media, email, marketing research, etc. I put in a lot of effort and got little back. As proven through my experience with my pen name, I don't need to spend a lot of time marketing to get the same results. Less time spent doing that means more time for writing. Because as a writer, that should be my focus.

5. Get up and move more often. This old body isn't tolerating hours spent sitting in front of the computer anymore. Even if I just go fold some laundry or do the dishes, I'm away from the computer and shaking out the stiffness.

6. Read and review 100 books. I made my goal last year, and I'm excited to do so this year!

I will not say my WANT TO DO IT ALL instinct won't push me at times, but I hope to keep it more check.

Here's to a great 2019 for all of us!

Word Witch Wednesday - reviewing 2017's goals and looking to 2018

It's that wonderful time of the year where we sit down with holiday treats and make plans for next year. I'm sharing my cookies, if you'd like one.

2017 Goals

1. Write and published the TOTEM books. Done! A nine novella series. Yikes! I had a lot of fun with it, but I don't think I'll take on a series as long as that again. Trilogies sound perfect in my mind right now.

2. Self-publish the nine books I had with my publisher. I did that at the beginning of the year. Will I be writing more in the erotic romance genre? I don't know. I might if I'm in the mood for something light and funny.

3. Write the first drafts of the second two books in the Of Blood and Sorrow trilogy. I didn't do this one. My feet have been dragging these past few months. I will finish one before the holidays. I'm right at the big climax, but I won't start on the final one until January.

4. Read and review 100 books. I'm right on track with 93. Only 7 more to go!

5. Write and submit six short stories. Done. I'm constantly learning and improving. I wrote a lot of speculative fiction this year.

6. Study and try various marketing techniques. Ugh. This was my big time suck this year. I lost a lot of writing time to trying to figure out how to market my work. The only lesson I learned that will work: write more books.

7. Improve my writing speed and focus. I started the year off well with word sprints, but it got lost under my worrying about marketing.

2018 Goals

1. Write and release the second two books in the Of Blood and Sorrow trilogy. I haven't set release dates yet for my own sanity.

2. Read and review 100 books. This is a good number for me. I will try to do it every year for the rest of my life.

3. Write and submit ten short stories. I'm upping the number for this coming year. I can do a flash piece in an afternoon. It will be a nice break from the dark world of my trilogy when I need it.

4. Write more, market less. This year, I only wrote in the afternoons... if I had any time left. Next year, I'm making time in the morning and afternoon. Marketing will be scheduled for very limited times. Hopefully that will decrease my anxiety over it.

5. Take up the word sprints again and increase my writing speed. I'm hoping I'll write more with less marketing anxiety to weigh me down.

6. Work on new project. I have several written down I want to write. I'm not going to name one right now, because I might come up with something new and want to work on it! I'll go with what I'm feeling passionate for in that moment.

Did you meet your goals this year? What are yours for next year?

I'll be back on Christmas Day with a special surprise!

Guest post by Lisa Griffin - Ways A Fiction Writer Can Find Freelance Work Online

I'm excited to welcome Lisa Griffin to my blog today to share with you some tips on how to find freelance work. I'm over at the IWSG blog talking about critique group etiquette.

Ways a fiction writer can find freelance work online

There are many opportunities to start a career as a writer. To implement most of them, the freelance home writers need to use all their skills. A freelance writer is a person who writes texts without entering into an employment relationship with any company or publishing house that acts as a small entrepreneur or an independent contractor.

You can engage in freelancing on an ongoing basis, turning writing activity into a source of livelihood, or use it as a part-time supplement to income from the primary job. Also, you can do it for fun, or you can sharpen your skills by adding a list of competencies to your resume. This article outlines the basics that will help you make it easier for you to get a job if you are a freelance fiction writer.

1. Set a goal and work on your skills.

If you plan to engage yourself in journalism and write for an online newspaper, allocate as much time as you need to earn a decent living. This means that you may have to work early in the morning or in the evenings, using any free minute, even on weekends. This first and foremost practice will test your strength and motivation. Be ready to be paid hourly, but remember to constantly improve your skills to increase personal rate.

2. Be active in the writing environment.

There are many groups and associations of freelance writers around the world. Become a part of them to get acquainted with other authors, get practical advice and strengthen your positions as a self-sufficient writer. A quick Internet search will help you find a local organization operating in your area. Look for a group that conducts meetings, workshops, arranges interviews with guests and provides recommendations on writing, publishing and marketing products, contacts with various publishers and their Internet counterparts. Membership in such organizations can bring you recognition and diversity of future orders.

3. Start organizing your portfolio.

It is essential to illustrate your skills in the portfolio to attract potential employers. Beginners can start writing small free articles for non-commercial sites. Thus, you will be able to engage in the professional activity and most importantly get the material published under your name, which you can show to potential employers and customers. You need such a portfolio for them to take you seriously and offer you a job.

Start collaborating with well-known websites or blogs that allow you to publish articles on a voluntary basis. Contact their owners and explain what you want to do for the portfolio and would like to write something for free, if only your name was mentioned as an author.

4. Set up a blog

Why look for best paid blog writing jobs, when you can set up your web page? If you are experienced in freelance creative writing, you have probably written a bunch of articles and long reads. Gather them in a blog.

If you are a beginner in a writing field and looking for

freelance writing jobs from home, you can start a blog, where you can share own thoughts and ideas. Tell people about teaching or learning and develop own memorable style.

If you are an editor, you can still come across a job in blogging. Look through popular blog pages, advice bloggers to edit and proofread their texts.

5. Start looking for copywriting work.

Once you feel that you are capable of writing like a professional, think about what you would like to write about and start communicating with people. Find publishers you'd like to work with, and read their guidelines. Do not write queries and articles that cannot be published due to non-compliance with the required conditions. It's like going to an interview without having studied the affairs of the company which you want to become your employer. Conduct market research and form your target. And be sure to send a request to major publishers before sending a finished article, unless you are willing to spend precious time on material that will never be published.

Lisa Griffin

is an author for https://customwriting.com/ and blogger. This successful woman knows a lot about how to stay motivated and inspired. Lisa is always ready to give opportune advice and provide assistance. Lisa’s motto is “It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up.” She loves traveling and expanding her horizons. Working with people is Lisa’s real passion.