Back in the Saddle #WriterlyWednesday #BabySteps

I’m Blogging Again...

 

I’ve written and re-written my “Hey, look, my blog is alive again” post so many times it’s sickening.  I’ve revised some of my published short stories fewer times.

Why is this post so hard? It’s not more personal than what I pour into my fiction nor what I give to the authors I edit.

If I’m to guess, it’s because I’m afraid I won’t keep up a schedule, that I’ll fail. I’ve dropped blogging so many times – though I do enjoy it – to make time for paying projects and such. And when you drop or fail something...and take a long time to get back into it, it’s So. Much. Harder.

That’s why, in horseback riding, when you fall off, you should always get back on right away. The longer you wait when it’s been a failure, a hurt, a fall, the more difficult it is to get back into the saddle.

Well, this is hardly the first, nor will it be the last blog post where I intersperse some riding wisdom with writing wisdom.

Here’s another piece, just for today:

Even a short ride or short interaction is worth it.

In writing, once you’ve been away from a project, you lose passion. It’s easy to forget it and keep putting it off. Same lesson...

Sometimes just making yourself write one sentence, edit one paragraph, re-read one page is a good start. Just keep at it.

I had one author friend who could only squeeze in one sentence a day. That’s all. Then she finished the story.

If you want to write, if you want to market, if you want to accomplish anything... baby steps are okay. Just keep making them.

My awesome/torturous/awesome-because-she-is-torturous riding instructor once had me dedicate an entire class to mounting/dismounting. Calico and I were having issues...and that was the baby step we needed.

So, here is my short #WriterlyWednesday blog post.

It’s okay to take baby steps; it’s okay to only write a little.

Just keep going.

Back in the Saddle… yet again

A long time ago (like, the beginning of January), in a galaxy far, far away (my kitchen table as opposed to my desk), I put together a handwritten business plan and a list of goals for 2013.

One of those goals was to write up those goals and post them as a blog on a particular date in January…

Ha! Hahaha! LOL!  I just kill me!

Another of those goals?  A weekly blog schedule!

Hahahahahahah!! ROTFLMAO!!  Totally dying of laughter, here!

But, as I've said in prior blog posts… (and couldn't find to link after 15 minutes, so I gave up… but believe me, they're there!) … one of the most important life lessons I've learned from riding is that you do, in fact, get do-overs.  So long as you don't give up and get back in that saddle!

And I say this having suffered cracked ribs, disjointed vertebrae, bites, sprained and strained ankles and knees… months or weeks or, pre-Calico, even years of doing next to nothing with horses.

Back into the blogging saddle I go, then.  Because I do love blogging… and I have an awful lot of amazing things to share this year!

Now that I'm here, let me hit that other goal of writing up some of my goals here. I know some people say writing and sharing one's goals is more detrimental than helpful, but honestly, I've not seen such in my life.

Goals:  Better late than never, right?

Meet all Spencer Hill Press Deadlines

I'm truly in love with my work in both writing and editing for SHP, and I have a lot of people's dreams of publication and their stories riding on my ability to hold up my end of the contract.  Thus far, I've been pretty good.  There are a few things running later than the most preferred deadline, but none that are running far into the extra-security padding that Kate, in her infinite wisdom, has built into the system.

Done in January: 1 novel proofed from galleys, 1 to galleys, 1 to closing edits, 1 through copyedits, my own to 2nd round edits, 2 submission novels read, 3 I gave the ok to offer on (one I read back in December). Also, first round of edits on half the Doorways submissions, and second round of edits on half the remaining half.

Dude… that's 8 different novels and 15 short pieces that I worked on! Yay!

Novel Goals

The Kelpie comes out this December, and I'm going through edits for this, plus working on the marketing plan.

A Silent Starsong is with Vikki to be submitted to Spencer Hill Press upon her edits.

The Earl's Childe is the sequel to The Kelpie is one of the novels I'm currently working on and needs to be finished, polished and submitted this year.

A Shooting Star is the sequel to A Silent Starsong and is actually entirely drafted! It just needs polishing.

The Banshee's Cry will be the third MacArthur book, and needs to get started.

Besides that, there are two other novel-length projects that I'm attending to but are not ready for discussion yet. ;) Stay tuned!

Other Fiction/Poetry Goals

Write three new short stories.

Submit to at least 5 different short fiction or poetry markets this year.

Write one new novella (done! And by accident, too!)

Write three new poems (one down, two to go!)

Business Goals

Make Goodreads profile and list fiction

Update Amazon profile

Update blog every week

Update website every week

Send website revamp changes ASAP

Horsey Goals

Two major trail rides

Three horse shows

Ride 2x per week on average (very difficult this winter!)

Other Goals

Lose 25 lbs

And that's what I'll be up to this year. :)  It's a lot, but more doable than other plans I've made for myself. 

I look forward to sharing the journey with you!

Happy 2013!

New year, new goals, positive accomplishments… new try at blogging.  :)

Most everyone in the world is talking about (or has already talked about) their New Year's Resolutions/Goals, etc.  Not to hop on the bandwagon, but it's a fun and inspiring topic… so I'm playing with it, too.

I've already hit a couple of short-term goals this year already:

• Submitted a novella for publishing
• Gotten my email inbox to a manageable level (from over 1000 to under 140)
• Handwritten my publishing deadlines for 2013 for Spencer Hill Press
• Handwritten a Personal Goals sheet
• Printed out my detailed deadline for January Spencer Hill Press projects
• Accomplished editing deadlines thus far

And we're just a week into the new year!

 When I was going through my deadlines and goals, I went back through my prior years' blog posts so I could get an idea of what I'd accomplished and what I could accomplish.  I'd forgotten that I never actually got around to publishing my goals on my blog last year… so I had to go back to my January 2011 posts to get an idea of what I'd been doing.

With the path my life has taken since 2011, most of those benchmarks and steps simply are… no longer useful.

When I sat down to make my plan for this year, I needed a whole new template!

And that's ok.  I'm very happy with where my life is going.

Let's have my accomplishments for 2012 explain why:

Became a Senior Editor at Spencer Hill Press.

I've been blessed in the past decade or so to have jobs and bosses who I have loved. And every move I've made has been an improvement… yet I can't imagine a more healthy and supportive job than working at SHP. 

At Spencer Hill Press, I've had the pleasure of working on many awesome books - which I will detail as they start coming out. :) 

Published Short Stories

"Photo of a Mermaid" came out in UnCONventional by Spencer Hill Press

"Fixed" came out in Corrupts Absolutely? from Damnation Books

Sold Fiction

THE KELPIE - my first novel! - comes out this December from Spencer Hill Press

"Finding Fire" comes out in May in the Holiday Magick anthology, Spencer Hill Press

"Steadfast in the Face of Zombies" to Once Upon an Apocalypse Volume 1 - more on that when I get the info. :)

Lost Ten Pounds

After three years of gain or plateau - that's still an accomplishment.

Rode in my First Competitive Horse Show - and GOT RIBBONS!

Mind you, it's been well over a decade since I practiced any sport competitively.  This was HUGE. :)

… And there were a lot more life changes. 

I traveled to four different countries I'd never been before. And, between those travels, I was without my husband who I've not lived without for over a decade.  In fact, I only lived on my own for three months out of college before we got married… so it was definitely… an experience.  I also got really into my job at Annie's Book Stop of Worcester, helping with event coordination.

I left my last W2 job in May… because things with fiction and freelancing were picking up as well as they were.

And I still held my position as president for Broad Universe - though, honestly, between my Veep, Kimberly Long-Ewing and the rest of the Motherboard, it was a massive team effort for which I'm deeply grateful.

So, that's 2012 for you.  Massive. Change.

From there, I move forward. With a lot of hope and energy for this year. :) 

Thank you, Universe!

Oh?  What are my actual goals for this year? ;) Well… that's another blog post. ;)

Happy New Year!

Meeting a Non-Writing Goal

Shortly after I adopted Calico, Amanda Miller - a personal life coach, Mary Kay salesperson, and friend of mine - asked me what my goals were with my horse.  My first thought was: um, goals?  I had some short term plans on learning more about horses and horse training and actually riding with certain frequency.  They were vague.  A far cry from the details of my yearly business plan.

"Are you going to show her?" Manda asked. 

I had absolutely no plans on showing.  With my history in doing physical activities, the best way for me to find my balance in the saddle likely wouldn't look pretty for judges - no matter how good the communication between me and Cali ended up.

Then an idea hit me.

When I started working for the Bay State Equine Rescue, the summer of 2003, Prez Susan told me about a Sponsored Trail Ride fundraiser.  Naïve me immediately thought of the trail rides often offered by farms where you hop on a stone-cold lesson horse and wander through trails in a big group of equally naïve horse people.  I could do that!

Noooo…

Susan asked if I had a horse, and I said no.  She asked me who I'd ride.  We both ended up confused. 

I had no idea that people who owned horses actually loaded them up in trailers to go walk on trails through the woods!  And that they needed, like, vaccinations and permits to do that.  And that there was organizations where you counted miles you did that!

Most horse people - at least those I've met - have this vague notion of the trail ride I was thinking of: clueless city refugees sitting awkwardly in saddles, afraid to actually steer their horses (I don't want to be mean!) and following each other in an guided line through woods or beaches or whatnot.  But that's not what they think when they think "trail ride."

So, now that I had My Own Horse, I could do a proper trail ride! 

That would be my goal.  My goal was to ride Calico in the BSER Sponsored Trail Ride.  And finish it safely.

(Now, earlier this year, I also learned about the Breast Cancer Ride for the Ribbon, which I took part in, but did not end up finishing that whole trail for a number of reasons - one of which, admittedly, was my confidence.  I was given an "out", and I took it.)

But today, TODAY, I finished the BSER Trail Ride.  Another of Amanda's students and her aunt were there, so I had companions to ride with (Phew! Calico doesn't like not being with other horses!)  We wandered through Old Sturbridge Village for about an hour, then spent a little over another hour doing the shortest loop trail.  Yes it was short, but we finished it! 

It was just the right length for us.  I have one saddle sore and some achy muscles, but I couldn't be happier!

It was an accomplishment for me and Calico as a team.  We took turns being the "confident" one in several situations.  Together, we'd never crossed bridges before.  On all but one of the dozen or so bridge crossings, we were in the lead… and I may be anthropomorphizing here a bit, but I swear she had a swagger to her as if to say, "Really guys?  This is a bridge!"

(Coming across a gentleman changing trash bags was an altogether different story, but I got to be the confident one there.)

Now, last week I had the good fortune of helping blaze this particular trail.  It had a lot of downed trees that we made detours around, a water crossing, and a few especially (to me, Ms. Horse-Owner for < 1 year) steep hills.  Ones I was being cautions on while on my own two feet.

Yeah, Calico didn't see any issue. (That may well be due to all the hill drills that Amanda had us do in lessons.)  She was through them before I even had a chance to think about falling.  And by the time we got to them, I wasn't the least bit wobbly.

In fact, there wasn't even a single time I recall feeling less than stable on her back.  And the group of us were handing cameras back and forth, chatting, and Calico even had that one spook with the trash bags.  With both of us, we were moving so easily together!  In the ring, on occasion, she has "choppy transmission" where she'll almost stop when going from a trot to a walk.  We transitioned probably about twenty times between walking and trotting through the trails and not once was she anything but smooth!

I've summitted a couple of mountains, canoed, gotten utterly lost for miles and then found on hikes… and as much as I love those activities, I've never felt near the ecstatic accomplishment as I did when we got back to the trailers after our ride.  It wasn't just me accomplishing something, it was me as part of a team that depended on each other and trusted each other in the unique way that only a horse and rider can do.

It was awesome.

* And apologies for the extensive blogging hiatus.  I've had a ton of deadlines and work - but it's all paid stuff!  Anyway, I've written a blog or two about having to get back into the blogging saddle… so here I go again! [Ok, I didn't tag my back-in-the-blogging-saddle posts…. and I'm ready for bed.

Happy New Year - Part 3

In my attempt to be more thorough and diligent - so that I achieve and attain more of my 2011 goals - I broke down and shared my process into multiple posts: comparison, evaluation of last year's goals, the spiritual side of planning, and now, the actual goal setting.  

Because I'm self-employed, a freelancer, a bit of an entrepreneur, my business and personal goals often overlap.  And that makes this sort of thing hard.  So, I'll break this down the best I can.

Business: Work I get Paid For

Goal: Sell to publication that pays > 20 cents / word.

Explanation: I keep looking for more writing gigs, but, really, I need better paying ones.  That means querying non-fiction work.

Steps:

By January 28, come up with 3 article pitches.

Pay closer attention to the market listings in FundsforWriters newsletter.

Starting February 1, query/pitch to one non-fiction market each week that pays more than >20 cents /word.

Starting March 1, find one new article pitch by the end of each month.

Goal:  $xxx in editing projects for the year.

Explanation:  It seems bad form to discuss specific money on blogs. That, and I'm not comfortable with that, either.  But I have that number written for me.  That said, this is slightly more amorphous, but mind you, I prefer to focus on writing.

Steps:

By Friday, January 14, entirely complete and bill for current editing project.

Any week where I am not actively engaged in an editing project should be spent searching for another.

Goal:  Maintain usefulness as food reviewer & local entertainment writer.

Explanation: I couldn't think of a better way to word this.  Basically, I want my food editor to keep assigning me stuff, so I need to keep pitching stuff.

Steps:

On Monday, January 10, send restaurant list and weekly pick to editor.

Maintain current mini-review deadlines and assignments with updates.

By Thursday, January 27, send new list of restaurants to editor

By Thursday, February 24, pitch next set of "Woo" minis.

Every following final Thursday of the month, send list of restaurants to editor.

Maintain payment spreadsheet.

Business:  Promotion, Advertising, and Platform

Goal: Once per month, pitch/submit educational article in related/high-profile publication.

Explanation: This is another hard one to put into words.  There are a lot of publications - particularly on the web - that don't pay a lot (or don't pay at all) - but are places that look good to be published in, places that will draw attention to my business.

Steps:

By Jan 31 (already have interview for January), compose list of 14 places I want to be published with 3 pitch lines for each.

Each week, pitch until schedule is full.

Goal:  Send monthly updates to webmistress.

Explanation:  In all honesty, my wonderful webmistress is responsible for any website updates at all.  She sends reminders, or tells me when I go into her store.  I know I didn't do so well on this last year, but that's no reason to not do better this.

Steps:

Send calendar updates each month.

Starting March 1, every other month, update one page of content.

Goal:  Maintain blogging schedule.

Explanation: I did pretty well this year, but I never taught myself automatic updates.  And I keep meaning to switch to Wordpress.  (LiveJournal's advertising continues to get worse and aggravate me, blogger is not bad… but I cannot find a way to let people subscribe by email.)

Steps:

Update every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday night.

Change to Wordpress.

Learn how to do automatic updates and how to keep updating Blogger & LJ remotely.

Make a blogging topic schedule.

Prewrite some articles for a cushion.

Goal:  Keep an outside blog schedule.

Explanation: There are a few blogs I keep meaning to add posts too, but I haven't yet.

Steps:

By January 21, create outside blog schedule.

Post per schedule.

Prewrite articles for a cushion.

Business: Fiction Writing, Written Work

Another confession, one of my greatest battles is the need to pay bills versus desire to just do the fiction as my business.  Unfortunately, though the passion is there, the fiction  often ends up neglected.

Goal: Submit 1 piece of fiction or poetry every week.

Steps:

Monday, January 10th, go through stockpile of fiction market info saved in inbox and submit 3 pieces.

Every following Monday, go through fiction markets and visit Ralan or Duotrope until a market to submit one piece is found; submit.

Maintain associated spreadsheets to prevent sim subs or repeat subs.

Goal: Submit 2 A Silent Starsong queries or packages each month.

Steps:

January 18th, update Querytracker stats and follow up on agents beyond their return timeframes.

Make 1 query submission.

Every following week, research agents until quota is met.

Goal: Bring Kelpie to a submit-able level.

Steps:

Finish rough draft by March 31.

Continue submitting scenes to Traveling Java writer's group.

Start on major edits May 1.

Complete 1st round major edits June 30.

Submit to Beta Readers.

Begin Beta reader edits October 1.

Complete 2nd round major edits before Christmas.

Set Submission Goals before New Year's.

Business: Fiction Writing, Co-Op

Goal: Finish latest Bad-Ass Faerie story by January 31; submit.

Steps:

Submit next scene to Christy by Tuesday, January 11.

Maintain 24-48 hour turnaround for drafting and then editing.

Goal: Finish Shepherd's Blood to a Beta Reader level.

Steps:

Create writing schedule with Christy.

Create editing schedule with Christy.

Maintain my end of schedules based on ability.

Explanation:  If there's someone other than yourself involved, there are parts you simply have no control over.  After last years lofty co-op goals failed, I'm lowering the bar on these.

Business:  Fiction Writing, Platform

I'm actually going to do an even more thorough breakdown on this, particularly my convention planning.  Stay tuned!

Personal:  Health

Goal: Lose 60 lbs.

Steps:

Involve Husband-of-Awesome.

Create weight loss competition starting Monday, January 10.

Use Wii Fit on weekdays not spent with Calico or at convention.

Use yoga ball at desk a minimum of 2 hours per day.

Learn portion control.

Goal:  Ride Calico in a 10+ mile trail ride.

Steps: 

Work on flexibility and balance out of saddle with yoga and exercise

Ride at least 1x per week (allowances for outside circumstances, like weather.)

I know this is another lengthy post, but I hope seeing the steps I'm taking are useful to others - and that they are useful to me.  Please let me know what you think! 

Prosperous New Year!!