So I started a new project on January 1st, to take at least one picture every single day and post it. And it got me thinking about deadlines and goals we set for ourselves. I’m curious — of those of you that participated in NaNoWriMo, how many of you have kept up a daily writing habit? How many of you started something similar on January 1st? Or, to expand our thinking, are any of you planning a daily ANYTHING habit? Not just writing: reading, exercise, anything.
Let’s chat in the comments!
27 thoughts on “I’m Curious…”
Nano did great to get my wheels turning for the next project, and while I didn't set my goal as high as the norm (30K vs the 50K) even when Nano was finished, I made it a point to write at least 7K a week (I always shoot low on my goals so I don't set myself up for failure). Any other habits planned are pretty regular, ie cooking (I try and cook at least 5 nights a week). And now that I've completed my recent ms, I plan on reading a bunch of books the next week without neglecting my family TOO much.
Hope you've been able to keep up with your photo goal! Interesting topic, curious to see other responses.
I love that photo project goal. Maybe I should do something like that in the future, aiming for just a week or a month.
Keeping the daily writing habit is very important for me. I started doing NaNoWriMo in 2002, but I only wrote in November. After a few years, I realized that was no way to make a writing career. I started writing almost every day, making small market submissions, and challenging myself with monthly goals. I just had my first pro short story sale recently and joined the SFWA as an associate member, and I'm continuing to work on my novels and short-term projects.
I go through a stretch where I can't write after Nano, and then school starts back in January, so I usually don't write again until Spring. I do get some editing in during quarter breaks though. Nano just happens to line up right for me with school work and my job. No other time of year do I have time to do that kind of writing. This year 63k words in 28 days!
Currently trying to train for a 5k but after 8 hours of work and 2 hours of homework, I have no energy left. I'm trying to get into a daily habit of running 2 miles a day.
I didn't do NaNo, but now that the holidays are over, I'm getting back into my regular goal of writing 1000 words a day.
I think the one thing missing from my daily schedule is exercise. But it's too cold to really think about that now. I'll wait til spring. I love walking and we just moved to a house that's nestled at the foot of a trail.
I did my own NaNo in Sept. I know, I'm such a rebel. So, yes, I've been revising every day and am almost finished my final revision! I'm 20K into the next book, but have taken a break to finish edits on the 1st one and start the query process. Once queries are out there, I'll continue with the 2nd book and I try to average 2,000 words/day.
Other than writing, I love yoga but wouldn't say I do it daily. The only other thing I do on a daily basis — besides playing w/ the kids and dogs — is write in my gratitude journal. That way, I end each day on a positive note by focusing on all the great things in my life (such as said kids and dogs 🙂
I've been trying to do a lot more networking, but now I find that I want to just get back to writing. That's the plan. To spend at least a few hours a day on the book, no matter what other stuff I have to let slide.
I set a goal to write at least 1k a day not including rewrites/edits. I soon discovered that I was more concerned about hitting the daily word count rather than quality writing so I ditched it. Now I'm trying to write for a minimum of an hour a day. If I write 1k words–awesome. If I write only one word, well, then I'll have a cocktail.
I LOVE the photo idea though. Maybe I might steal that next year.
I did a 50 book reading challenge last year, and I'm doing it again this year.
My big goal was to blog every single day for the month of January. I've had the blog for several years, but never been a regular blogger with like a schedule and stuff… so I decided that I'd just see if I could do an every day thing just for the month of January and go from there, so I wouldn't be too overwhelmed. I made it this far, and I am kid of loving it. I think of witty things to talk about, I've started making silly videos, and I even go and do things I wouldn't normally do just so I can have cool pics to put up. I'm hoping the habit sticks–but the key here is that at the end of January, I will assess how things went, and then make a plan for JUST the month of February. I don't want to make it out to be too huge. It's all about the baby steps!
I already write every day. If I'm stuck on a book, I blog or work on something else just to keep in the habit. So for 2010, I'm keeping a food journal. Determined to lose the last of the can-no-longer-call-it-baby-weight. 😉
I'm doing a similar photo every day project, except that I am taking a self-portrait every day… none of them are particularly good because I don't have a digital slr and my point and shoot doesn't have a self timer so I can only do mirror photos or holding at arms length ones
But still, I'm not going to stop, I like the idea of having a record of myself throughout the year
I am trying to find a way to balance my writing with my two young children. I get obsessed with the book, and I don't want to play Chutes & Ladders or go to the playground, just work. So I'm going to limit myself to writing for 2 hours after they go to bed and then getting more than 6 hours of sleep a night. I hope.
Like Kristi, I did my own version of NaNo. Since I was already partway into a book, I just used November to try and write as much as I could every day. I missed 8 days out of thirty, but I did finish the first draft on 11/29.
Other than that, I've never been a good goal type person. I like the idea of having goals and making schedules, but I let life intrude. So, this year, I made myself a promise that I was going to make a schedule and stick to it. So far, I haven't done great, but I'm off to a better start than usual.
Carrie -lol. It took me over 2 years to lose that weight after the second one — it was much harder the second time around. 🙂
Love your photo goal!
Aside from my writing & exercise goals – I’m currently working through The Artist’s Way (by Julia Cameron) again. I’ve done it several times, and have been doing Morning Pages since 1995, but I always have a problem doing the Artist Date. So, my Intention this year is to actually DO an Artist Date every week. One week down & I did it. Now – 11 more weeks to go.
I've been a serious slacker lately. So, my goals are as follows:
*Workout every day(something with sweat involved – got the P90X CD's, major butt kicker, imo).
*Play with my dog or at least just sit and rub her tummy.
*Play with the kittens every day.
*I already hangout with my kids, but my daughter and I are learning how to knit (this is me smiling and trying not to grind me teeth).
*Write (dedicate 3 hours a day on writing, editing and getting ideas for quries. I've got a cool idea for a women's genre book that is burning a hole in my brain.)
I'm always on fire to write after NaNo, so even if I finish one project I slide right on into the next and just write write write. Then, around Christmas, I usually start to slow down. I still write, but it's not on such a regular basis. Now I'll actually take some time to read (I did read a couple books during and after NaNo, but not at my usual pace), and edit. On top of that I've started a new project, so I've been storylining that and world building (one of my favorite things to do with a new story :D) and making notes and writing horrible horrible first drafts of scenes. The horrible first drafts are really helpful to get to know the characters and the world before I start the actual first draft. It's amazing what you can discover when you just go ahead and write a horrible first draft scene (like, I discovered how big my city was, and how many people are baptized in the ceremony that was taking place in the scene – both things I was having a problem deciding before I started just writing).
Other than that I'm trying to actually work out on a regular basis. I've got a new "personal fitness trainer" game for the Wii, and it's much more fun then the Wii Fit! So far I've been able to stick to that goal 🙂
I always take my camera with me when I leave the house and love taking photos of everyday life. Looking through the lens gives me a somewhat different perspective, which I then use to inspire and write blog posts. It's a great, abstract extension to my writing.
My life goes crazy after Nano so there were no goals till after the 15th of January. Now, there are no more excuses. Revisions are hell for me but that's where I'm at right now and I'm trying to work at them for at least two hours everyday. While I can sit and write and become immersed in my story, I have ADD when it comes to revising. I'll admit it, I'm revision challenged. 🙂 I've been reading a lot about revising and being organized to do it so maybe that will help this time around. Keeping the fingers crossed.
I did do NaNo for the last two years and it showed me how much I can do if I am disciplined. This year, I've started a writing challenge of my own called "My Year Of Writing Olympically." So I am writing/practicing every day the way an athelete prepares for a big meet. So far, so good!
My goals are nearly identical to Kristi's (poster #3), in that I'm doing daily revisions of my current novel, trying to write 2,000 words/day and fitting in exercise where I can.
@Kristi: Do you belong to any writing groups? Would you like to be support buddies? 🙂
–Heather
Oops – I think Kristi is Poster #5. Sorry for the typo.
@Heather – I already belong to two groups but I'll email you w/ some ideas. 🙂
@Heather – oops, I don't have Outlook so couldn't get through to you. I found both my groups through SCBWI (as I write YA). If you email me through my blog, I can give you more info. Hope that helps!
I resumed making New Years Resolutions in December and have already achieved two. One was to reach 600 members on #YAlitchat's online community and today that goal was reached. The other was to conquer my fear of synopses and I achieved this on January 8th! It was forced upon me, but it was the one of the best things that could have ever happened to me. Having been victorious in these previously assumed near impossible goals, I am energized and ready to take on whatever comes my way! Dragons, beware! Good luck to all of you!
Cheers-
Georgia McBride
Writing (that includes editing) and exercising everyday isn't a problem for me. Just try to get me to stop. 😉
I'm trying to do the networking thing daily. Not there yet, though.
I write a question every day on my blog, The Question of the Day. Some days the questions come more easily than others, but it's never a chore. 442 days and questions later, it's still fun.
My sister in law also started taking a picture a day after I gave her "A Year of Mornings: 3191 Miles Apart" for Christmas. Authors Maria Alexandra Vettese and Stephanie Congdon Barnes each took a picture every morning and posted them on Flicker. Later they published the book.
My sister in law is posting her photos on Facebook. So far they're beautiful and she's loving the challenge. I bet you will too.