kristaphillips Don’t you love it when you hit a milestone? Not like a certain birthday or anything, I know for some of us that can get depressing. But I’m talking more like goal milestones. Every time you reach another 1k mark on your WIP, or better yet that 5k or 10k interval. There’s just this sense of accomplishment, that YES! I DID IT! feeling that spurs you on to do more.
I am a believer in shooting for the moon and not selling myself short, but I like realistic goals as well that aren’t SO far fetched that I’ll never reach them.
My local writer’s group does a weekend writing blitz at the end of every month. I really wavered on what goal to put for myself this weekend. Last weekend, I hit the 20k mark. I was SO SO excited. I was finally past the whole introduction and could really get into the meat of the story that will work towards the climax and end. Exciting stuff!
I don’t get a lot of time during the week to write with the kids and work, so I really depend on my weekends to catch up. Last weekend, I moved my word count up from 15 to 20k. But for this weekend, I really wanted to knock it out of the park. I was sitting at 20,500 words and had this dream of grandeur to hit 30K. But, well, that’s almost 10k words in a weekend and is pretty unrealistic.
So I settled. I set my goal at making it to 25k instead of 30k.
Guess what? I’m already there, and it’s only Saturday evening! My 30k goal is daring me to try it, but we’ll see.
Other milestones lately?
-Last week, I sent out my first query letter of the year on LOL.
-I completed my synopsis, rough as it may be, for the book I’m currently writing.
-On Monday, I will finish my genesis entries and hopefully submit them. This is my first time entering the Genesis!
-My last blog post was #150 since I first started blogging!
-It is almost exactly one year from the day I sent out my VERY FIRST REAL PROPOSAL to an agent. (I sent two really horrible query letters before that. They don’t count!)
I don’t point out all these things to say, “I rock.” However, I do believe in celebrating the milestones, the little wins, that happen along the journey. An unpublished author gets so many rejections and way too much discouraging news, I say keep your chin up and celebrate the small stuff. Each is a step closer, each is the mark of walking in obedience with the Savior, because in the end, nothing would be possible if God wasn’t blessing the journey.
**discussion**
I’d love to hear YOUR wins lately. Whether it be BIG news or small milestones, let’s celebrate together. (and it doesn’t have to be writing related!)
Krista, aside from Rachelle rejecting my query it’s been a banner year so far for me. I’ve had my washer and dryer (which were far away from one another and backwards) reversed and smushed together after five years! DH caved and bought me a garage fridge so I can actually store the food he buys at Costco. DH surprised me and the kids with a family trip to Hawaii this summer! I have three partials out and one going out next week. Albeit the one going out next week is requested in their guidelines not a personal invite, but hey I’ll take it. Oh and most important after 6 months of chronic fatigue (for reasons unknown) I started feeling amazing in January (granted a parasite cleanse was involved.) Gee and I think I met my word count goal for today lol! Praise God for his wonderful mercy.
I LOVE your optimism! And I SO SO SO envy your trip to Hawaii!
And partial requests are great! Congrats!!!!
wow, you’ve hit some milestones for sure.
I hit 200 blog posts…is that a milestone? Oh, I finaled in a writing contest (results not out yet). I attended my first ever writers conference in fall of 2008. My hubby and I celebrated 12 years of marriage….
I think those are a few of them .. Thanks for the post. Love to talk about things gone right…and are good…. **smile**