Prompt: Have you set a writing plan for 2019? If not why not? Do you feel planning makes you more productive or less productive?
I haven”t made a writing plan yet but I think I will. Generally speaking, plans help me avoid wasted time. For instance, I might not write any more than I would have without the plan, but what I do write is more likely to be what’s on my plan than random waste-of-time writing. Okay, I don’t normally have writing plans, I don’t think, but this is generally what happens to me with plans.
I did have a writing bucket list once. Let’s see what was on that…
Handwrite all my poems into journals
Finish, edit and print Grand & Epic Adventures
Write a short story based on one of my ancestors
Write a short story based on my own life
Write a poem about Boxing Days
Write a poem about each of my family members
My dad
My mum
My older sister
My younger sister
My husband
My son
My daughter
My father-in-law
My mother-in-law
Complete National Poetry Writing Month
Complete National Novel Writing Month
Fill a journal with writing
Send a snail mail letter to my younger sister in the UK
Send a snail mail letter to my godson in Australia
Send a snail mail letter to my goddaughter in Australia
Send a snail mail letter to my grandmother in Australia
Send a snail mail letter to my great uncle in the UK
Send a snail mail letter to my uncle in Australia
Send a snail mail letter to my friend Beth in the US
Send a snail mail letter to my old next door neighbour
Take a poetry writing or appreciation class
Hey, I’ve actually done quite a few of the things on my list! When I was checking the list though, I realised I hadn’t updated any of my 2018 to-do lists and made 2019 lists. I need to do that. This is a great prompt, because I hadn’t thought about doing this earlier!
Okay, let’s do writing, and then I’ll do the other ones after posting this entry.
Last year I set myself a goal of writing a poem and a short story every month. I failed that pretty spectacularly. I didn’t write any short stories at all last year and I think I only wrote poems in about six of the 12 months. Ugh. So I won’t set that goal again.
Oh, I should probably mention that I also have a Writing.com list (for entering contests, etc) and a blogging list. So I don’t count blogging as writing for the purpose of this writing list. Sorry if that confuses you!
Okay, let’s set a goal of writing at least one short story in 2019. That’ll be an improvement over 2018!
I do wanna write some poems this year. Maybe I should set a number instead of a timeline? Like 10 poems in 2019?
The more I think about this, the harder it gets. Because I was like ‘Oh, I need to do some book reviews too’, but that’s a different list as well (reading). Clearly I have too many lists.
So I put this blog entry down, went away, spent half the day watching Youtube videos and making a rock playlist and I’m still no closer to answer.
Okay, here goes. Executive decision. Write six poems and one short story by 30 June, and write a total of 12 poems and two short stories by the end of the year. Done!
Now I gotta update my other lists…
Good luck 🙂
I’m yet to come up with a definitive list, so I just write somewhat aimlessly!
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