Friday, January 6, 2012

Do You Have A Plan?

Front Cover

Do you have writing goals for 2012?  

One of my goals is to finish my mg novel NOT A HOLIDAY.   I am going to do is read Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy.  I won an agent critique of the first 10 pages and she gave me some great advice.  She suggested I read this book (by one of her clients).

Lenny and I are going to write a picture book together this year.  He has a great idea for it!  Let's just say...gators rock!

I'm going to keep a daily calendar where I write down what I did pertaining to writing that day.  I think it will show me how much or little I am doing which will hold me accountable. (I don't want any blank pages!)

I will go to at least one writer's retreat/workshop this year.  I'm still wavering on which one to go too.  I want to go to one where I can work with master writers and learn from them.





Do you have a health goal for 2012?

I joined a 10 week extreme fitness program.  I start tomorrow.  I decided it's something I need.
I've put on some weight over the last three years and what I was doing for exercise wasn't working for me.  I'll keep you posted (if you want to know).


In 2012, I'm going to remember to stop and enjoy the small blessings in my life.  Peaches is such a blessing to our family.  She still has a limp, the vet said she probably will always have it.  It doesn't seem to bother her.  She zooms around the house, jumps on Macy and drags toys down the stairs and around the house.

Have you written any goals for this year?  I hope you are going to...I think it makes them more attainable if you put them down on paper.

Happy New Year everyone!

HUGS TO ALL!!!

42 comments:

  1. wow! for sure you got lots youre gonna do for 2012 i hope you get all of them done specially doing a picture book with lenny. oh wait thats me! ha ha im wishing for you the most best new year ever!
    ...big hugs from lenny

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  2. YAY!! You and Lenny! I can't wait to see what you come up with. *waves at Lenny* You know I'm here to read if you need me!!

    Happy weekend.

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  3. Sharon, those are great goals! And I love that you are writing a book with Lenny. How awesome is that?! And I'm available as a critiquer too if you need. :D

    I haven't written down any goals yet, but I did sign up for a half-marathon so that counts, right? :)

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  4. Those are all great goals, Sharon. I can't wait to read your and Lenny's PB!! So cool! :-)

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  5. Best of luck with your fitness challenge! All your goals sound wonderful. You're right, making goals are so important. Mine are pretty much the same as last year's because last year's worked for me. :) All the best in 2012, my friend!

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  6. Hello Sharo....

    HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you had wonderful holiday season.

    I was absent for a while, but now I'm back. I LOVE that you have such attainable goals for 2012.

    Last year I did the fitness thing... I had gotten completely out of control. My life wasn't my own and I took it by the horns, so to speak.

    I lost a whopping 73 pounds, so if I can you can drop those pesky pounds you want to lose.

    Honey, it's not easy. But, with some self control and exercise I know you can do it. Cutting out processed foods, starches, and sugars is a great beginning. The weight will fall off. Stick with organic fruits, veggies, chicken, fish, and meat.

    I know it's extreme, but after you break the sugar addiction (which takes about two weeks of torment) you don't crave it anymore.

    Give yourself time to exercise daily... even if it's just walking for half an hour. Be kind to yourself. This isn't easy. Having the support of family and friends will get you through the first two weeks.

    Good luck with all you goals. I know you will achieve them!

    As for me, my goal is to first go to the SCBWI conference in NYC in a few weeks. Pitch my novel and stranglehold an agent until they rep me... LOL. Seriously.

    I am determined to have a contract this year. My novel is in good shape and has some great feedback so now it's time for the agent.

    I also want to keep up with all my wonderful blogger friends and learn and help anyone I can. Our community is so precious, we need to keep nurturing it for future writers who are scared, shy, and afraid to take the first few baby steps to shine.

    Wishing you and your family a wonderful 2012. Looking forward to hearing from you soon. If you ever need any advice on nutrition or exercise I am your man...

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  7. Aloha Sharon...wishing a great 2012! You certainly have some great goals...I'm sure you'll accomplish great stuff in the coming year...

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  8. Love your goals. I too am keeping track of how I spend writing time. Here's to a productive 2012! YAY! :)

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  9. How fun you and Lenny are doing a project together! I can't wait to see it!! :)

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  10. Goal #1 was to get my query letter in shape (thanks again). I've had a couple people look at it and now I'm going to let Matt at QQQE have a go at it.

    Keeping a journal of writing related activities sounds like a smart idea! :)

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  11. Oh that is so cute--your two pets hugging. Which one is Peaches? I have a goal to finish my book big time. I see the light at the end of my tunnel! I'm on the third or fourth draft. Good luck Sharon!

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  12. Google seems to have ate my comment, but great idea about the writing journal im going to try to this too.

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  13. I want to write a novel this year. That's about as far as I got with the resolutions. Good luck with all of your goals. I now you will reach them. AND, I must tell you, I recently went to an alligator farm. I'm intrigued by the dynamic duo writing a Gator book!

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  14. Awesome that you and Lenny are writing a picture book together!

    I agree that goals are important, including the health ones. I'm working on mine.

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  15. Hey Sharon,
    And welcome to the leap year that is 2012 :)
    Wishing you much success and fulfilment in you finishing your book. Wonderful that you and our young buddy, Lenny, are going to do a picture book together. How empowering for both of you!
    You seem to be visualising a busy and disciplined year. Very positive and encouraging. Enjoy your health regime and all the benefits you will feel.
    Like you, I savour and embrace the small blessings in my life. And Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet star has a touch of a limp. When she was a puppy, the vet had to remove her left rear hip. Luckily, muscle grew in the place of the removed hip. And like Peaches, her limp doesn't seem to bother her.
    My goal this year is to maintain a healthy lifestyle and endeavour to interact within the great blogging community.
    Blessings to you and your loved ones.
    With respect, Gary :)

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  16. I love the idea of having a calendar where you write down what writer things you accomplished that day! I love it so much, I may have to steal it. That's okay, right? (I guess if that's okay, then it's not really stealing...)

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  17. Carpe Diem, is my goal for 2012. 'Seize the day'.

    I hope you attain all your dreams. Happy New Year, to you and yours, Sharon.

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  18. Great goals! I can't wait to hear how the picture book develops! I'm hoping to enter the query wars sometime this year! :)

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  19. Those sound like great goals :) My major goal is book 3 and more exercise too :)
    Damsel in a Dirty Dress

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  20. It is great that you are planning on writing a book with Lenny.
    Also I am wishing that you complete your project at hand and get your book published.
    As far as my plans, I am taking one day at a time. Keeping my sugar under control and taking care of my husband will keep me plenty busy. Now that the Holidays are over, I may have some free time as I can ask them to cut my hours at work. Still I will read a lot. I love reading blogs, magazines and small articles or even stories. When it comes to big volume books I am still struggling remembering previously read chapters. Oh, well - - I will do my best with what I have.
    So, keep the good work going. It is people like you who are keeping books in sight. Hopefully one day we will have book stores like we used to:)

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  21. Extreme fitness training?!?!?! I shudder at the word "extreme"! Yikes!!

    Awww but yay for your writerly goals and your picture book with Lenny!! Awww wow!!! Your 2012 certainly sounds very focused! I hope you do go to a writerly retreat - that is one of my dreams!! I just need to be able to not fret and panic about leaving the cat for longer than a day! LOL! Oh but I do have visions of just being ensconced somewhere secluded and lovely and just writing, writing!

    Hugs to wonderful Peaches and sweet Macy!! Take care
    x

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  22. Awesome goals! All the best to you for meeting all your goals!

    Happy New Year!

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  23. Those are great goals my dear!! Mine? Well, I too am planning to lose some weight and get a bit fitter (I put on weight last year when writing my dissertation) and I have taken up Nordic walking (am in the middle of a Nordic walking weekend). Its 80% more beneficial than going to the gym, you get to spend time outside AND Chris and I are doing it together which is lovely. I have set up another blog and have commited to doing a drawing a day for a year (I must be mad!!). Two friends are doing it along with me...one is drawing and the other is taking photographs. My last goal is to spend a bit more time with Chris. The last two and a bit years have been quite hectic with me away for two/three nights a week so I'm hoping to do less of that this year. We shall see how I get on!

    C x

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  24. Hi Sharon .. writing a picture book will be an amazing experience with Young Lenny .. with his wise head .. I suspect that you'll have a winner on your hands. That is such excellent news ..

    Losing weight .. ya me too - walking up the hill well Downs actually .. should help?! I hope ..

    Do more at the Nursing Centre .. some volunteer work and some freelancing too .. and build some writing skills in and around the residents ..

    2012 - good years for us all .. lots of fun and success for yours .. Peaches looks so happy with Macy watching over her ...

    Fantastic - have fun .. cheers Hilary

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  25. I love this photo of Peaches and Macy together ;) Lovely!
    I applaud your goals and I wish you success in all of them.
    My writing goals are to continue editing and to continue writing at least one blogpost per week just as I did last year.
    I'm trying to surround myself with positivity; that is friends and activities that fulfill me. ;)

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  26. You have some terrific goals outlined! All the best with it!

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  27. All the best with your full list of goals!

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  28. We all have our goals here too, but I don't know if we will get our book finished or not...but it is a good goal!

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  29. I didn't know about Yellow Star. I just downloaded it. Thanks for posting it.

    Good luck on your writing and health goals.

    Peaches is so cute. I'm glad to hear her limp doesn't bother her.

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  30. Yep, I've set some goals for myself for 2012. Did a blog post about them last week. Looking forward to hearing more about the PB you and Lenny will be working on together. How AWESOME!

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  31. I posted on goals today, too! I hadn't thought of writing down daily progress, but that's a great idea!

    Macy and Peaches are so cute together!

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  32. Let's lose this flab!!!!!!!!! And all your goals sound fab, darlin'. (Did I sound like some super wealthy movie star just now?) I know. I agree. I really did. *wink*

    I did not post on goals. I posted on Mojo and that Melissa gave me the best idea to get the mojo back! She's a precious woman! (Movie star again)

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  33. Good luck with your goals. Keeping a calendar is a great idea - I think it's easy to overlook the progress we make.

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  34. It's always a good sign when an agent or editor suggests you read a certain book. Years ago an editor sent me two books to read that she thought would help me. I didn't know at the time what an unusual thing that was, but it shows that they think you have promise.

    Best wishes for you in this new year!

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  35. I'm trying to keep my health at the top of my 'must' list this year Sharon. In the end, we have to make sure we treat ourselves well. Good luck with your book friend!
    xo Catherine

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  36. Good luck with your goals, Sharon. I hope you and Lenny Lee have a fun and productive picture book collaboration.

    What am I going to do? More of the same: write, edit, query, repeat. I hope to make a point to write everyday. I've set up a group to check in with everyday. If we don't write, we'll pay $ to a specific charity.

    I'd better go write.

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  37. Those are some great goals. All the best with your writing project and fitness program. :-)

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  38. Great goals! Love the idea of having a writing calendar. I post weekly progress reports on my blog so that motivates me to get stuff done during the week so I have something to blog about!

    I would love to go to a writing conference this year. The one I normally go to I can't - baby #3 won't even be a month old. Maybe in the fall or winter though...

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  39. Great goals! Enjoy your blessings, good luck with the fitness program (exercising more is on my list of goals this year too--writing is SO sedentary!). Have fun with the reading and the PB writing!!

    I mentioned you in my blog post today, by the way. :)

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  40. You're going to write a picture book with Lenny? That is so awesome!

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  41. Excellent goals! Best of luck with all of them.

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  42. A great bunch of resolutions! I have health and writing goals as well; let's hope I keep them!

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