Goal setting for scribes

Like most parents who didn't have a ready supply of free babysitting we've had to be creative on New Years Eve. In the North West we use to invited friends round with children the same age or we went to their houses. Now we usually go the places we can take the children, bowling or to the cinema. I like this tradition. It's fun, relaxed and a lot easier than finding sitters. Tonight I have promised my daughters they could try a glass of champagne, of course I lied! I've got us bottles of Babycham, in memory of my Mother who loved the stuff.  But despite the relaxed holiday feeling, it wouldn't be New Years Eve without reflecting on the past and setting new goals.

2013 has been a year filled with highs and lows. All the highs have been with my writing career. I have had four educational resources published and a few more in the proposal stage. I've been included in several anthologies, including those by Chuffed Books and Dagda Press. My writing prize pot was £225 this year and, I also had a few prizes from live story and poetry evenings. 

Thanks to to excellent fellow scribes who have worked tirelessly to organise spoken word events I've had a successful year. The list include; Southsea Show, Victorious Festival, Pop up Dickens, Lammas Day, and The Alvers Art Festival. Wonderful events which I have learnt so much from.

I think writers are the absolute worse at remembering their achievements which makes it difficult to set new and achievable new goals. I know so many people who don't even keep a record of their publishing history!

I've got a very bad habit of setting myself goals that are unachievable. But here is my list - please notice that I haven't put down the dates I want them achieved by yet. I want to revisit this post in a couple of months to see how well I have done. This year I've decided to divide my goals into sections;

Social Media 

I want to tidy up my blog and webpages

Plus get the email address to work on my storytelling page

Make sure that I can update the Writers at Lovedean page myself

Get an events page up

Get the 2013 Writers at Lovedean anthology out.

Unfortunately I need help with these goals 

Writing

I want to send out my non fiction book proposal out to agents

Maybe get a few more educational resources out without sacrificing my degree work

Write my degree assignments up to my best standard including starting my 20000 word publishing project

Polish my early years book and send it out 

Start writing for Words and Picture SCWBI

Chase Will Sutton with the offer of free coffee to get the promised feedback

Networking

This year I want to go to the SCWBI conference again

I intend to go to the Winchester Conference

Start to regularly go to Portsmouth Writing Hub

Visit Rose's and Tongues and Grooves at least twice.

Storytelling and spoken word

I'm pleased that I've already secured four paid storytelling events for next year

Basically keep an hear out for other opportunities.

Health and well being

Sadly, go back to GP - stop ignoring things for months in the hope they will go away.

I've signed up to Janathon - which is to exercise and blog everyday - great start to the year

I need to go back to a house group at church

Find a good, energising self help recording to listen to while walking

Hopefully do at least 12 park runs - one a month - surely that's do able?

Save up for a new mattress, waking up to lower back pain is a - well a pain.