Time Management Tuesday: Time To Make Next Year's Goals And Objectves, Whether 2022 Is Better Or Not. Especially If It's Not

At the end of 2020, I was relieved that I'd made it to the end of the plague year. Damned if at the end of 2021 I'm not relieved about the same thing. That doesn't seem like a lot of movement, but it's an example of having to take whatever win you're offered.

Without a doubt, having goals and objectives--something to focus upon and do--has been hugely beneficial these last two years. Work can be an opportunity to get away from it all.

Okay, time to make the goals and objectives for 2022. In these annual goals and objectives posts I usually remind everyone that a goal is what you plan to do, an objective is an act you are going to take to do what you plan to do. And, look! I've just done it again.

But this year I want to also suggest that goals should be directed toward something you can control. Any time you want to do something that involves someone else, you lose at least some control of it, if not all.

For example, I will sometimes read about unpublished writers who have "signing with an agent this year" as a goal. But writers can't control what agents do. Yes, I know some will argue that "writing a fine book" gives you control with agents, but, no, it doesn't. You cannot control how someone else will perceive or respond to your work, no matter how fine you or your writers' group colleagues think it is. Better goals related to the agent search would be 1."I will submit work to agents this year" or 2. "I will submit to X number of agents this year." All the work and action in those goals is on the people making them. They have control.

This came to mind, because this year I would like to break into one of the two big humor sites on Medium and get at least one thing accepted at a nonMedium publication. But I'm not making those publication desires goals, because I can't control what editors do. Instead, I am making submitting to those publications objectives for a more general submission goal.

 

Gail's Goals And Objectives For 2022

 

Goal 1. Work on short-form writing, essays, and short stories.  

Objectives:

• Work on the humor and flash pieces I began or revised/organized in December. I have 31 of them. I need to do a post about that another time.
• Spend a lot more time with Facebook flash and essay-writing groups, checking out what people are publishing and where
  
• Look for more on-line writing classes/workshops. I signed up for one today.
  
• Commit more time to reading essays and short stories  

 

Goal 2. Finish a draft of YA thriller that could become an adult thriller.  

Objectives:

• I took a break from this project after November, so I'll need to reread what I've done to bring myself back up to speed. 
• I have some outlining/blueprinting done for the next work. Go over this and extend it.
  
• Read YA thrillers.
  
• Read history, since that's a significant factor for a character and maybe in other ways. 
• Make a big push on this during May.

 

Goal 3. Concentrate on submissions and maintaining the number of submissions I made last year.

Objectives:

• Try to submit once a month to a Medium publication. I have something ready to go right now.
  
• Submit to the two major humor sites at Medium.
  
• Submit to the journal that was encouraging last year. I haven't done this yet, because I want to revise something for them.
  
• Search for agents to submit to, particularly for the adult manuscripts that haven't been submitted to as many people as the middle grade stories have
  
• Take advantage of Twitter pitch opportunities
  

 

 Goal 4. Community Building/General Marketing/Branding

 Objectives: 

• Mark Original Content's 20th anniversary with reprinting material from the archives that connect with present events.
• Provide social media support for writers/bloggers generating diversity material. If nothing else, I can combine some archival material to do this and mark OC's anniversary at the same time. A multiplier!
  
• Continue with the virtual author opportunities posts, if I continue to find them.
  
• Attend virtual book launches and promote here.
  
• Use NetGalley to support authors with new books publishing this year.
  
• Continue with promoting Original Content at Facebook communities, Goodreads' blog, and Twitter.
  
• Check-in with goals and objectives quarterly. 

You may notice a difference in priorities this year, with my short-form work going to Goal 1 and my YA/children's work going to Goal 2. This is not because I think any less of YA/children's literature. It's because over the last few years I've been able to make some progress with short-form work. After a relatively successful mid-list career some time ago, I'm now up against a brick wall with the YA/children's work.

But, remember, Original Content has been here for 20 years. If there's one thing I can do, it's stick with things. I am sticky. I am chaos and sticky.