One Down, Two More to Go and Getting Ahead

I got a nice surprise a couple of days ago when I happened to end up on my profile pulling up an article or two. I had applied for FC Crafts & Hobbies at Y!CN two or three weeks ago and was anxiously waiting on the email letting me know yea or nay. I should've been keeping an eye on my profile instead, because I still haven't gotten an email, but I do have the designation of Featured Contributor for Crafts & Hobbies on my profile now. One down, two more to go.

I'm getting ahead and hopefully staying there by getting my FC assignments done before I've gotten the actual assignments. All I'll have to do is copy and paste at the start of next month. This goes hand in hand with planning for the bad days goal I set. Having the articles already written means I don't have to worry about them at all.

Baby steps toward meeting my writerly goals I set for this year. I'm also working on not being so hard on myself and taking things one day at a time. It's a bad habit of mine, one I'm really am trying to change. On days the words don't flow so well, I'm taking a step back from whatever I'm doing before frustration sets in. Pushing through, or trying to, usually leaves me in tears and I get nothing done. All of us writerly types have to find a schedule that works for us and tactics that gets stuff done. I'm slowly but surely finding mine.

Hazy Days

That's about the way I've felt today, hazy. That's what happens when you stay up all night, grab a three hour nap then continue to try to function. It's something that happens at least once a week so I roll with the punches and still get work done. My best ever was 5 articles written in one sleepless night/day with no naps. I should be able to do that in the hours between bedtimes, not needing to stay up to do it.

I've enjoyed reading a few more writely goals and that word that begins with "R" from fellow writers. Made me think a bit more on my own goals and anything else I wanted to achieve this year. 

I want to commit to becoming an FC in three categories, specifically Crafts & Hobbies, Food & Wine and Home Improvement. Have tons to contribute in those categories. I've already applied for crafts and waiting to see what the answer is. It'll keep me publishing articles at YCN while I occupy myself writing about other interests in between. That commitment is a way to force my focus while I boost my monthly income. Sometimes it's what has to happen to get me moving. 

I also want to get my freelancing blog put together that will present me as the professional freelance writer that I am. That will help toward expansion and new job opportunities. Even an FB page to round it off and make it complete.

Now I'm all set and ready to face the year ahead of me. Anything I achieve beyond these goals is sweet indeed!

A Few Writerly Goals for the Coming Year

I'm not big on doing New Year's resolutions, personally or professionally. I usually avoid them like the plague. Merely reading the words "New Year's resolutions" can start raising welts on my skin. *checks* Oops, pushing it with the words. So, in order to keep the hives at bay I decided to rename the whole thing. It shall not be NYR, it is forever known from this moment forward as......drum roll......Writerly New Year's Goals!

Goals are good. It's a nice calm, steady word that means gettin' stuff done. Yes, I said gettin'. Not very writerly of me or proper, but it's my blog and I'm a southern girl, so you'll see the occasional dropped "g" on a few words here and there. Back to the matter at hand. It's all about mindset, mine specifically. The twisted maze that passes for my brain has to be tricked into thinking what I want it to think. Resolution sounds so final, proper and....doomish, at least to me. On with the list already.

Karen's Writerly New Year's Goals

*Attain the lofty goal of Clout 9 by the end of the year at Y!CN. I calculated the pv and then promptly shoved the number out of my head. Got some work ahead, but it should be easier with the pages and pages and pages of ideas I've already jotted down. I'm adding more everyday.

*Write more for DS per day if possible. I'll wring every bit out that I can since it's the place that pays me two times a week. I'm not getting that anyplace else, nor the amount per article. I'd like to reduce my dependence on them to make my living though.

*Figure out a way to effectively manage my time to get more work done. I'll admit I'm a big time procrastinator. There, I actually said it out loud. Hello, my name is Karen and I'm a procrastinator. I hate that about myself, but am going to find a way to kick it to the curb. At the very least, I'll manage to hogtie it up and then laugh awhile at how funny it looks lying there on the ground.

*Plan for bad days. Being a writer with a chronic pain condition can really suck. On really bad days I get little to nothing done. That hurts my bottom line pretty badly sometimes, especially when I have more than one bad day in a row. I need to get ahead somehow so I have "padding" for those days money wise and pre-written articles for Y!CN. I may not feel like writing, but at least I'll have something to turn in.

There ya have it...a few writerly goals for the coming year to focus on. When I set my mind to something, I can accomplish it. I have friends, lots of friends, to give me a swift kick in the rear if I falter. Just don't be kicking me for fun, it really hurts.