I’m always asking you about your goals. It’s only fair, now, that I share mine. These are my upcoming goals and projects for the new year!
This is where I set my intention.
When I announce it out loud to the world, suddenly, I’m accountable to more than just myself.
Goal One: The Big One!
I’m writing a book. I’ve been hinting at it for months and been referring to it as my baby journal book which, really, isn’t a terribly useful thing to call it.
What is it?
I had a hard time writing fiction while pregnant with my daughter Lila. I was teaching, plus developing a curriculum for new classes in addition to being pregnant. I couldn’t concentrate. My writing mentor told me to journal. It doesn’t matter what you write. It only matters that you write every day.
Nine years later, I’m turning that journal into a book. (This journal, by the way, has also sparked many a pitch and article.)
The journal itself is kind of boring and painful to read. I can’t imagine anyone other than myself and perhaps Lila wanting to read it.
Thankfully, I’ve long since learned to accept that when you write, you also produce a lot of crap. This is why we edit. I’ve learned to see beyond the individual details to a more whole picture, and so far, I’ve completed a first draft.
The book deals with the things that books like What To Expect When You’re Expecting do not.
Many women and new parents-to-be feel ambivalent. Your life changes. Your body changes. There’s a lot of guilt infused into the parenting mix as well. Are you eating the right food, giving birth in the right place, breathing the right air?
Living abroad and traveling has shown me that the pregnancy norm in one country is considered weird or even dangerous in another. So how does one navigate a healthy, guilt-free and even enjoyable pregnancy?
The first chapter is about the choice to be a parent.
For years, I never wanted kids. People told me, “One day you’ll change your mind.” I did, but not everybody does. Parenting is a choice, and No should be as viable an option as Yes.
That is where I begin. Choice.
Goal Two: Continue working with writers to reach their goals
In 2013, I began coaching and mentoring writers again. I’ve had the pleasure of watching people pick up projects and feel inspired and motivated to finish. It’s been wonderful coaching new writers as they express themselves and develop confidence in their words and expertise.
If you’re looking for someone to give you that extra support as you write, e-mail me at leigh(at)thefutureisred(dot)com, and let me know how I can help!
Goal Three: Continue pitching and publishing articles.
Right now, I have three articles for other websites waiting to be published. They’re done, submitted, and I’ll let you know when they’ve been released into the world.
Otherwise, my pitch jar is completely empty. I’ve been so busy finishing my Pitch Guide, writing accepted articles and working on my book that I failed to pitch a thing.
The antidote?
I’ve taken on a 13-Pitch Challenge. Anyone who wants to join and talk about it, feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me.
I’m leading an even more structured version of the challenge in The Writer’s Process, the private online writing group I run. Each week, we focus on one part of the challenge. Brainstorming ideas. Isolating topics. Exploring and reading publications to pitch. Fleshing out ideas and developing angles on those topics, including research.
We post and share the results and other members of the process make suggestions, give ideas and help us each expand our ideas for what we can pitch.
Want to join us? Pitching isn’t the only focus of The Writer’s Process. We also write, workshop and give feedback on each others work. You can find out more information about The Writer’s Process here.
Finally… Goal Four: Create additional custom content for my readers and newsletter subscribers
I’m currently working on two courses. The first is a guide for pitching on Udemy. It’s the extension of my Quick & Dirty Guide to Pitching and Getting Published. You do the course on your own time.
(If you’d like a copy of my Quick & Dirty Guide to Pitching, sign up for my newsletter. I provide links to this and other free content every time I publish a new one.)
As soon as that is complete, I’ll continue developing a Journal Your Way To A Writing Career course. I based this curriculum not only on my personal experiences turning journals into books, pitches and published articles but on the successful experiences my clients have had using journaling as a way to write.
As for custom content, this is the year I will post video and photography. I’ve always been a bit shy to post, but the internet is such a wonderful medium for allowing the visual to enhance the written word. It’s high time I got up the gumption to post my own.
There you have it. My long term goals.
What can you expect to see short term?
1. My 13 pitches.
I’m a bit behind at the moment. I’ve developed three so far.
2. An excerpt of the book posted.
I look forward to your comments.
3. And finally, my very first video.
I’ve already written the script, now I have only to film and edit. I’m not a fan of being in front of the camera, so I guess it’s time to just get over that.
When? By the end of January.
Jesus, now that I’ve said it, I have to actually do it, don’t I?
