Comments on: Writing Goals

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 12:43:00 +0000

“I’ll write you a whole post on outlines”

score! i’m always wondering about outlines.

By: Penni

Penni — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 08:24:00 +0000

I’d like to write a Margaret Atwood, A.S. Byatt style story within a story type novel, with lots of interesting language and characters, but a nice sturdy plot and some rich subplots too.
I’d also like to write full, world-building fantasy because a) I think it would be fun and b) magic in the real world is so much more of a headache than I ever expected it would be.
I’d also like to write a ballet book.
And in an alternative universe where I had lots of time to dream and I was another me with another voice I’d like to write a really fabulous, beautiful picture book. I am so in awe of really good picture book writers, like Bob Graham. Not a beat, not a word wrong.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 23:10:23 +0000

Just one goal. Write a science fiction musical.

By: Robin L

Robin L — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 21:28:27 +0000

I don’t see why you can’t incorporate magic or werewolves or bloodshed or fairies into a thriller. Heck, maybe even a mainstream, but certainly a thriller. Normally i don’t read thrillers, but if it had a fairy or a werewolf? I’d be all over that…

I, too, have always wanted to publish in many different categories; chick lit, historical, fantasy, mystery, urban fantasy, and romance. Due to the very wise words of someone (cough-cough::JL::cough-cough) I am finding I can do all of those in YA.

Huh. As I typed that list, I realized the only one I haven’t done so far is the romance, but I’m working on that right now in nano. Cool!

lemme see. I’ve done 1st and 3rd POV (great breakdown of the pov’s the other day, btw) and have no desire to do second.

I’ve done stand alones and a trilogy and just sold the 2nd book in what’s shaping up to be a series.

I used to have publishing goals, but I don’t any more. THey’re too hard to control and take away the fun of writing for me. So now I have writing goals, which are basically to write two books a year that excite and challenge me, and just hope they do the same for others. With luck, one of those others will be my editor. {g}

By: may

may — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 17:15:49 +0000

i’d like to write until muse retires.

then i can get my life back.

By: alison

alison — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 12:12:55 +0000

Justine,
just saw this over on ReadAlert and thought of you: http://ashespoetry.blogspot.com
A cricket poet!
Alison

By: Justine

Justine — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:17:04 +0000

Rebecca: I’ll write you a whole post on outlines. (I was sort of kidding about the spreadsheet. And mocking Scott’s detailed one. Mine only really tracks wordcounts and it’s not really useful until the first draft is done..)

Diana: Oh, sure, that’s my goal too. Except for the retiring bit.

Mike: If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller has lots of second person. Also Black Idol. I’m sure there are others can’t think of them offhand, but.

Marrije: If you type it on a blog it’s not a secret anymore . . . But I promise not to tell anyone.

Hah! I’m waiting for Chabon to come and say that to me, too. One day . . .

By: marrije

marrije — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 11:11:08 +0000

My current public goal is to finish writing one (1) book in a way that makes me happy enough. Say a second draft that makes sense overall, has convincing people and not too many gaping plot holes. Preferably this year, since I’m getting dangerously close to my 40th birthday and thither lie midlife crises.

My secret personal goal is for one of my books to be published one day, and that a writer I really respect (like, say, oh, michael chabon) comes up to me to say, dude, that was good. I want to belong with the cool people, yes.

By: Mike

Mike — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 08:48:39 +0000

Give second person a miss. Have ‘you’ ever read anything good in that voice?

By: Diana

Diana — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 04:16:22 +0000

I call mine comedies, but only because chick lit appears to have fallen from favor.

My goal is simple: make my living as a writer for the next 60-odd years.

Then retire.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:26:26 +0000

i have a question: do you outline? or do you just have a general concept of what you’re going to write? I know you do that spreadsheet thing, but do you start out that way, or not until after the first draft? or something else entirely?

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:22:35 +0000

my writing goals: pass my writing classes (A’s would be nice, but yanno, whatev) and get something, somewhere, that i’m proud of, published. preferably in the not-too-distant future. and more immediately, finish something, as in for real finish, as in “i wouldn’t be embarrassed to send this to an agent” published. i’ve completed drafts before but have nothing that wouldn’t mortify me yet.

By: Justine

Justine — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 03:02:15 +0000

Lee: At least you can control the writing of those novels. Took me forever to get an agent . . .

Dan: Do not question publishing truths!

By: Dan Goodman

Dan Goodman — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:15:25 +0000

“Some would say that for those writing for the grown ups publishing in so many different categories is career suicide.”

Oh, right — that’s why Dean Koontz’s career fizzled, while people who settled down to steady work on a “Soviet Union invades US” series are raking in the royalties.

By: Lee Battersby

Lee Battersby — Tue, 21 Nov 2006 02:05:47 +0000

I very much like the fact that your goals are internal, rather than external: they’re about what you can do, rather than about what you want the rest of the world to acknowledge.

I’m probably not that well-realised as a person

Right now, my goals are simple: sell the first novel, get myself a US-based agent, complete my second novel, start and complete my third. In other words, swap treadmills.

I’ve written the 1st novel, and I’m partway through the second. I’m finding it hard hard hard to attract an agent. But that’s me asking the world for acknowledgement, so….