I've been launching my new year with Julie's positive challenge for writers since its inception. Back again, I'm ready to go into 2020 and make the beginning of a new decade mine.
Children's author Julie Hedlund, challenged participants of her 12 Days of Christmas for Writers series to post SUCCESSES (rather than resolutions) on our blogs this year. She believes the way New Year's resolutions are traditionally made come from a place of negativity - what DIDN'T get done or achieved in the previous year. Instead, she suggests we set goals for the New Year that BUILD on our achievements from the previous one. Here is my list for 2019.
Goals I Met from 2018 Challenge
1. Revised my mss with a proven method. I did use the Manuscript Magic tools from a class I took in 2018 with my critique group Mojo Sisters, but I refined the process to make it my own. 2019 turn out to be the year revision for me more than a year of new work. Goal met.
2. I did create a comprehensive submission spreadsheet culling all my subs and editor/agent comments. I was spurred on by my #PBChat mentor Lindsay Leslie to create this. Goal met.
3. I continued to connect w/writers, agents, and editors via SM and conferences. Without the exact goal to grow my twitter presence, I now have 1570 followers just by connecting with like-minded kid lit people. Goal met.
4. Continued my accountability check-ins with writer friend Beth Stillborn every Monday. We are now going on our 3rd year to share what we accomplished each week. TY, Beth. Goal met.
5. Kept moving forward to reach my goal of publication by hitting 100 submissions and creating a FB group for this with Beth Gallagher. Goal continues as we started the FB group and have close to 50 members. I didn't get to100 subs, but did sub monthly with good results which I'll share in the next section of this post.
6. Continued honing craft by taking a year's worth classes and intensives via Arree Chung's Storyteller Academy. Whispering Pines Writing Retreats 2 & 3, Storystorm, ReFoReMo, mini-retreat w/5 Ohio writers, and other classes offered via my Central- Southern Ohio SCBWI. Goal met.
2019 Successes
1. I completed only a few new drafts, but the new ones came faster and I was able to revise with less emotional attachment this year.
2. My submissions yielded more responses and feedback from both editors and agents.
3. I had a near miss with an agent taking me on but she was having "life issues" and couldn't add to her client list. I'd met her at a conference, and we connected via another writer friend, one of her clients.
4. The story she liked became my signature picture book of the year. I had author Jim Averbeck review it, I revised it and it garnered me my #PBChat mentor, Lindsay Leslie.
5. Out of over 1500+ submissions to the 1st #PBChat mentorship, I found a publish author willing mentor me! This was my 4th time trying to find a mentor. Advice - don't give up even if things didn't go well before.
6. With my mentor, Lindsay Leslie, we pinpointed my 3 most marketable, well-written mss, took one to the Agent Showcase and 1 agent request. Still waiting to hear @ this point.
7. My critique group is getting stronger and better as writers and had their own success: one has an agent, another will be published in 2020, and a third is a Highlights Diversity Fellow. Because their work is of such high quality, it helps me when I get their feedback.
8. I've received honorable mentions in the writing contests I've entered this year.
9. The group blog to which I belong, GROG, continues to grow readership and debut authors are now asking us to review their books and get on our schedule.
10. I am writing stories that I am passionate about and feel will help readers.
11. I've made new friends in the kid lit community, all who make my goals seem possible and make life rewarding and fun.
12. I am blessed by individual writer friends w/whom I can share work outside my critique group when I need fresh eyes on a story.
13. My commitment to Storyteller Academy also led to a new critique group that is dedicated and international. TY, Wonder Women.
14. I am lucky that ideas come easily for me and I have plenty of new stories to complete.
15. I spoke at the Ohio Educational Library Media conference this year and also at Nerd Camp MI.
16. I have several writer friends who will call me weekly to brainstorm ideas or just chat. The friendships I made this year extend beyond just writing.
17. I enjoy revision much more than last year.
18. 39/100 submissions. I stopped subbing around August as I spent the last quarter the year revising my work.
19. My motto for 2019, "Say Yes to Every Opportunity" worked for me.
