The Year in Writing, So Far
Share your goals!
Just a couple of weeks ago, I wrote in this newsletter about the summer slowdown in publishing and how it’s a great time to take a break. Now it already feels like time to start planning for fall.
“Fall” around our house is really the second half of August. My husband and I have teaching jobs, and mid-August is when everything gears back up for him in secondary education, and for me with my MFA students. At this point in July, we each start getting organized in our own ways.
Part of that, for me, includes looking back on January-June to see what I got done, what I wanted to get done that I didn’t, and any adjustments I want to make to my goals for the rest of the year.
In the first half of 2022, here’s what I got done:
Turned in the first draft of my next contracted novel.
Edited and published the This Creative Life book.
Launched A Song Called Home.
Wrapped the Launch Box series on the podcast.
Wrote a good chunk on a potential next project.
Shepherded 2 MFA students through the writing and revision of their thesis projects (and I get to see them graduate next month!).
Wrote and submitted a nonfiction proposal (which was ultimately rejected—or “did not go forward” to use a popular publishing euphemism).
What’s ahead for the second half of the year:
More interview episodes for the podcast. I meant to do more in the first half of the year, but these do tend to fall by the wayside when I’m feeling busy or overwhelmed because they involve more coordination and production time than the things I do on my own.
Revising the contracted novel. I just had a long meeting with my editor this week about it, and am excited about the next draft. Ideally, this book will be all finalized and wrapped up by the end of the year, but that’s not entirely in my control.
Sell a new project. I think I know where my energy wants to go for my next project and I’ve been having fun working on it. It’s a little off-brand for me, so I’m trying to have a finished or very near finished (partial + detailed outline) to go out with vs a couple of sample chapters and a synopsis.
Work with my new MFA students.
Make the audiobook of the This Creative Life book. The main thing that’s holding me up here is having a recording space that will yield the best possible results. I live in a condo and random noise happens. That’s fine for a labor-of-love podcast, but not for an audiobook I want to sell via Libro.fm and Audible. I either need to rent a booth or find a friend who lives in a quiet neighborhood in a carpeted home with a big closet full of blankets!
Pick up a couple of new consulting or coaching clients. (Interested? More about what I offer here.)
Decide if I want to do more with the aforementioned nonfiction proposal. It was written basically upon request for a very specific niche, and before I put more work into it I have to assess my actual interest level in doing it. Right now, it’s not that high (which probably came through in the proposal!).
If none of my money-making enterprises pan out by the end of the year, something to add to the list for 2023 may be “find a day job.” In the freelance life, it’s always a guessing game as far as whether or not ends will meet!
What are your writing goals for the second half of the year?
More free books!
Yes, the great BookFunnel Promo Experiment of ‘22 continues. You can get some more free books! They are supposed be full books, according to the rules of the promo, but I noticed last time that some aren’t. So I make no guarantees except that my book is there, complete, and free to download.
I did this as a way to build newsletter subscriptions, and it has definitely accomplished that! I hope you new subscribers who came via BookFunnel are enjoying the content. If not, you can always unsubscribe. I won’t tell! And if so:
This Creative Life is a book, a newsletter, and a podcast from me, Sara Zarr, about reading between the lines of a writing life. The newsletter and podcast are free; buying the book helps support them and me. You can also make one-time contributions if you like. Check out the options under Support at thiscreative.life or jump right to ko-fi. Sharing the newsletter is also a great way to keep it going!
