2021 Goals – Mid-year review

Because every professional needs goals, I set out some writing goals for 2021 in December last year. I thought now we are half-way through 2021, that I should revisit these goals and see how my progress is tracking.

These Cursed Waters

• Submit to at least 30 Agents by 31st December – Since the beginning of this year, I have submitted These Cursed Waters for 22 opportunities, so I think I’m well on track to achieve this goal by the end of the year.

The Selkie Curse

• A submission-ready draft by 31st May
  • Including: Manuscript, Query Letter, Synopsis – I haven’t yet finished my edits for TSC, I estimate I will have everything done by the end of August. Only the synopsis has been revised and is ready to go. Between the pandemic, a full-time day-job and the end of financial year, it’s been hard to find the time and creative energy to edit.
• A revised synopsis for book 2 by 30th June – Done! I even finished this one a few days early!

Bleed For Me

• Do outline review by 31st January – Done!
• First draft done by 30th September – Currently at 39% and due to finish by 13 November based on my 500 words per day average. I’ll likely still make my original deadline as I tend to write faster towards the end and get excited by my next project.
• Start the structural edit in December – Should be achievable if everything goes to plan. I like to leave my manuscript at least a month before I do any edits.

Other Projects

• Untitled new series #1 book 1 outline by 31st March – Done! The working title for this book is Embers.
• Untitled new series #2 book 1 outline by 30th November – I need to decide which project this will be, but I have several in the ideation phase which I’m excited to explore.

Other Activities (because sometimes you can’t predict the cool opportunities that will come up)

• I have written 4 out of my 5 blog posts on editing TSC as part of my outreach for the Anne Edgeworth Fellowship
• I got TSC submitted to my editor on time for the manuscript assessment
• I have become more involved with my local writers guild, the CSFG and met some really cool people
• On June 14, I achieved one year of writing 500 words a day. It’s well and truly a part of my daily routine
• I completed by 2021 reading challenge to read 50 books – I might have to set a higher goal for next year!
• I participated in CampRevPit on Twitter which was a whole load of fun

Overall, this has been a busy year for me, and not just for writing. I still have quite a lot left to do, but at least we’re only halfway through the year! In December, I will post my full reflection on my goals and create my goals for 2022.