Are You Achieving Your Writing Goals?

Written by Mridu Khullar


Continued from page 1
It’s also important to incorporate life changes into your goal-setting. I lost two grandparents this year, which not only forced me to take a physical vacation from work, but an emotional one as well. I needed to give myself time to heal in order to get back to work refreshed and with new vigor. If you’re going through stressful times, don’t expect yourself to be as productive as say, when you’re having a great year. Cut down on your goal list a little and be easy on yourself. Making yourself work too hard when you’re not physically or emotionally ready to, will not help you meet your goals; instead it’ll detract you from them. Are you confusing your long-term and short-term goals? Writing a novel is my long-term goal. A “someday.” But I’m not there yet. And I know I’m not going to be able to work on my dream novel this year, next year or maybe evenrepparttar one after that. If I do, I’ll be taking time away fromrepparttar 128551 non-fiction work that paysrepparttar 128552 bills and forrepparttar 128553 next couple of years, I can’t afford to do that. Putting “write a novel” on my list of goals forrepparttar 128554 year isn’t going to make me feel too good about myself, especially as this goal gets carried forward year after year. Instead, I’m putting it on my “to do before I’m 30” list. That way, it’s not too near, and it’s not so far away that it becomes a distant dream instead of reality. Once I’ve cracked a good number of national magazines, finished and published a couple of non-fiction books and can afford to take time away from non-fiction, I can consider taking a risk with fiction. Are you keeping track? The biggest problem I face right now is keeping track of where allrepparttar 128555 time went. While to an outsider it may seem like I’m working almost allrepparttar 128556 time,repparttar 128557 truth is, I waste a lot of time on e-mail, reading newsletters, networking with fellow writers and well, checking e-mail. To counter this problem, I started keeping a daily journal to keep track of where my writing time was really going. My productivity’s almost doubled since I started doing this. Keeping an hour-to-hour or even a daily tab of what I’d achieved for that day kept me accountable and ready to tacklerepparttar 128558 next important task on my list, rather than checking e-mail one more time. And if an entry for a particular day reads, “Revised article for Wedding Dresses, conducted research on a new idea,” I’d immediately know that I needed to increase my productivity, and by how much. Sure, checking e-mail is work too, but it’s not bringing in any money. So I make it secondary work and answer incoming mails only once a day, unless they need urgent attention. Are your priorities straight? Which brings me to my next point. Set your priorities right and work top to bottom. A technique that works for many people is to make a daily list of things that need to be done. Then, inrepparttar 128559 order of priority, tackle them one by one, striking them offrepparttar 128560 list. Atrepparttar 128561 end ofrepparttar 128562 day, even if you have some work unattended to, it can easily be transferred torepparttar 128563 next day’s list, since it’ll be atrepparttar 128564 lowest priority. Do you have a fixed schedule? I still struggle with this one, but each time I’m able to set a schedule for myself, I find that I’m happier, more energetic and much more productive. Getting up at six inrepparttar 128565 morning one day, not sleeping for another two days and then getting a whole lot of slumber on and off forrepparttar 128566 next three days eats into your energy and taxes your brain much more than it should. It also becomes a cause for unnecessary delays and interruptions. Instead of surrendering to your muse whenever it shows up, program your body to work for a fixed time each day. Your brain will automatically recognize that as time to work and get onrepparttar 128567 job. Make your routine consistent. When our body gets used to doing something at a particular time, we’re able to do with ease. So if you’ve decided to write five pages each morning beforerepparttar 128568 kids get up, make sure to do it. Answer these questions honestly and get to work on these techniques. You’ll find all your goals ticked off your list byrepparttar 128569 end of this year.

Mridu Khullar is a full-time freelance writer and the editor-in-chief of www.WritersCrossing.com. Sign-up for her *free* 12-day e-course "Write Query Letters That Sell" at http://www.writerscrossing.com/ecourses.html


Keeping a Love Journal

Written by Catherine Franz


Continued from page 1

Possible Memorable Items to Include

Here are a few items that can help expand your love writing.. Of course, these items will transition with your intention, style, and voice.

1. Start by acknowledgingrepparttar event. The place, day and time.

2. What was your emotional state atrepparttar 128549 time? Did you feel sad, say so. Angry, shocked, or confused, say so. Even love letters and journals have more than one emotion. Were you grieving atrepparttar 128550 time?

3. Describe any qualities -- physical, emotional, professional or social. Tell what you admired about them (or yourself). Is there something you miss? Are they or were they a great teacher, storyteller, devoted father, mother, aunt, uncle?

4. Rememberrepparttar 128551 little things. The small stuff does count. Was there a particular smell you remember? What were they wearing, or not.

5. Have you had this experience before. If so, when? How are they different? How are theyrepparttar 128552 same?

6. Did a book, quote, musical piece, photograph, or song lyrics provide comfort or expandrepparttar 128553 experience?

7. Who else was involved? Did they build withrepparttar 128554 experience or take from it?

8. What makes this love different? Orrepparttar 128555 same? And ifrepparttar 128556 same,repparttar 128557 same to what?

9. Was this an everyday event that turned extraordinary? Why?

Whether a love letter is your intention or to begin with a list, don't forget to love yourself and to add yourself torepparttar 128558 menu of a love-writing experience. Most ofrepparttar 128559 time we look for love in other places when it truly needs to be recognized from within first. Takerepparttar 128560 time, findrepparttar 128561 magic you hold inside you, findrepparttar 128562 love that you hold for relationships, for what you have accomplished, or desire to accomplish, or what type of love affair you want to have withrepparttar 128563 world while you are still in it.

Love is a gift, whether presented only in a journal or expanded into something wrapped and bowed. The expense is only that of pen and paper but its cost is time and thought. Place love on your calendar this week. It is as much a gift to you as it is for everyone else in your life, past or present.

© Copyright, Catherine Franz. All rights reserved.



Catherine Franz, 20 year international journaling instructor, including several US Presidents and First Ladies, and author of two booklets on hundreds of tips and techniques. Visit the store at: http://www.AbundanceCenter.com


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