on goals and writing

I am a woman of many goals. Ever since I graduated from college I've had this time-to-get-down-to-bizness sense of urgency shaping the way I spend my time. As a creative soul, there are so many things I want to try, but none I've really excelled in. I want to dabble in watercolor, get better at photography, figure out this blogging thing, learn to cook (heh.), learn to play my ukulele, decorate my apartment. And I've dabbled in a little of each this year, but I haven't whole-heartedly pursued any one thing.


I'm beginning to accept that I don't have to do it all. Not all at once anyway. It's time to really hone in on that one thing that I don't think I could live without (dramatic much?) And for me that is writing. I've been flirting with an idea for a book for over a year now but, well, as my dating record would tell you I'm not all that good at flirting.


I tried several times to write the thing. Each time I wrote, the story changed shape until it didn't at all resemble what I originally dreamed up. And I liked that. I liked watching it evolve and become something bigger than I imagined. As I've been in and out of temp jobs recently, I've had a lot of time to dedicate to this little story in my head. But the sitting down to write part? It was tough, miserable at first. Have any of you tried to write a book? Gosh, it's awful.


I always insisted that I was not an outliner, that I would fly by the seat of my pants because that's the artsy way to do it. And I would get a few chapters in and get stuck. And become suddenly so interested in scrubbing the bathtub instead.


But this time has been different. I've grown attatched to these characters and I'm determined to get their story written down. So I've forced myself to outline the whole dang book. Two or more pages of an outline for each chapter. And the one thing I always I said I would never do is actually working. For once, my hand is flying across the page and I don't want to stop. The story is taking shape and I'm pretty tickled about it. This is happening.


I don't know why I'm writing about this. Maybe you are so not into writing and this is boring the pants off of you. That's a saying, right? Actually, maybe not since that makes zero sense. Well. Here's what I'm trying to say: if you are stuck, frustrated that you haven't accomplished any of your 2013 goals, maybe it's time to approach it in a different way. Even if it's a way you insisted would never work for you. Look at it with a fresh perspective and begin to strategize a little.


I've had to learn the hard way that these things don't just happen on their own, no matter how badly I want them to. They require work and planning, which may not sound too fun, but it makes it all so much easier in the long run.


Here are my practical goals for the next two months:

- Finish the entire outline of the story
- Complete the first draft of the first 15 chapters


So that's me. What are you (still) dreaming of accomplishing this year?

Linking up with Jenny Highsmisth today (and for the next few weeks) for her goals series.