Comments on: Guest Blogger – Carrie Vaughn

By: Marcia Colette

Marcia Colette — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:43:50 +0000

Interesting you should blog about this. I’ve spent the last few weeks reassessing my goals for the coming year. One of them is to get started on a sequel to my latest UF release, force my workaholic butt to take a day off without any regrets, and get both a new UF and my paranormal YA into the hands of a couple of editors.

For a fun goal, I really want to master the art of writing a short story. I suck at it, but at the same time I can see the potential in them.

By: Liz Kreger

Liz Kreger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:15:22 +0000

So my goal of world peace is unrealistic and beyond my control? Drat.

I know what you mean about goals that are acheivable (is that a word?). I’ll re-work my list. To me setting goals are sorta like New Year resolutions. I generally don’t make them because I never know what the year is going to bring. Constant change is the only guaranty. Writing-wise, 2009 was pretty much a wash for me. Circumstances made it difficult for me to be creative. As a result, I concentrated on revising the two books I had done. Gotta roll with the punches.

By: Carrie V.

Carrie V. — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:18:51 +0000

One of the tricks with setting goals is to make sure they’re things you actually have control over. Like, “Sell my novel” isn’t a good goal because you don’t really have control over it — there are too many other factors at play.

But, “Submit my novel to at least 10 publishers/agents/etc. by the end of the year” is a very realistic goal.

That way, you don’t disappoint yourself by not accomplishing the goals you don’t really have control over.

By: Liz Kreger

Liz Kreger — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:02:30 +0000

Been thinkin’ on goals, Carrie. Normally I don’t set goals … can’t stand the thought of disappointing myself. But this year I think I will set a few for myself.

- Acquire an agent.
- Acquire an editor.
- Finish the UF I just started writing
- Finish a third book for Samhain.
- Peddle my two finished (and polished) books.

Nothing too lofty.

Oh yeah … and achieve world peace while I’m at it.

Thanx for joining us here at MM, Carrie. Love the post.

By: Carrie V.

Carrie V. — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:59:13 +0000

Thank you all for inviting me! I love visiting blogs and chatting.

I’ve been a dedicated goal-setter for a very long time. Since I was a teenager. (Then, the goals were pretty easy — get out of high school with my sanity intact!) What’s been interesting lately is not having the well-defined milestones determine my goals. I have to really think about what I want to accomplish now.

And you’re right, you need those milestones to keep moving forward!

By: LaDonna

LaDonna — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:51:00 +0000

So glad you joined us at Magical, Carrie! I love reassessing and doing the internal musings that keep writers on an even keel. One thing that’s been a constant in my life is that I write for me first. I figure if a story goes out without the Love, a reader is going to sense that too.

My goals for the New Year are to finish my WIP. Also to spend time targeting my next story, and daydreaming about the possibilities. As long as I’m moving forward, I figure the compass is working.

By: Cynthia Eden

Cynthia Eden — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 15:12:45 +0000

Great post and that is a fabulous book cover!!! Thank you so much for bringing up writing for “fun”–I need to do that, and now that’s a goal for me.

By: Edie Ramer

Edie Ramer — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:20:33 +0000

Great post! Thanks for being our guest today.

I reassessed last night — power outages do that to you. lol My reassessment actually made me feel better about what I’m writing, that I’m on the right track.

As for doing something “just for fun,” I was putting stuff in a closet to make room for holiday cards, and found a child’s story I’d forgotten about. It’s a Christmas story! I’m pretty sure I didn’t send it to anyone. I don’t even know the market.

I’m going to send it to a friend who is targeting middle grade. I think my story is for younger children, but she could tell me if it’s publishable.