Told you I'd post...
today. It's later than I planned, but better late than never, right?

Right.

I just looked at my goals for 2004...I'll post them again here, and I've made comments in CAPS:



1. Find an agent or traditional publisher for Moments of Clarity - since my publisher doesn't see the need to convert my ebook into a print book, I have to find one who will. Those of you who would like to complain, her email is synergebooks@aol.com

I DIDN'T EVEN TRY TO FIND A TRADITIONAL PUBLISHER FOR THIS BOOK. I'M THINKING OF MAYBE EXPANDING IT AND THEN FINDING A PUBLISHER...NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO DO WITH IT, REALLY.

2. Get a minimum of 15 personal essays published in paying print and
online markets
I PUBLISHED 6 PERSONAL ESSAYS THIS YEAR. NOT TOO BAD I SUPPOSE.

3. Get a minimum of 10 business-related articles published in print or
online magazines.

NOPE..DIDN'T HAPPEN

4. Get a minimum of 10 writing-related articles published in paying
markets.

DITTO MY LAST RESPONSE.

5. Keep TheClassicQuill.com, KAFrancis.com, and my blog updated
DIDN'T DO TOO BAD WITH THIS ONE TIL THE END OF THE YEAR.

6. Finish the outline for a novel I'm working on and complete the first
draft.

THIS, I AM PROUD TO SAY I ACCOMPLISHED. IT'S STILL SITTING ON MY HARD DRIVE NEEDING EDITS, BUT THE FIRST DRAFT IS DONE.

7. Find an agent or traditional publisher for "Three Wishes".

I CHANGED MY MIND ABOUT WHERE THIS BOOK NEEDS TO GO, AND SO IT UNDERWENT SOME SERIOUS REWRITES. SEE MY GOALS FOR 2005 FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS.

8. Get my byline in Business 2.0 and Entrepreneur magazines
NOPE. NADA. DIDN'T HAPPEN.

9. Write the sequel to "Three Wishes"

WELL...THIS ONE I ACCOMPLISHED X2! NOT ONLY DID I WRITE THE SEQUEL, I WROTE THE SEQUEL'S SEQUEL PLUS DID A MAJOR OVERHAUL ON THE FIRST BOOK.

10. Be completely self-employed by the end of 2004. Now that hubby is
employed again, I can attempt this goal once more. I've achieved it
before.

OF COURSE, THEN I MADE THIS GOAL, I DIDN'T KNOW I WOULD BE MOVING 2 HOURS AWAY, GETTING A JOB I REALLY LIKE OR ENJOYING GOING TO WORK. SHOWS YOU HOW THINGS CHANGE.

11. Keep my groups hopping.
COULAD DONE BETTER WITH THIS ONE.

12. Other miscellaneous goals that are more personal in nature, but
career-related as well.
CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY WERE...SO NOT SURE WHETHER I ACHEIVED THEM OR NOT.

Rereading my goals for 2004 just makes me more sure of something I've been leaning towards for months now -- I do not WANT to write nonfiction. I want to write novels and personal essays, and making myself write things other than that is just torture. Another thing: I like the steady paycheck and the insurance that a full-time job gives me. Now all I need is a job in my field that offers that security and things will be fine...which leads me to...

My goals for 2005:

1. Get an agent and/or a book deal.

2. Buy a house.

3. Write more fiction and complete another novel.

4. Make some investments in my retirement account (stocks, CD's, etc).

5. Do what I need to do for me, and not worry so much about what others think.

6. Crochet more

7. Head back to school, get my Master's Degree and go back to teaching college (by 2007).

That's about it. Not a lot of goals for this year, but it's not the quantity, but the quality that counts. Right?

Right.

You may go about your lives now...


- posted by Kim @ 10:34 PM