The 4 Year Plan
Posted by Tina Hunter on Jan 06, 20104 years ago, on August 23 2006, I started blogging. It was a way of telling the universe that I was committed to writing – for real this time.
I started on blogger, and you can read from the beginning up until August 2008 (when I moved to WordPress) @ http://dustandstrangerthings.blogspot.com/ – but only until the end of January when I’ll finally be taking it down.
That first post was anything but elegant, but it made it’s point:
So why start a blog?
I know people who have blogs. Many people who have them say they are a good release for what goes on in their lives. Others, who I’m sure I’ll relate to more, say it’s a good excuse to not write.
You see I’m an author. No, I’m not published yet, but stranger things have happened. I’m part of a writing group, I try to write part of my novel everyday, and I’m serious about what I’m writing… doesn’t that make me an author?
When I started blogging I was on Chapter 5 of my very 1st novel, a science fiction novel that took place on another world and tackled issues like genetic alteration, racism, and coming of age. It didn’t have a title but I called it Mikayla’s Story. It turned out to be a very bad first novel, but I learnt from it and my writing grew.
More importantly, 2006 was the year I started to make plans and goals about my future. On my birthday of that year (which is in January) I wrote down 4 goals that I wanted to have accomplished in four years – by the end of 2009 or by January of 2010. They weren’t all writing goals, in fact only one was, but it was a good starting place.
These were the goals: By the end of 2009 I will…
1) …Be Published (once, and on my way to #2)
2) …Have gone on a warm-local vacation (Several if at all possible)
3) …Have bought a house/ condo
4) …Be engaged
So this is how I did:
1) I have been published 5 times, all in 2009 (in my timezone). All of them were short stories.
2) I went to Cuba. Only one warm-local vacation in the last 4 years but it was good.
3) I bought a house with my (at the time) common-law boyfriend in April of 2008. We also bought two dogs from an animal rescue society. It’s not part of the goal but they are very happy additions to the house.
4) I got engaged to my long time boyfriend in September of 2009.
I accomplished all of my goals. Now to set some new ones.
By the end of 2013 (four years from now) I will…
1) … Have two novels published.
2) … Have several smaller works (short stories, novellas, etc) published.
3) … Be married.
4) … Have quite my day job.
#1 & #2 are what being a writer is all about, gotta get my work out there.#3 will be easy (the date is already picked) and #4 will be very hard but I think do-able.
The Digest Version of “2009 in review”:
Projects Started/ Finished: FINISHED – the novel “Ice Debt”, my first script for a short animation film, several short stories.
STARTED – the novel “Riot Girl” will be finished by the end of January.
Event Highlights: – I was interviewed on CityTV news in April for the book launch of “Seven Deadly Sins”.
- I attended Con-Version 25 in Calgary and was on a panel called “Women who don’t kick butt: can they still win hearts and minds.”
- Live interview on Absolute Xpress’ BlogTalkRadio Show for Creatures of the Night Chart Rush
Submissions: ACCEPTED – I submitted to the first and second Flash Fiction Challenge’s by Absolute Xpress, and I submitted to the first ever Chinese Whisperings Anthology.
REJECTED – Submitted 2 stories to OnSpec and Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, I also submitted a Novella to Writers of the Future.
Personal Events: I got engaged, I think that’s the biggest highlight of the year.
Click here to see my “2008 in review” post!
For some smaller goals, just this year (2010)…
- I want to submit 12 short stories (1 per month).
- I want to submit my 1st novel to a publisher.
- I want to write more things to give away for free on this blog 
Wish me luck!
(Seriously though, if you have constructive feedback on the design let me know).