In lieu of traditional New Year’s resolutions, I’ve started making a writing inventory that summarizes what I’ve accomplished over the previous year and also includes writing goals for the next twelve months. My categories cover:
- Books read
- Books to read
- Journals where I’d like to publish poetry
- Journals I’d like to subscribe to (usually journals I’d like to target)
- Conferences, residencies, readings to attend or participate in
- Grants to apply for
- Writing groups to join
- Experimenting with writing schedules
- Marketing plan for published books
- Submission statistics and strategies
I’m on my third consecutive year of this project, and it has given me a sense of direction. It’s easy to become too focused on acceptances; I progress more in my work when I’m concentrating on the experiences that get me excited about writing. I was very fortunate this year to have a chapbook accepted, and a full-length book taken as well. With those two publications in-the-works, I feel freer to revise my schedule and try some new things. Some of my goals for next year extend to other genres:
- See a play at each of the community theaters in my area
- Submit the plays I have on hand
- Write new plays, including monologues
- Experiment with more cross-genre work
- Experiment with script writing software
- Work on new poetry manuscript
- Read more short stories, cross-genre and experimental literature
- Create a marketing plan for chapbook and upcoming book
- Create a writing calendar that includes deadlines and events
Places to Submit Poetry
As part of my New Year plan, I add to my list of potential journals. I found a great list at entropy.org. It covers poetry as well as other genres: “Where to Submit Your Writing This Winter.”
Wishing everyone Happy Writing in 2015!
** If you like the clipboard with case above, it’s from mdpocket.com. Other writing notebooks I like include these:
Word Notebook 3-Pack by Word (has a checklist built-in) and Field Notes Kraft Ruled 3-pack
These are on amazon.com and elsewhere.
