Goals for 2010

I don’t do resolutions. They’re usually vague and too easy to ignore. But I do think there is an advantage to peering out over the stretch of the coming year and documenting a few goals.

I love lists and being organized, so actually writing down my professional goals for the year will help me focus my efforts. And the beauty of having goals is that I can always change them if my life or focus changes during the year.

Here’s my short list so far. I plan to review the list regularly through the year to evaluate where I am and make adjustments.

• Write and submit an article to Highlights – I submitted a photo essay in 2008 (gosh, has it been that long?) that was rejected. I was working on another manuscript, so I never rewrote it or submitted anything else. I have a couple strong article ideas, so 2010 will be the year for those. My goal has always been to get published in children’s magazines before submitting books to publishers, so it ties in nicely.
• Post at least twice a week on Spark Lab – I want traffic on the Spark Lab site to grow in 2010, so I need to make a commitment to keep it fresh. Posting twice a week is more than attainable, so I hope to surpass this goal and post more.
• Make a list of books to read – This one is easy, but necessary. Every time I finish a book, I can’t recall any of the titles I wanted to read next. A book list will keep me moving and track my reading habits for the year.
• Read at every opportunity – As a writer, I just plain need to read more. I feel it really is one of the best ways to improve my own writing. Also, my son is in kindergarten and has just started reading on his own. Seeing me read more will support his love of reading.
• Complete a revision of chapter book – I received some great conference feedback for my chapter book work in progress. I’ve let it sit for about eight months. It’s time to evaluate where it needs to go and work on a revision.
• Work to improve my copy writing chops – I need to shake things up a bit with my ‘work’ writing. I’ve been with the company for almost six years, and I recognize that some of what I write is formulaic and uninspired. I want to elevate my writing and strive for excellence.
• Write more freely – As I’ve mentioned, my writing doesn’t just flow out of me. It’s a constant struggle. I hope by writing more frequently and using several tools I’ll be able to unlock a couple barriers.

So there’s some big stuff and some little stuff in there to balance it out. What about you? Have you made any formal goals for 2010?

Photo by: Darwin Bell

7 Responses to “Goals for 2010”

1. Daisy Whitney says:

   January 6, 2010 at 12:09 pm

   These are great goals because they are doable and they are in your control!

   Reply
2. Zoe@Playing by the book says:

   January 9, 2010 at 1:26 am

   Hi Kara,

   I hope you had a really lovely birthday yesterday Did you get any good books?!

   Do you know about the poetry stretch at The Miss Rumphius Effect – I find being “forced” to work within a specific format is quite a useful tool in honing my writing skills.

   And posting twice a week is a good idea – I commit to 3 posts a week now, although in the start it was 2 posts, and even now, the 3rd post is one I get help with from other book bloggers – having a regular schedule of guest posters has helped me keep focussed on writing posts.

   Reply
   • Kara Parlin says:

     January 11, 2010 at 9:22 pm

     I agree, limitations often help me focus and make progress. I’m a procrastinator as well. Nothing like a good deadline to get the ideas flowing!

     Reply
3. monica @ paper bridges says:

   January 9, 2010 at 10:45 pm

   Hi! Good for you setting goals for 2010. Let us know when you get that article published. What an accomplishment – and thrill – for you. There is nothing like that first published byline.

   Reply
4. Kim Kasch says:

   January 11, 2010 at 11:33 pm

   Absolutely love your name – in fact it’s the name I gave my daughter

   Had to pop over and say, “Hi”

   Reply
   • Kara Parlin says:

     January 13, 2010 at 10:50 pm

     Thanks! I’m actually surprised by how often I come across other Karas. Did you spell hers with a K or C?

     It ruffled some family feathers that my mother used K, since Cara is more Italian. My dad actually had Cara on the birth certificate and my mom made him go back and change it!

     I’ve also worked at two different jobs where there was another Kara/Cara besides me. Weird!

     Reply
5. Amused says:

   January 14, 2010 at 10:17 pm

   These are great goals and totally achievable! Good luck on making progress and keep up the great work. New year, new you, that’s what I say!

   Reply