Baby steps are better than no steps

My first book has been out for nearly a year. I finally decided it was time to dissemble the board of Post-it notes which kept me on track during the two years of writing it.

I really just needed the board for something else, but now what am I going to do with the Post-it notes? They don’t take up much space. Can’t I keep them? Baby steps.

Speaking of baby steps, I took a few this week. Looks like I might be back on track.

I. READING –

A. Daily goal

1. Read two other blog posts a day. Yes, maybe, I think so.       

2. Read in at least one of the many books I am reading. Yes.     

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have finished reading five books. I finished reading “The Glass Castle” so I feel I am doing pretty good, having read four books so far.   

II. WRITING

A. Daily goal

1. Work on something for two hours a day. Really? With all the computer time I log in, I certainly had to come close this time.  

a. Work on “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”, the second book in the Bible Stories in 40 Days series. Yes! Can you believe it? I finally worked on it the other night, writing two days of devotions.                  

b. Write on my novel. Still, no.  

c. Write my blog posts. Yes, I finally got back on track with blogging.     

B. Goals for the Round.

1. Have published “The Christmas Story in 40 Days”. Let’s just leave this with a big YES. And I have sold, um, twelve so far from my supply. And my publisher tells me that they are selling on the internet.

2. Have finished the first draft of “The Early Life of Jesus in 40 Days”. I should figure out an estimate of where I am with this. Let me look. Ok, so I have 25 days out of the 40 at least started. It all naturally will need a ton of editing and revising, but I am 25/40 there.  

3. Have finished my novel.  How about if I become realistic and say, “Have looked at my novel at least once in the last six months.”.

III. REACHING

A.      Weekly goal.

1. Have promoted either one of my books on one other site or in person. I took “The Christmas Story in 40 Days” on a tour of local bookstores. The first store took six copies on consignment. The second store was going out of business. The third store had a big sign in the window saying “Building for sale by owner”, so I didn’t even go in. (I am not kidding, it was pretty disheartening.) The fourth store had a big sign in their window saying, “No Solicitation”, which probably means more like “Don’t come peddling your girl scout cookies here”, but it was enough to crush my spirit. I want to support the brick-and-mortar stores and I want them to support me, but it didn’t happen last week. Maybe next week.  

2. Comment on two other blog posts. Yes.  

3. Research markets for an hour.  Kind of. A friend sent me a link to a book contest, so I looked into that. That counts, right?    

4. Keep up on social media, responding to all messages.  Yes. I had one person e-mail that they are thinking about signing with my publisher, so they had lots of questions for me on my experiences. And a writer-friend from out of town called with the same questions and was gracious enough to ask me to mail her my first book as she hadn’t read it yet.   

5. Have contacted one organization about a speaking engagement. No.

B. Goals for the Round

1. Have submitted three pieces somewhere.  Hmm? I don’t know if I can pull this off.

2. Have booked three speaking engagements or book signings.  I know I won’t be able to pull this off.

IV. PERSONAL

A. Exercise

1. Continue to run outside as weather permits or on the treadmill at least three times a week. I ran three times on the treadmill.

2. Continue exercising three times a week. I exercised three or four times.   

B. Nonprofit

1. Continue working on Tumaini Volunteers, Inc. Our board met on Monday and looked at the IRS form 1023 which we need to get filled out to apply for tax exempt status. That form is horrible. We really need to get a professional to help with it, so my daughter has been working connections for that. I signed up for a craft show here in Tomahawk on the 23^rd and I am setting up a table at work this Wednesday. If anybody wants to buy Kenyan crafts, let me know. Supplies are limited.

                C. Sewing

1. Finish three projects by the end of the year. I finished that top for work a while back, but that is it.    

    D. Church Christmas Program

1. By December 21, have written, organized, rehearsed and held our church’s Christmas program. I have the program pretty much written. Hope to start roping in some of the older kids this week.

                E. Armageddon

1. By the end of the year, have gotten together supplies for most any conceivable crisis, natural or man-made, which could cause life as we know it to come to a crashing halt. As mentioned in my last post, my husband and I have started making lists and putting together our food, water, tools and other supplies.  

Now it is on to the next week! Full steam ahead!