[my writing life] Forget Goals–Make a Dream List

Forget setting goals!

No, don’t do that. I love goals, and I make tons of annual goals, monthly goals, weekly to-do lists, etc. It’s the only way I can accomplish at least 50% of all the things I want to do. My goals are measurable, realistic, and within my control.

But…

It’s important to dream, too. Like Martin Luther King Jr, I have a dream. OK, not like MLKJ, whose dreams were crucial for the world.

My dreams are’selfish, unrealistic, and totally out of my control. I usually don’t admit them to anyone else, because it feels too conceited sometimes to even hope for things like that. But we all do it, right? At least, I hope we do, or now I really DO feel terrible about sharing these!

I haven’t shared my 2013 goals with you this year yet, but here I’m going to share my much shorter list–my 2013 writing dreams, in no particular order. And two of them actually happened already!

Writing Dreams - 2013

AND I might be able to check off another one of these dreams soon, based on an email I got from my agent Friday. (Fingers crossed so tightly I’m getting cramps!)

So, fess up. What are your writing dreams? What is TOTALLY out of your control and perhaps way out of your league, but you’re still harboring a secret hope that it will happen for you in 2013?

36 Responses

    1. Yes! Dream it! Do everything you can to make it happen. And then let go of it just a little (so hard to do), since the sales/publishing part is to some degree out of our hands. I hope it happens this year for you, Penny!

    1. Yes! Dream it! Do everything you can to make it happen. And then let go of it just a little (so hard to do), since the sales/publishing part is to some degree out of our hands. I hope it happens this year for you, Penny!

  1. Hm, this is hard because I don’t really have dreams so much as goals. I’m very methodical and have a lot of groundwork still to do. I don’t feel I’m ready for dreams!

        1. Yay! That wasn’t so hard, was it? I know you’re speaking or leading or doing something cool at the Julie Hedlund Italian retreat–So. Jealous. I’m sure you can find many other conferences to present at. I can think of so many things you could speak to writers about: How to read your work more expressively. How to make a video of your reading. What makes a great rhyming poem? Building a site to connect with educators. And so much more! Glad to hear it’s a dream. Maybe next year it should be an actual goal:>)

  2. Hm, this is hard because I don’t really have dreams so much as goals. I’m very methodical and have a lot of groundwork still to do. I don’t feel I’m ready for dreams!

        1. Yay! That wasn’t so hard, was it? I know you’re speaking or leading or doing something cool at the Julie Hedlund Italian retreat–So. Jealous. I’m sure you can find many other conferences to present at. I can think of so many things you could speak to writers about: How to read your work more expressively. How to make a video of your reading. What makes a great rhyming poem? Building a site to connect with educators. And so much more! Glad to hear it’s a dream. Maybe next year it should be an actual goal:>)

  3. You are braver than me, Laura…putting out your dreams (and your earnings) for the world to see. So here’s a dream I can share–be as brave as Laura! Best of luck with your maybe/hopefully dream to check off.

    1. It is scary, Buffy. Not the money part, because I’m not particularly embarrassed by or tied into the idea that worth equals income, so sharing $ hasn’t ever bothered me much. But admitting to big goals is hard, because you feel like people will say, “Who are YOU to dream that big?” But that doesn’t stop you from dreaming! Dreams are not expectations–just wishes:>) I am counting this sharing as part of my theme of having courage this year! And here’s step one of your “be as brave as Laura” dream: share just ONE writing dream for this year. C’mon, just one!

  4. You are braver than me, Laura…putting out your dreams (and your earnings) for the world to see. So here’s a dream I can share–be as brave as Laura! Best of luck with your maybe/hopefully dream to check off.

    1. It is scary, Buffy. Not the money part, because I’m not particularly embarrassed by or tied into the idea that worth equals income, so sharing $ hasn’t ever bothered me much. But admitting to big goals is hard, because you feel like people will say, “Who are YOU to dream that big?” But that doesn’t stop you from dreaming! Dreams are not expectations–just wishes:>) I am counting this sharing as part of my theme of having courage this year! And here’s step one of your “be as brave as Laura” dream: share just ONE writing dream for this year. C’mon, just one!

  5. I just re-read A Leaf Can Be, Laura. I’m gathering some books about nature for some lessons, & thought it would be a good addition-it is. I enjoyed seeing your ‘dreams’ & want to boost A Leaf Can Be up a bit. I love it!

  6. I just re-read A Leaf Can Be, Laura. I’m gathering some books about nature for some lessons, & thought it would be a good addition-it is. I enjoyed seeing your ‘dreams’ & want to boost A Leaf Can Be up a bit. I love it!

  7. Thanks for sharing your goals, Laura! My dream for this year is to find an agent interested in my work; or selling a children’s book manuscript myself. And to keep on writing, not getting discouraged. So much to balance, it’s all a bit challenging.

    1. Yay, Diana! Finding an agent or selling a book–great dream. You do what you can to make it as likely as possible, and then lots of it is up to chance, or perseverance, or luck. So you might as well DREAM for it! Fingers crossed for you.

  8. Thanks for sharing your goals, Laura! My dream for this year is to find an agent interested in my work; or selling a children’s book manuscript myself. And to keep on writing, not getting discouraged. So much to balance, it’s all a bit challenging.

    1. Yay, Diana! Finding an agent or selling a book–great dream. You do what you can to make it as likely as possible, and then lots of it is up to chance, or perseverance, or luck. So you might as well DREAM for it! Fingers crossed for you.

  9. Kick fanny at TLA in less than a month.
    Sell my 3 manuscripts (just started working on a 4th and filddling with a 5th).
    Get in anthologies from Yolen/Fusek Peters, Janeczko, Hopkins and Lewis.
    Start performing at schools in which I get paid to do so.
    Find an agent who will represent me.
    Be able to afford more writing retreats. The Highlights one with Dotlich in ’11 just about changed my life.

    1. Great dreams, Charles–thanks for sharing. And I know you’ll kick fanny at TLA. That was a great conference when I went a few years ago. Have a blast!

  10. Kick fanny at TLA in less than a month.
    Sell my 3 manuscripts (just started working on a 4th and filddling with a 5th).
    Get in anthologies from Yolen/Fusek Peters, Janeczko, Hopkins and Lewis.
    Start performing at schools in which I get paid to do so.
    Find an agent who will represent me.
    Be able to afford more writing retreats. The Highlights one with Dotlich in ’11 just about changed my life.

    1. Great dreams, Charles–thanks for sharing. And I know you’ll kick fanny at TLA. That was a great conference when I went a few years ago. Have a blast!

  11. Since we’re talking dreams…I would like to be invited to fly to Seattle to read my big glossy picture book to my grandchildren’s class. OK I don’t have a big glossy picture book, but I have the grandkids, so that’s a good start, right?

    1. Hahaha! That is completely a great start! I was lucky enough to be in Europe this past summer and go into a couple of bookstores in Vienna. I saw a couple of American authors’ early chapter books translated into German, and I thought, “I want an early chapter book series so beloved that they publish it in other countries!” Of course, I don’t have an early chapter book series–or even a single book. But the second I articulated that dream, I realized how much I’ve been wanting to write one and have been putting it off due to fear and ignorance (just not taking the time to study the form more and learn the craft better). So that is TOTALLY a valid dream for you:>)

  12. Since we’re talking dreams…I would like to be invited to fly to Seattle to read my big glossy picture book to my grandchildren’s class. OK I don’t have a big glossy picture book, but I have the grandkids, so that’s a good start, right?

    1. Hahaha! That is completely a great start! I was lucky enough to be in Europe this past summer and go into a couple of bookstores in Vienna. I saw a couple of American authors’ early chapter books translated into German, and I thought, “I want an early chapter book series so beloved that they publish it in other countries!” Of course, I don’t have an early chapter book series–or even a single book. But the second I articulated that dream, I realized how much I’ve been wanting to write one and have been putting it off due to fear and ignorance (just not taking the time to study the form more and learn the craft better). So that is TOTALLY a valid dream for you:>)

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