Monday Motivation: Write it Down. Make it Happen.

WHOA.  It's hard to believe we're this deep into February.  I'm still trying to find my groove after that horrible, sluggish January.  I'm still struggling with finding books that hold my interest.  I'm still so, so sick of cold weather and snow and gray, dreary days.

I could use a vacation.

Not happening.

So what should I do to give myself another little jumpstart?

Well, I'm excited to say that I have a new project in the works.  This project (henceforth known as The Project) is in its very early days, so early that I'm not even going to divulge any details, other than to say it's fiction.  I will be working with a partner, which is so super exciting in itself, and over the weekend we got together over some tasty adult beverages and made our plan.

I'm excited for The Project to begin, but I've got other projects already on the front burner, threatening to boil over, that I need to finish first.

Just like I did for NaNo, I need to make preparations.  I need to get motivated.

One of the easiest ways to jumpstart a new project or one that's buried under a mountain of snow in your mental front yard?  Determine your goals.  Write them down.  Make a list.  Give yourself deadlines (mine are usually flexible, since life has a tendency to, you know, get in the way a bit).  Make it happen.

Here goes:

WFTS: This weekend I finally got back to my heart-wrenching little story about Luci and Ben.  I'm in the process of tearing it apart (I wrote most of the chapters out of order).  I've got a cut-and-paste method in which I cut the chapters and drop them into new documents titled June, July, and August, leaving May in the original document.  When I've got everything sorted, I'll be able to easily identify the missing scenes that exist in my head but for one reason or another never made it to the page, and then bring everything back into the original document, in order.

Whew.  What a mess.  

Deadlines:

• February 28th - complete the reconstructive surgery.
• March 15th - complete another round of revisions.
• March 15th - send to CPs and beta readers.
• End of March - polish my query.
• March 31st - call it good and send it off.

I started writing WFTS in July of 2010, so I'm very excited to have these concrete dates for completion -- finally!

While all of this is going down, I also have some other very important tasks on the to-do list:

• Read for MNYA Writers this upcoming Saturday.  This month, we've got pages from Kitty Hietala and Nikki Urang. 
• Read THE FIRST FIVE PAGES by Noah Lukeman for MNYA Writers.  We've incorporated the study of craft into our discussions recently and I am really enjoying that element.  Brings me back to my MFA days.
• Fun assignments for The Project, such as watching Clueless with Alicia Silverstone and the Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  And no, The Project is not Austenly in nature.
• Read.  Read, read, read.  I've got a new list of books to read before we start writing in April.  Hopefully I'll be able to stick with the pages and get back into my reading groove, too.

How's the weather where you are?  Are you getting enough sunlight?  How are you coming along with your writing goals?

Have you watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries?  Brilliant.  Just brilliant.

And for those who have been asking for an "After" photo from the front, here it is:

Write it down.  Make it happen.

Have a great week!