The Snowflake Chronicles

Dear Me 2008 Letter

Dear Me
A letter to myself, entry in the Dear Me contest 2008
Writte January 2008

Dear Me,

Snow, you have spent 2007 in a fog, accomplishing very little. That is changing in 2008. You will come out of the fog, start writing and submitting on a regular basis. You will attempt something new and write in genres you would normally avoid.

Do not get me wrong, Snow, you did accomplish some writing in 2007. You submitted to the Daily Flash Fiction Challenge, Stretch You Style, the Twelve Days of Christmas, and you began A New Song. However, you did not finish one novel and you did not rewrite another. You have those to complete in 2008.

Let me get down to the bone of the subject. You did learn something from the Daily Flash Fiction, Stretch Your Style, and the Twelve Days of Christmas entries. You discovered that a deadline helps you accomplish you goals. Therefore, you are going to set deadlines for everything you write. You will start with date deadline and then add time deadlines if necessary.

The first question you have to ask yourself, Snow, is “What do I want to accomplish with your writing in 2008?” The answer to this question is simple; you have already listed three things. I want deadlines on those three items. Next, I want a list of between six and sixteen other items to accomplish with the appropriate deadlines.

Writing Related Goals

I will increase my writing.com membership from upgraded to premium by April 15, 2008. This means earning interest on many left in my PayPal account, which means I have to leave money in that account and not transfer every dollar to my bank account.

I will have a laptop computer by July 21, 2008. The first step to achieving this goal is to check at Laptop Exchange and find out what a used laptop cost. Also, ask them what programs it comes with.

I will submit three and nine items per month for publication in 2008.

Novel Goals

I will finish almost completed novel by February 15, 2008. To do this will devote at least one day a week to this.

Finish rewrite by March 15, 2008. To do this I will print off each chapter and make corrections on the hardcopy. I will devote one day a week to this.

Finish A New Song by September 30, 2008. I will devote one day a week to this as soon as the almost completed novel is finish on or before February 15, 2008.

Other Writing Goals

I will keep track of my achievements in my offline journal Writing My Spiritual Journey. I will review my achievements on March 21, 2008, at that time I will determine if I have to increase or decrease the pace of my writing or change any of the goals.

I will write a minimum of one Flash Fiction story a day.

I will write a minimum of one poem a day.

I will post to the two blogs I am attempting to make money on at least once a day.

I will write one short story a month.

The next thing I have to discuss with you, Snow, is the “I can’t” thinking. I do not want to hear it. If I start the “I can’t” thinking I will sift the cat litter and toss the “I can’t” in with the cat litter lumps.

When confronted by writers’ block that is an indication I need to take a prayer or meditation break. I will fix myself a cup of hot tea, pick up my prayer book or a book of scripture and go out on the patio with them. There I will remain for a minimum of thirty minutes.

Snow, I really do not like to criticize you on this next problem, but it is necessary. It is the habit of letting distractions interferes with writing. When a distraction occurs, handle it immediately. Feed it, water it, answer it or put it to work doing the dishes or the laundry, but handle it immediately and politely.

Now we come to the housework. Snow, if Mom wants to do the housework let her. True she is eighty-six and cannot do some things. The things she cannot do, I can do between writing sessions. Setting in front of the computer all day is not healthy. I need exercise and housework is great exercise. Get up, do the housework Mom cannot do as fast as possible and get back to writing.

Your Devoted Friend,
Your Spiritual Nature