Mid-Week Field Notes–January 4, 2023

Field Notes

Happy 2023! Some very quick things:

• I go through a detailed process to assess the previous year’s accomplishments that include what worked, what didn’t work, what should I stop, what should I start, and what should I improve. Then I use those reflections to generate a set of goals for the next year. So here are my writing goals for 2023:
• Complete works in progress–These include literary writing (poetry, memoir, short story, novella) for the adult market and revisions of contracted books and drafts for the YA market. I suspect I’m overly ambitious here, so I’m focusing on the contracted YA novel in verse and my first full-length poetry book, oh, and a new short story to eventually go into a collection.
• Continue to lean into Amherst Writers & Artists–I have been writing with this method for maybe ten years or more. I became a certified facilitator in 2013. Last year I launched Writing Family History, Writing the Past, and Using Photographs to Craft Story workshops. I’ll continue to do some of that and I’ll offer new workshops like Short Shrift: Writing the Short Story. At the same time, I’ll continue to write with groups I’m already a part of (novel, poetry) and I’m going to participate in a beta test of a novel writing group (that I hope will help me with both fiction and memoir). I’ll also be serving as editor-in-chief of an anthology of craft essays and readings.
• Become a well-rounded literary citizen–I want to continue to attend and participate in literary journal and other readings plus read a poetry book a month and a novel in verse every other month. I also enjoy reading memoir (reading Stanley Tucci’s Taste: My Life Through Food right now on my Kindle). This goal also cements my commitment to send out my work twice a month.
• Expand my academic CV–Because this also involves writing, I’m stating it here. I will most likely be working on proposals to turn my doctoral dissertation into a book for three potential academic publishers and want to see a couple of papers I wrote about Yizkor books get published. I also have a new article idea that I want to explore.
• Enhance my genealogical skills–I include this one here, because my family history often fuels my literary writing. I’m taking a course that will give me a certificate in Advanced Skills with the National Genealogical Society. I also plan to continue teaching Family History at the university level.
• In December, I held a workshop through AWA about goal-setting. I’m going to set up a quarterly goal review and accountability group. If you’re interested in joining, please comment below. There is no fee.

What 2023 writing goals have you set for yourself?