Back in January, I posted a list of ten goals I wanted to accomplish before the year was out. Seeing as we are now standing at the halfway point of 2017, it's as good a time as anyway to give way to an update.
The summer months can sometimes present a challenge in keeping focused on writing. The days are longer. The sun is shining (most of the time). Picnics, parties, swimming, baseball, and much more are presented as distractions.
The trick is finding the balance and the time for both. Admittedly I have struggled with it in the past, tending to lean one way or the other. Bringing balance to life is a key to staying sane and staying productive. (Though with a pretty big distraction hanging overhead, focus on other areas of life can sometimes supersede all else.)
On with the show.
1.) Finishing the first draft of The Blue Gem is on the precipice of being completed. Only a few chapters remain before taking a small break from it and then going full speed into an edit.
2.) A goal in this slot was to receive a response of 'yes' ten times. (Based off submissions of plays, jobs taken, etc.) A production of One Night Stand and a play reading for a ten-minute play called Between the Coffee and the Cream are among the things that have led to three affirmatives this year. Still a ways to go--and the submissions are a bit behind compared to previous years--so I have some productivity to catch up on.
3.) Edit my full-length play The Latitude of Life. Completed.
4.) Focus as been on finishing the first draft of the fantasy novel so writing/completing the first draft of a new full-length play has taken a backseat. I am about forty pages into one so this goal is still on track.
5.) Still contributing articles for Bronco Nation News and Chowder and Champions. The former has been a little silent but should ramp up here as football season approaches. The latter saw an increase, especially with the successful and busy season of the Boston Celtics.
6.) Directing has not happened yet, but should by the end of the year. Stay tuned.
7.) I have been submitting screenplays more over the past few months with the hopes of being optioned or accepted into a festival. Short films I've written (also co-written and supervised) have been filmed via the JUMP film group.
8.) Over at The Journey of Now, posts have consistently been written once a week. A goal is to ramp that up as the year progresses.
9.) I have not attended any workshops or conferences. The goal was three so I better get going on that one.
10.) No acting, either. (Though I did some background work in a short film, the goal is to do some speaking in front of a camera or on stage).
Be Bold. Be Kind.