Day 14: Making Dreams Come True

I’m a dreamer. Always have been. Always will be. I also believe that dreams can come true, but only when they transform into goals and then become actionable steps. 

One of my problems has been working straight from the computer. I’m a bit old school and I like printed paper. While I do enjoy typing straight onto the screen, there are some things that I need the feel of a pen or pencil between my fingertips and a piece of paper or fancy notebook in front of me. The same goes for reading, yes I like the kindle, and I don’t mind perusing articles and stories on the Internet, but having the printed matter in front of me slows down my reading speed and ensures that I actually read the words rather than just scan and forget. 

I’m a writer. Heck, the past two weeks I’ve written over 20,000 words. A combination of free writing, novel work, blog posts and articles. I love it. I feel so much better after having written that it seems crazy for me not to do it. But my dream is to make a good living as a writer. How do I define a good living? To earn over $100,000 per annum. 

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Friday afternoon has arrived and I’m still motivated to get the show on the road. I’m tired from the week but I’m ready to have a productive weekend too. Queries are going to be sent out. Blog posts are going to be written and posted. The novel is going to get worked on. And I’m still going to find time to relax, read, cook, and do the antenatal classes. I may even try to attempt to do some study too, and wash the carpets if I’m feeling really domesticated.

Tonight’s task is to print off markets that pay online and start brainstorming ideas. I just need to go one by one down the list. Pick a market, come up with an idea, write the query or article, edit it, rewrite, submit. Then repeat. Easy.

What are you doing this weekend?

31 Day Query Challenge

2014 is the year for getting things done. For achievements that are long overdue and commitments that should have been taken seriously a long time ago. I'm going to be a first time mum in three months and I'm getting motivated to achieve my wildest dreams.

It might have something to do with the fact that I'm going to be 100% responsible for another person. One that for at least the next eighteen years will be completely relying on me. I'm going to be the role model, the person that will shape their life, their future, their beliefs in the world. Yes there's the better half as well, and the rest of society, but as a mother I know I'm going to take complete responsibility.

How can I teach my kid(s) that they can achieve anything they desire if I'm not following my dreams?
How can I blatantly tell them to believe in themselves if I'm failing to do it for myself?
How can I expect more of them if I'm not expecting more of me?

I can't. That would make me a hypocrite. I don't want to be a hypocrite.

I want to be a good role model for my child to be. I want to be someone they can look up to. I want to be a support system in any way they need me to be. I want to be the best mum that I'm capable of being. I know that's not going to be possible if I'm putting my dreams on the back burner and failing to move forward. All talk and no action just makes me look silly.

Maybe it's the hormones that are making me so much more productive, maybe it's finally growing up and realising that no one is going to hand me over freelance assignments or a book deal if I don't actually make the first move myself. Either way the year has started off with a bang.

January was all about editing the novel, which I did, and realised there's so much more I need to do. But it was a good month of editing and I'm well on my way to finishing it this year and possibly even self publishing. February was for free writing. The point was to get in the habit of writing every day, getting ideas down on the computers and working through the novel.

March is here. March is all about querying. The challenge for the next 31 days is to write and submit at least 31 queries. For some it might be a walk in the park for others it might seem extremely difficult. I think one query a day is realistic and while I'm not going to be sending out  queries every day because I work full time, spend 15 hours commuting each week, and am exhausted by 8pm thanks to the pregnancy, I can still prepare the ideas during my commute and commit to sending out around 7-9 queries each weekend starting from tomorrow.

March is going to be a good month. 31 queries. Hopefully, by the end of the month I will have a freelance assignment or two. Ideally, when I'm on maternity leave I'd love to be able to get my freelance writing business off the ground.

Join me for the next month and spend time querying publications and getting your writing to where you want it to be. I'll share with you my triumphs and failures.

What are you doing this month to get published and make your writing dreams comes true?