Setting writing goals and a progress report

Dear friends,

I don't usually do a whole "what did I accomplish last year?" thing, but I was prompted by that insanity over on Facebook, where they do a Timeline thing for you. And one of my playwriting groups posts numbers of items subbed and accepted. This is not meant as a brag; I hope it's encouraging for some of you who don't think you have time to write. :-)

Make your own list; you might be surprised. And it might spur you on to doing more in 2014.

I've been a bit down because it feels like I did nothing last year.  Well, other than remodeling the Old House from Hell, participating in the local Art Guild, and tending the garden, that is. I mean, WRITING stuff.  I'm VERY scattered and indecisive. I think I would have done better if I'd been focused. And maybe if I'd set some real goals--that's one thing I didn't really do.

Progress report: last year, I submitted 10 stories/plays/poems and had 3 accepted, including one new play that will be published (ongoing income).  One story is still out. I also had my first mystery story accepted to a "mystery" publication.

I published two novellas (illustrating one of them) and four short stories, launching my "Nameless, Texas" mystery story series. Both of the novellas started out as plays that were written a few years ago.

I finished another new play, it premiered and an older one had four productions.

I wrote over 65 blog posts/articles (most with original photos), thousands of e-mails and several blog interviews for other authors.

It just shows what you can accomplish when you just basically KEEP AT IT. Unfortunately, it also shows how much stuff you actually have to submit to get anywhere.  This doesn't include the bits and pieces of stories, plays and ongoing novels that aren't finished yet. And it doesn't include all the PR stuff.

This year, I'm setting goals, and we'll see if it gets me farther.

Onward, and Happy Trails!

bobbi c.

A new direction....

Welcome to my new blog, all about my adventures in playwriting! For years I've written everything else under the sun....non-fiction books, magazine articles, a novel, short stories, personal essays--you name it!

I can't pinpoint the moment when I decided to try writing a play, but at some time, I did just that. WAY back when I was a pre-teen and teenager, I'd frequently write plays that I tried to get my sister and brother to act in...they usually were outer space adventures in a rocket ship, OR underwater adventures in a submarine! I know I was influenced by the TV shows I watched back then.

In school, and in church groups, I did many musicals and other plays and have always loved attending performances by others. I majored in art in college, though, although my love of costuming and dramatics never left me. Fast forward about 30 years (YIKES), and here I am...going back to some of the types of writing that I loved as a teenager.

Two years ago I started a play that has since become a one-act with five scenes, a modern Texas style adaptation of Cinderella. I'm hoping that our local community theatre can produce it, but if not, I'm also entering it in a contest and trying to find other outlets for it.

In addition, I've written a ten-minute play featuring two sisters sitting in a diner discussing a fashion magazine. This short play started out as a comedy essay I wrote for the Erma Bombeck comedy award. Alas, I didn't win, but that's OK...it's MUCH better as a play, I think.

Both plays are comedies, and I feel like I'm off to a roaring start!

So come back and check out the blog now and then, and join me on my new journey to becoming a produced playwright.

Happy trails!

bobbi c.