Life Goals

Thanks to Universal Studios announcing Harry Potter Land opening in April 2016, I have a new life goal.



Affording taking a family of five to Universal Studios AND Star Wars land.



Yes, in a few short months the prospect of my life being complete will only be dollar signs away.

And maybe a few child leashes. Those are good, right?



This is my C3P-OH outfit.

What It Feels Like to Query

Stage the First:

I've been working on this for a year, it's AWESOME!
Every agent will be knocking down my door to rep this.

This is a delusional stage, by the way.

Stage the Second:

I totally nailed QueryShark suggestions to make demonstrate how un-live-without-able this novel is.

Hint: I have never nailed a query, unless the term is being used ironically.

Stage the Third:

Research all agents--like ALL. Achieve stalker level research skills.

How I travel in large cities...

Stage the Fourth:

Develop some serious Agent-Crushes.

Try to follow their specific guidelines from their individual websites and agent pages.
*still screw something up*

Stage the Last:

After you hit send

 
And you stay in this place for the rest of the day.


These are the reasons I want to puke, live I a hole, and in most ways become nothing more than a freckle after I send more than three queries. Also, I'm really good at being a doofus--not the best way to impress.

Luckily I have an awesome group of writing friends I can turn to and confess my insecurities.

I spent the weekend making a massive list of agents to query.
I revised my query and gave myself a little pep talk.
"These agents are looking for what I have. They might like my style."
I hit send.
Now I feel paralyzed with doubt.
Why does this happen?
I feel like every line of my query makes me sound like a dorkwad.
Like I should purchase buck-teeth and take a googley-eyed selfie to post as my profile picture from now on.

 

 

 

 

I highly recommend finding a group of writing friends who understand what you're going through as a writer. People that appreciate the work you put in and the product that comes out. I have that, and it's awesome.

 

It makes this whole process worth it.

I just hit send again.





Talent Direction Goal Snowball Post: A Two Step Guide to Being Awesome

That's a dumb title, I know. I'll roll it all up nice and tidy at the end and you'll be like, "Great Title!"

Let's begin.
Even if you struggle with believing in yourself, let's admit you have Talent.
(look at that. I even capitalized it).

We all do. It doesn't have to be the same level of Talent as the person witting next to you or staring back at you on the movie screen. Your Talents can grow as much or as little as you Direct them- kind of like a Snowball filled with hope and a whole lot of effort.

But,

 Talent needs Direction. Let's make those Talents do what we want them to do.

Do we have Goals?

Let's call that Direction you seek a Goal. Now let's not get crazy. I'm not ringing in the New Year over here. (remember like a month ago when everyone made unrealistic resolutions? This is going to be easier--because we'll apply the snowball method of debt reduction to Goal completion and Talent investment). 

Ha! I'm tying it all together!

Good point. I make stuff up a lot. I am a writer after all...

Anyways. Directing Talent= Goal Setting.
Resolution face?

Don't worry I have a plan!

Apply the Goal Snowball mentioned earlier:
In other words, once a Goal has become a habit--then a new Goal can be introduced.
This is our budget of sanity and Direction with balancing time and priorities. Not to mention energy.

We do not have to be super-human to be successful.

Even the most successful people feel like this sometimes.

Don't let unrealistic ideals slam the door in your face.

So get that hug, and invest in your Talents with the Snowball method.

This is how.
STEP 1:  
Focus on the one thing that you can accomplish the fastest.
Yes, I said it. Don't pick your biggest weakness or most daunting flaw first.

It may be the thing you want to tackle most. You may have been trying for YEARS to overcome whatever weakness, strengthen whatever Talent, but still fall short.
Put it on the list.

But, start with a sure winner.
For example: If you have a crutch word--eliminate it. Just the one word. No more.
(You get it, pick something you can nail).


Nailed it!

Sweet. Let's move on to the second aspect of the Talent Snowball. Grow it.
Your confidence is up. You nailed a Goal set to Direct your Talent.

STEP 2:
Now roll that confidence and increased skill into the next easiest thing on the list.

Let me guess? You're thinking, "Well that was a waste of time. What good is it to build up a bunch of tiny little Goals all the time?"
Can this be my point?

I'm adding up in my head all the basic skills this kid needed to learn to even begin learning this kind of movement. (lift head, roll over, sit, crawl, stand, walk, groove, backflip hand on floor face save)?
Seriously, did this kid go from rolling over to backflips or something?
Sheesh, that's awesome.

So yeah, I'm telling you to build these tiny little abilities and make them massive!
Start with STEP 1 and continue repeating STEP 2.

Keep adding up the small things: YOU'RE AWESOME!


This has been a Talent Direction Goal Snowball Post.
Nailed it.