Quarterly Goals: July, August, September 2016

Hi all, long time no see! I've decided to take a more serious approach to my writing, so I've been spending a lot of time working on my debut novel. (it's still in first draft mode). Also, I've recently broken both of my arms....so it's been a bit difficult to write on a laptop. Fortunately, I have been feeling a lot better and I can write without as much pain. And for those of you wondering how I broke my arms, I was riding my bicycle down a hill and lost control. Thankfully, I was wearing a helmet and did not get seriously injured. I did have a nasty scrape on my face but it has already healed. I have minor fractures in my left wrist and right elbow. My main issue is that I'm a lefty and can't write with a pen. Thankfully my parents had gotten me an iPad mini for my birthday so I can always type on the go.

Recently, I decided to take the advice of author, Jenna Moreci, and create quarterly goals. These are a list of 10-20 goals (both personal and writing) that I publicly set for myself to achieve within the time frame of 3 months. She explains that this has helped her productivity significantly and I want nothing more than to be more productive. Therefore, below I have listed my 15 quarterly goals. Ideally, I would love to achieve all of them, but if I can complete at least half, I will be satisfied with that accomplishment. At the conclusion of the quarter, I will update my progress and create new goals.

I am really excited about trying out this new method of goal-setting. I have only just written the list and I already feel more motivated. Soooo here's my list and thanks Jenna for this awesome idea!

Quarterly Goals: July, August, September 2016

1.      Make appointments to meet with grad schools

a.       Since this is the summer before my final year in undergrad, it is imperative that I take the time to really learn about different grad school programs. I know that I want to earn my MSW and that there are several accredited programs in NYS. I need to consolidate a list of these programs and find ones that best appeal to me. I then need to create letters to reach out to the heads of these programs and arrange meeting times.

2.       Visit grad schools

a.       I need to meet with the head of the programs so that I can get all of my questions answered. (I should make a list of all my questions.) It is also important that I physically see the campus and the neighborhood before committing to a school. Most of the schools are in NYC and I really need to make sure that I am comfortable in that setting. It is also important that I visit grad schools outside of the city (upstate and on LI) so that I view all of my options.

3.       Finish first draft of Faelyn novel

a.       I have my outline completed, and I really just need to buckle down and write the first draft. I need to shut down my inner critic and just get the words on the page. It doesn’t matter if it is any good, I just need to write the story. This quarter is only about the story. It is not about editing or beta readers or any other crap. I just need to WRITE THE DAMN STORY.

4.       Hang out with friends at least once a week

a.       Writing is very solitary and I am very introverted. I need to make sure that I get out of the house and actually socialize with people so that I don’t go insane. This is also very important for my mental health. Ideally, I would hope that I hang out with my friends more than once a week but at least now this is a written goal.

5.       Reduce internet use

a.       Hell I feel like this goal should be applied to our entire generation. But I digress. I find that I spend way too much time sitting on the couch, watching tv whilst simultaneously scrolling through the internet. It would be ridiculous to cut out internet completely but I need to make the conscious decision to be aware of how much of my life is wasting away in front of a screen. My internet time can be better spent doing more important things like, oh I don’t know….writing my novel.

6.       Eat healthier

a.       Ok, so this goal is so cliché and redundant. But I definitely need to address it. I need to consciously add more healthy options into my diet. This means adding more fruits and vegetables to my daily meals. And by no means does this mean that I am cutting out dessert- because all hell would break loose if I did. But I want to reduce the excessive amount of junk that I eat to a more reasonable level.

7.       Develop exercise plan

a.       Another cliché but oh so important goal. It’s no secret that I abhor exercising and I don’t own a gym membership. Luckily my school has a free gym. When I get to campus in August, I will try my best to make it a habit to go to the gym a few times a week. In the meantime, I am going to focus on going on long walks at least 5x a week during the summer. This may not seem like a serious plan, but going outside and walking around is just enough to keep me sane…not to mention the fact that having two broken arms makes it quite difficult to do any rigorous exercise.

8.       Pick title for novel (or get a list of possible titles)

a.       This is a goal I don’t expect to get finished until much later in the quarter. Right now, I’ve just been calling my novel Faelyn Hope’s Story simply because I need a way to distinguish it from my other WIPs. I’m not saying that this title needs to be the final product, but it would be nice to have a list of serious options for my novel.

9.       Win Camp NanoWriMo

a.       Camp is already half way done and I am significantly behind. I set my word count goal at 30k and I would really love to accomplish that. This is definitely going to be the hardest goal to achieve but if I really work hard, I think I can do it. Doing this will also help me to propel my goal of finishing my draft by the end of the quarter.

10.   Update blog once a week

a.       This is something that I really want to do. To be honest, I don’t really care if people read my blog; but I created this online space and I intend to keep up with it. Setting a weekly goal will ensure that I have something to work on during my free time. It will also give me the chance to get used to deadlines and force me to write things other than my novel.

11.   Wake up earlier

a.       Anyone who knows me is probably laughing at this. Without setting an alarm, I can easily sleep till 12pm. I am done sleeping away half my days. I have too much to do and a novel to write. Starting now, I am always going to set an alarm so that my body will get used to waking up at a reasonable hour. No I am not getting up at 6am off the bat. I intend to start off slow, and work my way up to earlier hours. I need to stop wasting my mornings.

12.   Get a job in Jacksonville

a.       Since I have solidified my resume, I am hoping that I can get a job on or near campus so that I can earn money. I like to buy things! And I don’t like being broke. Ideally I’d love to make money off my books, but since it is still in first draft mode, I need to find other means of making money. So, I have made it a quarterly goal to actually get a job come the fall semester.

13.   Wash face 2x a day

a.       I have a very expensive face-washing kit that I always neglect to use. I want to get into the habit of using it every day, twice a day. I don’t need to deal with gross skin- aint nobody got time for that.

14.   Write in journal at least 4x a week (while arms are broken, write entries electronically)

a.       I love to journal. But sometimes, I forget to write. It is my personal therapy and I always feel better after writing an entry. I am making it a physical goal so that I can hold myself accountable: it is so important to take time every day for self-reflection. I wrote down 4x a week because I want to be realistic- sometimes you can’t write every day. But I need to make sure that I take a good portion of time to reflect.

15.   Write creatively every day

a.       I know I just said that writing every day isn’t realistic, but I really want to push myself to write at least one creative thing every day. Writing in a journal is something I do for fun (hence why I make it a goal to write 4x a week). However, I want to make writing a career, so I need to develop a habit of it. Even if that writing is some simple blurb about nothing, I just need to make sure that I always get words on the page. I also need to remember not to kick myself if I don’t write every day. The important thing is that I am writing and that I make time to do it. 

That's all for this post! See you guys in a week!!!!!!!

On Writing

I think that it is safe to say that ever since I was a little girl, I have always wanted to be an author. It's something that I've always kept close to my heart; but in truth, I never really discussed it with many people. I feel as if a lot of non-writer folks consider writing to just be a hobby. And for many, it is. But for me, writing has always been important to me. And I think that my fear of having people read my work has stopped me from really pursuing my dream of becoming a published author. Sure, I have no problem with people reading my academic writing or even my blog writing. The reason? My heart and soul is not poured into these works. But my creative writing? Oh Lord that's a completely different ballgame. On these posts, I'm just writing a narrative about my opinion on things. I am basically just word-vomiting because I enjoy putting my thoughts on a page.

But when it comes to writing a novel, there is so much more involved than mere chunks of word-vomit. Especially when you have that initial spark of inspiration, it is so frustrating to find a suitable place to get started. Part of me just wants to dive straight in, and the other part of me wants to carefully plan each and every scene. Even though I have a basic concept of how I want my story to go, the actual journey is so much more complicated that I originally thought. My characters, for instance, I just don't feel like I'm doing them justice if I start to write their story without fully understanding them as individuals. Sure, I may know what they look like, but the real authenticity of a novel stems from an author knowing every little detail about his or her characters: what is her biggest insecurity? what are her goals? who is his role model? how does he speak? how would they react in situation x? 

All of these questions flutter around my brain and it is difficult to find the time to really sit down and flush out the answers. 

Today, I started my manuscript. And to be honest, the 1000 words that I wrote were absolute CRAP! (but at least I wrote!) What I learned from this experience was that I really need to have a better grasp on my characters before I throw them into situations. For example, the main catalyst that sets my whole plot into motion stems from an argument that my protagonist has with her brother. But on rereading my work (and even as I was writing it) I felt no emotional attachment to the words on the page. And if I, the author, feel nothing, then certainly my readers wont either.

Now obviously this is just a first draft. But that doesn't mean that I shouldn't put in 110% every time I sit down to write. I am by no means striving for perfection. But I have come to realize that this story that I am writing is not mine. It's my characters'. And I owe it to them to tell it the best way that I can. And even though I am dying to just pants my way through the story, I just can't do that. My favorite authors are those who can answer without any hesitation how their character would react if placed in any given situation (even if that situation was how would your character use instagram?). I think that for me personally, I should hold off on my first draft manuscript until I can answer those questions at least on a preliminary basis (I realize that as I write the story, I will discover new things about my characters that I never anticipated).

But what does writing a novel truly mean? Well, if I eventually want to get published then I sure as hell better start treating this as a job. But not just some obligatory job. This is a job that I am fully devoted to and passionate about. The more I build my story, the more I am filled with the desire to become a published author. And though I don't expect to become the next J. K Rowling, I want nothing more than to have my name printed on the cover of a physical book. 

So, if you ever have the desire to write a book- here's my best advice: DO IT. There's no excuse. Whether you're a full time college student or a full time parent, if you are passionate about something, then there is no excuse to not get it done. The journey may be long and painful, but the rewards are eternal. Writing everyday may be difficult and the proverbial creative well may dry up from time to time, but if you want something badly enough, nothing can get in your way of achieving it.

Now, like all of my blog posts, this was basically just my own form of therapy to sort out my thoughts. You'll have to forgive the stream-of-consciousness style of writing,  as I do not plan out my posts. In all reality, I use this forum as a way to motivate myself (...and by no means is this me procrastinating on studying...)

Anyway, that's all from me today.

Best,

Lizzie 

Some Bookish Resolutions

I know that it’s been a very long time since I’ve updated, and I do apologize for that. To be honest, the real reason is that I haven’t really felt motivated to write anything. That is, I didn’t feel like there was anything worth blogging about. But now, it’s a new year and I’ve actually set myself some goals that I firmly believe are completely obtainable.

For starters, I have resolved to become more entrenched in the bookish world. In other words, I want to read more. And by more, I mean A LOT more. Now I know what you’re thinking, *cough* nerd *cough.* And you’d be absolutely right. I am proud of my nerdiness because it has made me who I am today. I’ve realized that throughout all I’ve been through in life, the one character trait that has yet to leave my personage is that I am book nerd. Books and writing are my life. I adore being transported into another world, and I love creating those worlds as well. Books have been a consistent comfort to people for hundreds of years and I am glad to be a part of that club. To me, I just find it so fascinating that by reading, I can gain insight into the minds of individuals like Jane Austen, Diana Gabaldon and J. K Rowling. The fact that these people once sat down and organized their thoughts into cohesive sentences that which I am fortunate enough to read just mind boggles me. And trust me, I know that sentence makes little sense. So let me re-phrase that. To me, reading is like going into the mind of the author. It’s like seeing the world from someone else’s perspective. As an aspiring writer I really appreciate the hours of countless hard work that went into perfecting such masterpieces. It takes a lot of guts to publish one’s work and I feel privileged that these authors allow us to witness their creations.

For such reasons, I have embarked on the resolution to read 50 books in the year 2016. I’m currently flipping back and forth between two novels: Academ’s Fury by Jim Butcher, and Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. I really want to achieve this goal but I know that it wont come easy- especially with college. BUT I WILL CONQUER THIS (what up Mr. Darcy reference hehe)

Additionally, I have finally buckled down and started planning my novel. I’m used to having small plot ideas and never actually flushing out any of my stories. This time, I am dedicated to this story. I’ve created a portfolio designed to organize all of my thoughts that pertain to my novel. Anything from world building, characterizations, plot structure and research will go into this binder. I have also learned to be more open with others about my idea. I used to be embarrassed about what I wrote and I never wanted to share my ideas. This time, I will talk about it to anyone who will listen. I want my novel to be authentic as possible and that comes from research and communication with others. I’ve already had a brainstorming session with my Grandparents and it helped so much in steering my novel in a clearer direction. (Thanks guys! Love you!!!!) I think that the decision to write this novel has motivated my desire to read 50 books. The more you read, the better you write. Hashtag fact.

As far as the blogging goes, I do want to try and keep up with this. This is a really great forum for me to share and organize my thoughts. I’ll attempt to make weekly updates, but it all really depends on time and inspiration.

Anyways, that’s all for now. Catch y’all later!

~Lizzie

PS. I didnt really edit this post sooooooo I apologize if some parts of it dont make sense :) 

Writer's Block Sucks

When I get inspired, I can write endlessly for hours on end. But when I get blocked, it’s as if my brain turns to mush. I’ll have all these ideas about topics that I wish to discuss, but it becomes so difficult to actually put my ideas on the page. This may be because I like to have structure to my writing, and when I’m blocked, structure goes out the window. For the past few weeks (months?) I have been completely stunted. And let me tell you; for a writer, that completely SUCKS. I’ve been asking everyone for ideas and despite the fact that I love all of their ideas, I have been unable to translate them into tangible paragraphs.


Being the psychology enthusiast that I am, I have tried to psychoanalyze reasons as to why I’ve had such a prolonged writer’s block. Is it academic stress? Poor nutrition? Lack of exercise? Job (or rather lack thereof) stress? Or is it that I’d much rather spend my time watching Supernatural?


The answer? Probably all of them.


I suppose it’s a bit ironic that after months of a writer’s hiatus, the one topic that I’ve successfully written about is my inability to write. The mind works in mysterious ways, my friends.


Although, now that I am writing, I can’t seem to stop! Ahhhh this is exciting! I’m literally feeling myself getting back into the groove of writing. I guess it’s just like riding a bike!


I suppose now that I’ve gotten that all out of my system I can give a quick update on my life. I’m home right now for Thanksgiving break. I’ve gotten a haircut (the famed bangs are back) and I’ve traveled into the city. I’ve spent the majority of the time with my sister and I am absolutely loving seeing my family. My house is currently getting remodeled so that’s causing all sorts of stress. But lucky for me, I’m only here for a week so I don’t have to deal with it! (sorry mom and dad <3)


Unfortunately, I do have homework over the break and I have been successfully procrastinating this entire time. My motivation for doing anything academic is virtually zero. Although I do have a test on Monday so I should probably study…


Anyway, happy Thanksgiving!

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SNAP Challenge: My Reflection

Over all, I’d say that this was a pretty eye-opening experience. It forced me to realize just how much I take for granted in my everyday life. I never really considered grocery shopping as a luxury; but after being on such a constrained budget, I have gained an appreciation for all the options that are available to me in my normal life. I think that this challenge also brought to light the importance of making wise shopping decisions. When one is on a budget, it is important to be economically frugal but it is just as imperative that one does not sacrifice health and nutrition for the sake of saving money. 

Now, I realize that a lot of impoverished people do not have the time to really examine the health risks and benefits of the food items that they buy. They most likely have more pressing issues to deal with and just need to get food in their bellies. However, I think if we could better educate the public about making healthier choices, people on a low-income budget might be able to see the economic benefits of eating healthier. A healthy diet means a decreased chance of getting sick, which in turns may alleviate some of the stresses from medical bills. 

I am not saying that this is an easy solution, and I am by no means an expert. But from my own experiences, I found that I functioned much better when the food I consumed was more natural and less processed. It isn’t impossible to find cheap healthier options but it is most definitely a challenge. Since nutrition is very important to human development at all ages, I think that it is something that people should take very seriously.

If given the chance, I would do this challenge again; but I would definitely change my approach to it. I would find a way to incorporate more healthy options into my food storage and spend less money on processed bulk foods like the mac n cheese. Perhaps next time I should purchase a single serving box of mac n cheese and use the extra money to buy more deli meat and vegetables. I would have more variety and I would have healthier options.

             

Though this project was illuminating, I think that merely participating in it is not enough to make a difference in the hunger problem. While it might expose participants to a sliver of the struggles that those in poverty endure, it doesn’t actually help the hungry. That is why it is important for participants to donate or volunteer at organizations that focus on helping those in need (make sure to do thorough research on the organizations before donating to them).

Now that you’ve gotten a taste of the impoverished life, it’s time to take action to stop hunger.

 

Thanks for reading and sharing this journey with me. I will see you all very soon.

~Lizzie 

Disclaimer: The gifs are not mine; credit to the owners

SNAP Challenge: Day Seven (THE LAST DAY)

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Welcome back to the seventh, and last day of the SNAP Challenge!

What I ate:

Breakfast

       Cereal no milk

Lunch

        Chicken slices

Dinner

         Beans, chickpeas and instant rice (DELICIOUS)
         Strawberries (finished these)  

Snacks

         Last pop-tart and last brownie with dinner

Drinks

       Water

           

How I felt:

            To say I felt relieved that this challenge was over would be an understatement. I was running out of food and I was really beginning to crave my iced-tea, which wasn’t included in my budget. Since Sunday is another lazy day, I once again didn’t really get up until mid-afternoon. This made finding meals much easier.

           In a twist of irony, my favorite meal of the entire week was Sunday dinner. Here, I mixed my newly bought beans and chickpeas with instant rice to create a very healthy and delicious combo. It filled me up without leaving me feeling sluggish or greasy. It was a guilt free meal. I even have leftovers that I can now save for a later date. I really wish that I had bought those items at the beginning of the week instead of stocking up on so many carbohydrates. My diet was composed of a lot of artificial and processed products that provided little proper nutrition for me. 

          If I was to do this challenge over, I would definitely buy more frozen vegetables, fruits and beans (along with the pop-tarts because I am a soul believer in eating something sweet every day). Though the pasta was delicious, it lacked many of the essential nutrients to supply me throughout the day. Someone once told me that every meal should be filled with natural colors; not the artificial ones. My only issue with keeping to a healthy diet with such a limited budget is that a lot of the healthier options are more expensive and don’t come in as large of quantities as less healthy items. I think that I should have done more thorough consideration before I went grocery shopping.

Daily Question: How would this week have been different for you if you had less money to spend on food? 

Thank you all for reading and I will see you soon!!!!!

Disclaimer: The gifs are not mine; credit to the owners