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| Photo by m_bartosch at FreeDigitalPhotos |
Below is a list of the prizes we are giving away to celebrate our successes, with links to the respective member's blog. Please hop around, because there are some fabulous prizes.
I am working my own giveaway as I did for my 100 follower celebration. If you leave a comment, you will receive one entry into a random drawing for a $25.00 gift card (of your choice). If you are not already a follower, and decide to join up, that will get you another entry into the drawing. I'll post the winner of the drawing on Saturday, March 24th. The other LLC members giveaways are:
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| Photo courtesy Simon Howden at FreeDigital Photos.net |
Jess Witkins Guest post swap and an iTunes gift card
Sonia Medeiros A guest post from Sonia or the winner's work featured on Sonia's blog
Jenny Hansen A Margie Lawson lecture packet and a $10 Starbuck's gift card
David Walker A free download of his "Web Wisdom: Inspiration from the Inbox"
Gary Gauthier A choice of 3 eBooks
The Life List Club has some exciting news, too! Thanks to Marcia Richards' hard work, we now have our very own blog site! While I am sad that I won't have the opportunity to welcome so many great guest posters over here, the Life List Club blog is beautiful, and will allow us to offer inspirational and motivational posts twice a week (Wednesdays and Fridays) instead of blog hopping every two weeks.
Our kick-off post is by our newest member, Sherry Isaac, on April 4th. Sherry believes in romance, identity and the depth of the human soul and, personally, I can't wait to read her first post! Please visit the Life List Club blog, take a look around and learn more about all the authors on our author pages.
I think all that's left to do is review my life list, and fess up to how things are going.
My Life List Review
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| Photo courtesy of Wookiepedia |
"No. Try not. Do or do not... There is no try." Yoda
Do's
Play with my boys every day for half-an-hour: Check! There are times where it might be a shorter amount of time, but the important thing to me is that I have carved out time to spend with my children, focusing only on them, every day.
Write for 15 minutes every day: Check! - as long as we count blogging and editing as writing. The thing I wanted out of this goal was to devote time every day to the writing process, and I feel I have done that.
Blog twice a week (Mondays and Fridays): Check!
Grow Twitter followers to over 500 and blog followers to over 100 followers: Check! (thank you all so much)
Participate in six bog hops (including the A-Z Challenge): This one takes a little explanation, but Check! I have participated in six blog hops (Nightgale Blog Challenge, I'll Tumble 4-Ya blog hop, It's Getting Hot In Here, Fourth Campaigner Challenge, Got Green Blog Hop, and the Great Star Wars Blogathon) I decided that there was no way to participate in the A-Z Challenge this year, and so registered for the Fourth Campaigner Challenge, instead. So, although I had to make a substitution, I still feel like I met this goal. I anticipate participating in more blog hops and challenges as the year goes on, but right now I need to return my focus back to getting a novel completed, so I'm not a writer wanna-be.
Guest post on three other blogs: Check! Thanks to the Life List Club, I have guest posted on five other blogs. I know some of the prizes above are to guest post on LLC member's blogs, and I recommend making the jump over to the related blogs to register for the opportunity. All members of the Life List Club have been extremely professional and their followers have been so kind and welcoming. Every guest post was a thoroughly enjoyable experience!
Do Not's
Exercise 20 minutes five days of the week: I have been exercising, and usually multiple times a week, but dang! Life kept getting in the way. So, mid-February I changed the focus to 100 minutes a week, and I seemed to be able to meet that goal a little better. Still, I have taken two of the last four weeks off, so I definitely need to work a little harder on this one!
The next three do not's are:- Complete revisions of Finding Meara by the end of March
- Create pitch, query letter, synopsis, etc... for Finding Meara by end of April
- Write first draft of second novel by end of December
When I wrote these goals, I had no idea how long it might take to do revisions, and so I set a date based on the fact I'm attending the Pikes Peak Writer's Conference in April, and hoped to be able to sign up for a pitch session. Not Happening! So, I am going to rewrite this goal so that I'm shooting for revisions and editing to be completed by May 31st. That might even be overly optimistic, but I would really like to start querying Finding Meara and writing the next novel over the summer. I currently am on page 64 of about 250 pages.
There it is, my goal review! I'm wondering, how did your last three months go? Do you have more Do's than Do Not's? Are you needing some support, or some tough love?
Looks to me like you're making progress on all fronts, Lara! That's great! I hear you about the exercise as I'm struggling too. But just keep plugging away and you'll get there!
ReplyDeleteWe're so happy you joined us 3 months ago. You are an excellent addition to the LLC!
Thanks, Marcia! I really have enjoyed my first three months with LLC, and getting to know everyone! I'm excited to get to be part of the new blog, too. All of you LLCers have been so welcoming. Thanks!
DeleteExercise is always a struggle. I don't know why! I love the Yoda pic and the way you organized your goals. :-)
ReplyDeleteI love that picture of Yoda! I saw a t-shirt that has become my mantra. "Calm, keep you. Carry on, you will." My mom got me a cup at Christmas that has Keep Calm and Carry on, but I like Yoda's version better!
DeleteHey Lara, Congratulations on meeting some of your goals. I can vouch for the fact that you post to your blog on a regular basis. The high pitch chirping sounds you hear when you visit my blog are the crickets hiding in the old blog posts. I definitely need to do something about that. BTW you are a welcome addition to the LLC and we love your contributions.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Gary! You have been friendly and helpful from day one, and I really appreciate it :)
DeleteExercise is a tough one. If I don't get it in before the day starts, it probably won't happen. I admire those of you doing the A-Z challenge, it's amazing how the blogging time adds up quickly.
ReplyDeleteExercise is tough! I know it makes me feel better, and I can eat more ;), but when I get home late, it's hard to get motivated. Ironic, considering the title of my blog. Mornings are tough for me to get up, period! I admire you for getting up and exercising!
DeleteCongrats on your first three months in a Life List Club, Lara! And congrats on all your progress. :D
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sonia - I can't believe that I met the social media goals in less than three months. I should probably make more, but I think I am going to wait until revisions are done.
DeleteYou're doing a great job, Lara. Keep it up!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mike!
DeleteI've seen Yoda in a few posts recently, and he keeps getting cuter! Congrats on your progress. Excited about the Life List blog. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by! I'm excited about the blog, too! I think it will be very inspirational!
DeleteYou're so honest about your goals, good for you! I need to sit down and do the same thing. I've been bogged down by a lot of useless stuff lately. I need to regroup and refocus. Thanks for being such a great example!
ReplyDeleteYou've got a ton going on! I agree, though, that it is always good to take a step back and figure out where I want to go, and decide if I'm my enemy in getting there. That's kind of where I was about editing - I definitely let blogging and twitter be my focus for the last three months, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't have taken social media a little slower, and worked more on editing. Oh well - it is what it is, right? ;) What is the saying? Forward, ever; Backward, never!
DeleteCongrats on the 100+ followers! My goals have been pretty much on target, as much as I can control anyway. It's the things I can't control all on my own that are getting a little crazy. I should make it a goal to be able to relinquish control sometimes. ;)
ReplyDeleteI so hear you on that control issue! If everyone would just do what I want... :)
DeleteCongratulations on your progress - it looks like you are getting lots done! It is hard to fit it all in, work, family, and writing - and everything else inbetween :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Eva! It is hard to get things done, but we just keep on, huh?
DeleteOMG! You have a picture of party poppers! I so want to play with those RIGHT NOW! LOL
ReplyDeleteLara, you are a fabulous addition to the LLC and what I'm loving about this group is how many of us it has exposed through guest posting! Even though we're making out own blog site, don't be afraid to contact the bloggers/writers you love and ask about blog swapping/interviewing. You'll surprise yourself with how fun it is and how much people are willing to chat with new audiences. I have no doubt you'll continue to inspire your readers and share new names with them!
You are so nice, Jess! Any time you want to guest post, you are welcome to! I love your sense of humor, and always need somebody to lighten things up over here!
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ReplyDeleteLots of greats Dos on the list. You know, if you find your manuscript is in better shape by the conference — you could always pitch an agent or editor in the hallway. Good luck. I'll begin on revisions in April. I'm getting sort of nervous, well, could be excited. I'm not sure which it is yet.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could approach someone just out of the blue! I'm terrified of offending them! I actually am thinking the second draft will be mostly done by the conference, though. So, should anyone ask... :) Maybe it's both nervous and excited - it's wonderful to be done with one stage, and moving on to the next. Congrats!
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