I find it hard to write goals. It isn’t that I don’t have them, but I find it much easier to meet goals when they’re on short pieces, and right now I’m in the middle of a novel.

It’s gotten to the point, though, that I’m really excited about it. I’m not usually the kind of person who looks forward to editing and rewriting. But something happened with this book, and I can feel it coming together. I’m almost at the end of act i in the rewrite. I’m not sure if I ought to stop and describe more (my biggest issue in the story, it seems), or if I ought to make sure the structure works through to the end.

Other than that book, I have three short stories from this year that need to be sent out. One has one rejection and one has two. Certainly not enough to give up on them. And the newest one might be my favorite of the three.

Then I look at the short stories I’ve been writing, and sometimes I want to ask when it all became so creepy.

Other than that, I’m working hard on a writer’s group. I’m excited about the entire group, and I’m really interested to see where it goes. That’s the other reason rewriting has been fun – they’re reading my book.but I’m also reading theirs, and I’m seeing a lot of great things happening there.

I’m also looking hard at where my time goes while I’m finding time to rewrite. My part-time job and kids’ activities take up 20 hours every week, which doesn’t include my drop-off and pick-up from school (another 5 hours).

Lately I’ve been cleaning my office and creating room on my desk for that novel-in-progress. It’s helped me get there and sit down and actually do the work. And anything that gets me to be able to sit down and focus definitely needs to be repeated.

So, goal: one novel and three short stories, ready or already out by the end of this year. I should see if I have the idea to write one more by year’s end, too.

Also, the recent rains have made several roads near me look like this. Hoping it’ll dry out soon.