Quarterly Goal Setting

Businesses often have quarterly goals, and statements, and reports.

But often, when we talk about our creative goals, even when it comes to the business of our creating books for kids and teens, we shift the timeline out to a year, or three years, or 'what's your five year plan?'

Perhaps some of that is due to the particular pace of publishing, which can seem glacial until suddenly there's a panic to rush-rush-rush... and then it can seem glacial again.

And perhaps it's because so often we hold aspirations that are outside of our control, and putting a longer timeline on it makes it seem more possible.

For now, consider setting a creative and a creative business goal for the next three months: October, November, and December. I'd suggest these be two separate goals, and for things you do control. 

An example of a creative goal could be writing, or drawing, or translating, every day for twelve minutes (per Linda Sue Park's writing sprint suggestion.) 

An example of a creative business goal could be submitting your illustrations to all three of SCBWI's monthly draw this! challenges.

You choose - and keep in mind that creating our work is one part of this gig, and submitting/offering/promoting our work is another.

What are your 4th quarter 2022 goals?

Share them or keep them close - the idea is to keep us productive, and inspired, and accountable.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Do You Know About the "Edited By?" SCBWI Member Benefit?

As a benefit of SCBWI membership, SCBWI offers a publication called "Edited By" that lists editors and what they have recently acquired.

The title page of "Edited By"

Compiled by Deborah Halverson, the idea is that,

Each year, the SCBWI surveys publishers and editors for lists of up to seven books acquired or edited recently. It is our hope that this publication will be a useful tool in targeting your manuscript submissions. By providing you with information about each publisher/editor’s tastes and acquisition decisions, this document can help you determine where to submit your manuscripts and/or illustrations.

It's page 99 of The Book: Essential Guide to Publishing for Children, which you can access by signing into your SCBWI profile and looking under publications. The direct url is: https://www.scbwi.org/online-resources/the-book/

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee