10 Writerly Things I Accomplished in 2008

Okay so this is a fun list of things that I managed to do this year that involve writing. (Aside: I also write nonfiction and I get paid for it--so this is going to include those accomplishments.)

1--I raised my hourly wage by quite a bit. I made a goal to average at least 20.00 an hour freelancing this year. I've got jobs that pay me a lot more, and one that pays me less, but my average rate is $25.00.

2--I diversified my income for writing, which means I went out and got more jobs. This was a goal I set, but ignored until I lost one of my two steady jobs. Yikes--I won't make that mistake again. Currently I work for five, yes five companies. Good thing too, because work is decreasing in two of those, so I can shift stuff around.

3--I wrote my novel. I guess that should go at the top, but I didn't make it a goal until mid-July. So I wrote my novel in about six months.

4--I attended my first writer's conference. All right so it was online, still I learned a ton and I was grateful that I got to learn all of that information.

5--I started my own blog--well two blogs, one on my family and this one.

6--I joined/co-founded a writer's group. This really has been beneficial to me in so many ways. Never mind that I made myself sick--literally--at the first meeting or that I still shake when I read out loud. It's given me motivation to write, and direction when I needed it. Plus I've gotten to know some really great people I might not have otherwise.

7--I've joined forum discussions, found blogs by agents, writers, and editors and basically I'm starting to get a feel for the industry and understand it a bit more.

8--I started my second novel. All right so it was on December 30th, and only like 300 words, but hey, I started. It counts for something--right?

9--I finally put my creative writing first. Creative as in what I want to write about, not what I'm getting paid to do. And I don't think my freelance gigs suffered for it either.

10--Heck I'm going to say I wrote my novel again. It was a pretty big accomplishment for a mom of three who also freelances. I'm so proud of it.!