Progress Report for Skoora

The goals that I actively worked on this past week were those toward grad school and finishing what I started.  I narrowed down my 19 potential grad schools to four, I purchased Poets & Writers and am using it as an MFA resource as well as a source of inspiration for potential contests.   As far as finishing things: I finished the Love Scene VS. Erotica series for our blog and have also taken on a variety of craft projects which I have finished.  I made post cards and wrote out small letters and words of love to my friends which is part of my writing goals as well - handwritten letters, and the fact that I began and finished the project in the same day gives me a bit of a boost.

Things that I need to work on this week for homework purposes: select one or two schools and apply.  This means securing two or three letters of recommendation as well as writing letters of intent and other essay responses for the application.  Also it means editing/looking over samples of my writing to be submitted with my application.  I could use some help in picking/polishing these samples just as I would love to get outside opinions for my intent letters.  It's kind of interesting when one realizes that the self absorbed profession of writing, which is glamorously seclusive, has a great deal to do with others after all.

Another thing I would like to work on is a word count total each week, much like what Crimson is doing.  I have a story that I am working on and would like to see it reach some kind of fruition whilst I work on my other goals.  I think a 5K word goal would be feasible but still force me to get some writing done.  I am only going to count words that go toward either of the two novels I am currently working on.  And I invite anyone contributing or reading this blog to smack me upside the head if I fail to meet this goal.  It's as simple as this: I want to/need to be a writer and a writer writes always.  Therefore, I cannot push that aside while working on grad school goals.  And as always, I need to work on time management.  It's getting better - at least I feel as though I'm actually making some good use of my time these days - but there is still much room for improvement in this area.

Amanda LaFantasie (Skoora) © 2012