Friday, October 08, 2010

Fifth Annual Golden Coffee Cup is Nov 1!


HOW TO MAKE A GOOD GOAL FOR THE GOLDEN COFFEE CUP.

Put on your thinking caps. You need to make a really good goal. Keep it simple. Complicated goals tend to get tossed. Be reasonable. How long would it take you to get in shape for a marathon run? Give yourself that much time if you have a big goal. Keep it real, folks.

If you can't make a deal with yourself to make a goal, well, you need to work on that. Discipline is about practice. Try making four 1 week goals. You have to think about the amount of work, but be aware of the amount of time you have available. There is still no way to stop time. Your goal needs to jive with the time you have available. I am serious.

Goals are just that, not another reason to kick yourself, not another reason to eat that tub of chocolate brownie caramel fudge ice cream, not another reason to say that you are just a big mess up. My advice, if you are caught in this glue, go talk to someone. OK?

So now that you have settled on reason itself, put a pen to paper and write down your most awesome goal. Next, start preparing yourself for success.
Most of all, have fun!

SO WHAT IS THE GOLDEN COFFEE CUP?

In honor of National Novel Writing Month (NANOWRIMO), I have a little event on my blog for anyone one who needs an extra boost of motivation to get their current project rolling.

The Golden Coffee Cup is for children's content creators. Artists, writers, if you fit the bill this is for you.

The Golden Coffee Cup is a different kind of motivational thingy.

THE RULES: 1. Post your November creative goals on blog by Nov 1. I'll make sure all goals are moved to the November 1st post so were all on the same page. Nov 1 at midnight is the deadline, folks.

2. Come back daily for general cheering, inspiring, and wild ruckus. We'll work hard and do some holy snappin'. For extra motivation, virtual celebrity guests will be on hand to offer high fives for your achievements!

3. If you reach your goal from Nov 23 to Nov 30, and post your story on my blog, and you will receive your Golden Coffee Cup jpg. There is no verification process, I believe you. Send in your email address to me(molly@mollyblaisdell.com), and I'll email your Golden Coffee Cup. Display it proudly as wallpaper, post it on your blog, print it out and tack it on your bulletin board for year-long motivation.

4. EXTRA EXTRA Incentive! Write a great post and you might win real coffee! I will select the four best goal stories, and the winner will receive a STARBUCKS card for a cup of coffee. I do the judging and it is wholly subjective. You do not have to be my friend to win. Really, honestly, cross my heart hope to die stick a needle in my eye.

OPPORTUNITY to featured in the Golden Coffee Cup.

A quote for the week: First, have a definite, clear practical ideal; a goal, an objective. Second, have the necessary means to achieve your ends; wisdom, money, materials, and methods. Third, adjust all your means to that end
. Aristotle

15 comments:

Sumel said...

Okay, I'm in....

3 goals for November...

1. Morning pages at least 5 days a week.
2. Blog entry at least once a week.
3. Nanowrimo Win by November 30.

(They are not mutually exclusive, I can use morning page writing for the blog entry, post the latest Nanwrimo chapter, etc.)


October goal: Have a loose outline and character list by October 30.

Susan

holly cupala said...

I'm in!

#1: determine which novel to work on next.
#2: write three chapters and an outline or synopsis.
#3: submit to agent.
#4: in the event of leftover time, repeat with 2nd idea.

Whew. That wasn't so hard.

Molly/Cece said...

More early birds! Snap! Snap! Snap!

Trudi Trueit said...

Hi, Molly!
My Golden Coffee Cup goal is to finish the first draft of my current work-in-progress, a middle grade fiction novel. So on or before November 30th I should be typing the last page. Gulp.

Looking forward to your inspiring assortment of snaps and support!

Molly/Cece said...

Snap! Snap! Snap! Such good goals.:)

Saints and Spinners said...

I'm in, too. Here are my November goals:

1. Story writing once a week on Wednesday mornings

2. Read Infinite Jest

3. Continue to meet my weekly walking mileage goals (which will be a particular challenge in November as the rains come more frequently)

Farida

kevan atteberry said...

I will write one nursery rhyme a day for the month of November. I will.

Kris Bock said...

Finish the first draft of my work in progress (current target date November 5). Edit said work in progress by the end of November.

Finish the three articles which are due in November. (A no-brainer, since I have deadlines.)

Send out or follow up on five manuscript submissions or work for hire queries. This is a bit more vague, but I'm sure I have at least that many I should be doing.

Katherine Grace Bond said...

I'm doing the Young Writers Program section of NaNoWriMo with my students, so I'm allowed to set a shorter goal. Works great for me! My goal is 10,000 words, which should translate into about two poems a day for my verse-novel.

SCBWI REP said...

Snap! Snap! Snap! For cool goals, folks.

Rollin Thomas said...

I'm in too.
1,Put a new article on my blog once a week and finish article for Chinnok
2, add a chapter to my book on creating children's picture books, more if time allows
3. revise novel "Zebo Could Hunt" a middle grade novel
4. LIke Kevan, I'm doing a poem a day, an ongoing challenge

Unknown said...

Hi Molly,
My Golden Coffee Cup goals:
1. Finish the revision of my middle grade novel
2.Submit to an an agent

November is going to feel like a very short month!

Molly/Cece said...

Yep! Snap! Snap! Snap! You folks are awesome.

Janet Lee Carey said...

My November Goals:
I'll be in Maui until the 16th soaking in sunshine, swimming etc. Might do a little work while there, but will be allowing myself a vacation taking a needed creativity rejuvenation time. Since I'll be away I won’t be by the Golden Coffee Cup to comment very much, but cheering you all on in spirit.
Mid November
1. Return to work refreshed.
2. Revise Wilde Island book 2 – TESS - from the editorial letter.
3. While waiting for letter polish Wilde Island book 3 book proposal.

That's it. Goals sound simple but once I'm revising from an editorial letter I'm at the desk all day each day.

Cheers!

shelley said...

Hope it's not too late! I'm in for revising my YA suspense by the end of November. Taking it to NY!!!!!!!!!

PS. Molly are you going this year?