Writing Goals on Course

So far this year – and it is still only fairly young – my writing goals are on course. My goals are as follows:-

Firstly, to send at least one article out per month. Not a lot you may think, but I’m not very fast.

Secondly, to look at half-finished articles, stories, poems etc, and see if I can do something with them.

In January I sent out one major article to a paying magazine – no acknowledgement yet, one short article to a small-press magazine, accepted. One poem to a paying magazine, also no acknowledgement.

Published in January, one poem in a small-press magazine, one letter in a dog magazine. No money for either, but at least they’ve found a home.

Between times, while I am researching or writing first drafts I try to write letters to papers and magazines, to keep the writing muscle working.

I find it’s important to have these goals and I’ve planned out the whole year’s articles. They may not all come to fruition, but it’s a start.

Smiley Topiary

At the start of our walk around the grounds of Kingston Lacy, we were greeted by this smiley topiary. We’d gone to see the display of snowdrops which salute the arrival of spring, or at least the promise of it.

I found myself drawn as much to the trees as to the flowers. The textures and shapes are mesmerising.