My School Report
Well, I’ve done it. I have officially completed my application to grad school. You’re probably like, “Didn’t you already turn in your application?” Yes. Yes I did. But part of my application was passing some tests, and that took a bit longer. I had to take four tests. Four! But I passed them. Even the math test.
Whoo hoo!
My Writing Report
I’ve stayed mostly on track. I don’t think I told you, but in order to finish the first draft of this book by my deadline (and inspired by Sage Cohen), I set a goal of writing 7500 words a week. My average since starting the 7500 a week is 7590.33, so I’m doing it! I had one really low week but made up for it the following week. I also got stuck when I realized I didn’t know enough about my storyworld and my characters, so I spent lots of time ruminating over all of that. I’m in a much better place with all that today. I am SO TEMPTED to scroll back to page one and rewrite so that everything is smooth and updated with all the new backstory/world building, but I’m fighting the urge! Because I know if I spend time rewriting, I won’t get my word count in, and I’ll fall behind schedule. So I’m staying focused on that 7500 a week word count goal. Bit by bit I’ll get there.
When You’ve Done All You Can
I’ve done all I can right now for applying to grad school. I did everything I had to do to present a complete application. Now I have to wait and see if I get accepted. Only at that point will I be able to move forward. At some point I’ll be there with this book too. Once I pass it off to my agent, I will have done my very best to tell a good story. And then I will have to wait and see.
At that point, I will celebrate because I will have finished what I set out to do. I’m not there yet with the book, but I am celebrating completing my application to grad school because it was a lot of work! It stressed me out to study for all those tests, then take them. (Turns out I don’t much care for tests…) And I had to write a bunch of essays and ask people to write me letters of recommendation. I also had to pay to take each test and for transcripts to be sent from four different colleges. That investment of time, effort, and money was the cost of achieving my goal (applying to grad school), so that I could hopefully achieve a different goal (attend grad school and earn a master’s degree in teaching) so that I could someday achieve the final goal of becoming a teacher. My goal of becoming a teacher is made up of many little goals that must be achieved in order for my final goal to be achieved. Completing my college application was only the first step just like writing my word count goal for the day is a small step toward my dream of completing this novel.
So, I am celebrating this week. I’m celebrating having completed one major step in my journey to becoming a teacher, and I’m celebrating several weeks of hard work in keeping up with my daily and weekly mini word count goals in regards to finishing my novel. I’m doing it! I’m respecting my dreams and investing in them. Each hour, day, week, and month will bring me closer to finishing both. And what a party that will be!
How Are You Doing?
How are you doing with your dreams? Are you taking things one day at a time? Were the goals you set feasible or do you need to adjust? Share in the comments. I want to root for you AND celebrate with you.
Thanks for sharing this, Jill! And congratulations on passing your tests! What a giant step in the right direction!
I often feel like I will never achieve my dreams and goals-the main one being, completing my first novel and getting published. Mostly I just get scared and think my writing isn’t good enough.
Finding this blog has been a great joy to me, though, and I always find something so extremely helpful in every post.
Thank you guys for doing what your doing. And, Jill, I really hope you can become a teacher one day. You already are such a great one, teaching all of us here on the blog!
Thank you so much for the kind words, Ellie! I’m glad this blog has been a help to you. Don’t worry about being good enough. None of our words are good enough when we write those messy first drafts. Just keep plugging along until you get to the end, no matter how messy things end up. Then you will be able to celebrate finishing that first draft and you can move into editing mode. You’ll get there eventually. I believe I you! 🙂
Jill, I’m so proud of you! So much work and so many tests AND YOU’RE STILL GETTING WORDS DONE! Amazing!
I’m in a release season right now for Within These Lines, and so far I’m doing an okay job at managing the extra demands without letting the book release take over every spare minute of my life. 19 days to go!
Congrats, Jill! I’m still working toward getting through high school, so I can’t even imagine…
I’ve finished two novels and decided not to publish either (as well as about a million unfinished ones I abandoned), because my writing style has changed and so has my view on writing. I’m starting a new book, so hopefully this one will turn out. I’m sticking with writing, though, no matter how long it takes. I can’t even imagine NOT writing.
Thank you! I’m proud of you for making the hard choice not to publish. It can be super tempting. I’m glad you’re sticking with writing too. Every book will be stronger than the last.
CONGRATULATIONS! That’s so amazing; I wish you the best of luck with grad school. 😀
I think I’ve finally hit that common February low for my new year’s goals, but I’m determined not to give up on them entirely. The words are coming, but slowly. I’m editing a novel for the first time in years after abandoning almost every novel after the first draft, so I really don’t know what I’m doing. But I’m making it better, I think!
Good job, Josie! You will learn so much editing a novel. It’s a fabulous experience. Hard but so good.
Best of luck with grad school!! I 100% bet you’ll get in 🙂 I just finished applying for my undergrad, and I’m going through many of the same feelings as you. Usually, I’m a super stressed perfectionist; even after the fact, I worry and worry about things. But I’m just so exhausted by the whole process (from the essays to the standardized tests) and all the pressure, I’ve unconsciously developed the same attitude: I’ve done all I can. I’m good with my efforts. Celebrating all the little things–from finishing an essay to being accepted into a safe school–is just as, if not more, important as celebrating the big achievements.
(Also, I think you’d be a great teacher.)
Eleanor | On the Other Side of Reality
Thank you, Eleanor. Congrats on getting your application in too! That is awesome (and a lot of work). What do you plan to study in school?