Week 13 of Freelance Writing: Diary Entry #14
And that’s a wrap for March goals…how did I do?
March has ended, and it was a learning experience with a fair share of ups and downs. I reached my goals, but I can’t say I’m not glad it’s over.
This is the first time I’ve set proper monthly goals, and I’m pleasantly surprised with how it turned out. I’m ready to step into April with another month of freelance writing wisdom under my belt.
Here’s last week’s post:
My Schedule
This week I worked on my novel on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings, and then switched to articles in the afternoons. On Tuesday and Thursday, I planned to send two pitches each before working on articles.
What worked
I love writing on M, W, F instead of Tuesday and Thursday. It meant I got to write more and spend more time actually focused on writing.
What didn’t work
It was a pretty easy week, so nothing stands out this time.
Plan for next week
It’s the first week in April, so my goals will change slightly.
I’m still working on the same things, but I’m moving on to part two of my novel and I’d like to have the first draft done by the end of April. That means I have to write 1800 words on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week to finish on schedule. It will be more than I have been writing, but definitely doable.
On M, W, and F after I finish my writing goal I’m going to switch to article writing with the goal of publishing one yoga related article per week in my Savasana Today publication, and one diary entry here in Diary of a Freelance Writer.
On Tuesday and Thursday, I’ll send two pitches each and spend the rest of the time working on articles.
Successes, Failures, and Lessons Learned
Challenge
Sending pitches is the most difficult thing I have on my plate right now, and I still get frustrated and discouraged with the whole process almost every day. I’m going to keep it up until I am confident that it’s worth, or not worth, doing, but I’m going to complain the whole time.
Victory
I loved how much I got to write this week.
I finished the first part of my novel (first draft only), which feels like a solid accomplishment, since that first part was a full story arc.
How I felt
There were some pitch-related rough patches this week but overall I felt great and really enjoyed my schedule. I reached all of my monthly goals, which is such an empowering feeling.
Goal Review
As a recap, my main March goals were to send three pitches per week and to finish the first part of my novel.
Here are the goals broken down into weekly priorities:
Priority 1: Send two pitches on Tuesday and Thursday. Writing jobs trump this for top priority.
I sent two pitches on Tuesday and only one on Thursday, but I felt pretty good about the quality of the pitches.
Priority 2: Work on my novel on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
I didn’t set a word count this week since I had little left to do in my first draft, but I worked on my novel every day. I finished the draft and reviewed and polished the outline for next week.
Priority 3: Write and engage here on Monday, Wednesday, Friday.
I worked on articles on M,W, F published an article in my new publication Savasana Today, which is a yoga blog where I talk about all things yoga from a body positive perspective.
Here’s this week’s article: I Did Yoga Before Work Every Day for 2 Weeks: Here’s What Happened.
Final Thoughts
Reaching my goals for the month of March was a great feeling, and it really encouraged me to set my goals higher and to work harder.
Seeing success over a shorter timeframe, like a week or a month, is so important for our mental health when we’re working towards our goals. Don’t forget to celebrate those smaller victories! 🎉
Have a great week!
Follow my publication, Diary of a Freelance Writer, and check back next Sunday for another rundown of a week in the life of a full-time freelance writer.
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