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Thursday, December 1, 2016

Making Plans

This post by Gayle M. Irwin




Thanksgiving has passed and Christmas is on the horizon, with a New Year following shortly thereafter. Have you made plans for the New Year?

Sometimes it’s difficult enough to make plans for tomorrow let alone for a new year. And, with the busyness of the holiday season, time seems to slip away even more quickly. We are nearing the end of 2016 – where did the year go?! I had great plans for my writing career in 2016, and in essence, much of that came to pass. I authored two new books, both released earlier this fall, and I was part of Sundown’s Pawprints on My Heart as well as Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Spirit of America. I wrote several articles about Wyoming’s Vietnam veterans, a project of the Casper Star Tribune and the Wyoming Veteran’s Commission, and several of my pet stories were picked up and published by a company in Colorado called Prairie Times. I also authored several articles for Crossroads and WREN magazines, both published in Wyoming.

My goal is to become a fulltime freelance writer; I am much closer to that goal now than ever. We will see what 2017 brings. I have interviews scheduled yet this week with an editor looking for project writers and with the director of a non-profit seeking a social media/content creator – such additional work coupled with my “usual” monthly writing gigs and a social media content writer position I was recently asked to fill just may help tip me over into “fulltime freelance/virtual writer” – but no final decisions will be known for a week or so (perhaps next column I’ll have “good news” to share!).

In the meantime, this weekend (actually starting tonight) several books event opportunities present themselves, including reading my latest children’s story BobCat Goes to School at a library about 30 miles from where I live. I am grateful for these happenings and signings, for the librarians, booksellers, and occurrence creators who ask me to take part in an event. Sharing my work, words, and passion for pets thrills me, and I look forward to each opportunity, especially during the holiday season.

What career or other life plans are you making, whether you’re a writer or not? What holiday plans do you have that you are looking forward to?

Wherever you are, wherever you go, whatever you do, may your plans and opportunities bring you joy!



Gayle M. Irwin is a Wyoming writer, author, and speaker. She is the author of several inspirational pet stories for children and adults, including a chapter book called Sage's Big Adventure, a kid's activity book titled Cody's Cabin: Life in a Pine Forest, and a humorous and heartwarming cat story published last month called BobCat Goes to School, as well as two memoirs: Walking in Trust: Lessons Learned from My Blind Dog and Tail Tales: Stories of Pets Who Touched My Heart and Impacted My Life. She is also a contributing writer to several editions of Chicken Soup for the Soul and is one of the featured writers in Memories from Maple Street U.S.A: Pawprints on My Heart, released by Sundown Press. She will be on the booksigning circuit in Wyoming during December. Learn more at www.gaylemirwin.com.   

9 comments:

  1. I see you're certainly working your career program, Gayle.
    I don't make set in stone plans. You know that John Lennon quote, "Life happens while you're making plans." I do take my writing seriously and I work on it every day. Although I written some nonfiction pieces, I am essentially a fictional writer. I have quite a few stops and starts and rewrites. One thing I have never done--miss a deadline. I want to be as good as my word. I'm a plotter so I do plan out my stories and occasionally have to tweak that plot. That's about as much planning as I ever do.
    I haven't finished reading PAWPRINTS ON MY HEART yet, but I'll be getting to your story very soon. I want to wish you all the best over the holidays and into the new year. I hope you get your wish to become a self-sustaining writer.

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  2. Thank you, Sarah, I appreciate your encouraging words and your thoughts. I'm working on a fiction story but it's a stop and start as well; didn't finish it during NaNo as I'd hoped. Yes, plans do get way-laid at times, and mine certainly have, but I'm hoping that more focus and a deeper-embedded routine will assist me. I wish you well also during this holiday season and in your writing career.

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  3. You GO, Gayle! I dream of the day I can leave my day job and do nothing but write fiction and chase after wayward PRP authors (like Sarah -- sure, she looks all sweet and innocent, but...). :-D I'll be rooting for you and looking forward to good news from you next month! :-)

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    1. Don't think I didn't see that remark, Kathleen. My laser eyes are focused on you. I think your day job keeps you out of getting into more trouble than you already get into. Just sayin'...

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    2. Thank you, Kathleen. I appreciate you reading my blog post and leaving a few comments. I don't think I'll be leaving my day-job anytime soon, but hoping by the end of 2017 I'll be more on-track to do so. Meantime, here's to writing success for us all! Happy Holidays!

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  4. Gayle, I hope you are able to become a full-time author very soon. I love your stories! And I love the work you do with animals, of course! Just keep on keepin' on. I really enjoyed this post!

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    1. Thank you, Cheryl -- I appreciate your words of encouragement and kindness. I hope to be able to submit something to PRP next year and perhaps you all will help me get to that point of being a fulltime author and freelance writer! Happy Holidays!

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  5. Gayle,

    My plans are to have contingency plans when the original plan doesn't work out. *grin* As far as my writing plans go... I've been on a mission for the past two years to get all of my previously published works back into circulation. I'm almost done. I have one novel, two novellas, and one short story left.

    Happy Holidays to you, and I hope your writing plans go as you hope. *hugs*

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    1. Kaye, I truly appreciate your kind words. Yes, there can always be a Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, etc. -- my husband and I are in the middle of such discussions this month as he, too, wants to have more freedom to pursue his interests, which includes writing a novel (go figger!) Good luck to you as you work your way through that "list," and I'll certainly look into your work. Happy Holidays!

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