#ROW80 is A Round of Words in 80 Days. It’s a quarterly writing challenge where you define your personal goals and blog each week about your progress. It’s made to be flexible and allow for tweaking.

I’m jumping into this #ROW80 about a week or two late I think. Life happened and the first two weeks of January are always a wreck for me, so I’m just now getting traction and starting to work on writing stuff. Since this round lasts through March, I’m pretty sure I know what I would like to accomplish.

Writing Goals

1. Finish writing Service Optional, book one of my science-fiction/romance series that has heavy BDSM elements. I started this as a random NaNoWriMo project. It got stalled in December because I needed to turn in another book. Now, I’m ready to pick it up and finish it!
2. Write my contribution to my critique group’s self-published anthology. I’m really excited about this project. It’s going to be a short, so it shouldn’t take long to write this.
3. Write two blog tours worth of blogs.
4. Get two books released. ((A Kiss for a Cure and Collar Me in Paris))
5. Begin editing Service Optional!

Health Goals

1. In the next three months I’d like to lose ten pounds and hit my halfway goal as far as my weight loss goes.
2. Learn to cook healthier meals.

Social Goals

This is a general pledge, but I want to be more social. I want to give myself permission to not write on some days in favor of getting out and doing something. 2012 was all about getting a small back list and establishing my series. I wanted to sell books! I did that. This year I need to find a balance between writing and having a life. I love writing, but I can’t let it be the only thing I do.

I’m doing this #ROW80 a little differently this time. The previous time I really just focused on writing while everyone else had a variety of goals. This time I’m adding the Health and Social sections. I’m excited about 2013, but also nervous about how trying to divide my focus will impact my productivity. I cannot churn out books like I did last year and be social. Somehow I have to wrap my head around the fact that it’s okay to change up my schedule for my own good. I’m already enjoying new friendships and experiences that are worth the time I’ve taken away from writing. Sure, I probably could have written about 10,000 to 15,000 words in the time I’ve spent doing other things, if not more, but really? My writing will be better for the experiences and friendships I have. In the long run, this is a good move. I just have to accept that I cannot do everything I think I should.