Some Goals...

[the_gneech]

Here's a first draft, for anyone who'd find it interesting. Just a rough sketch at the moment, which will probably require some heavy-duty tweaking as time goes on. I'm sure lots of things will happen as time goes on that I haven't forseen here, but such things will have to be integrated into the plan as they come up.

By the End of the Month...

• Make arrangements for Dragon*Con, including tax forms
  
• Get all current commissions out of the way
  
• Have t-shirts under construction, or at least artwork finished
  
• Send "La Vida Panthera" corrections to Dave for second printing
  

By the End of Summer...

• Get a day job in an office environment somewhere in Reston, paying a minimum of $30k
  
• Use funds from said day job to return to kung fu training
  
• Use funds from said day job to begin payments on a new car for Laurie
  
• Have the basic outline worked up for a series of at least three fantasy novels; the more the better
  
• Begin the first draft of Book One
  

By the End of the Year...

• Have SJ book three in planning stages
  
• Have NN projects in planning stages
  
• Work out a long-term career plan in terms of "day job"
  
• Re-establish long-term investment plan
  

By Mid-2003...

• Have first draft of Book One finished
  
• Have NN projects under construction
  
• Implement long-term career plan
  
• Achieve novice rank in kung fu
  

By End of 2003...

• Have third SJ book out
  
• Have NN projects out
  
• Finish Book One
  
• Day-job income $40k+
  
• Current unsecured debts paid off; begin short-term investments
  

2004

• Find publisher for Book One, begin Book Two
  
• Continue SJ and NN projects until otherwise noted (details to follow later)
  
• Get a house?
  

2005

• Achieve intermediate rank in kung fu
  
• Publish Book One, finish Book Two, begin Book Three
  
• Day-job income plus short-term investment $50k+
  

2006

• Publish Book Two, finish Book Three, begin Book Four
  
• Second car paid off; replacement for current car?
  

2007

• Achieve "black belt" equivalent in kung fu
  
• Publish Book Three, finish Book Four, begin Book Five
  

2008 - 2009

• Keep on keepin' on...
  

2010

• Begin to teach kung fu? Pursue other styles?
  
• Day-job income plus writing/cartooning/other income $65k+
  

2011 - 2013

• Onward, ever upward :)
  

2014

• Writing is primary source of active income; either a long series, several trilogies and stand-alone books, or some of each
  
• SJ / NN have significant "beyond the net" readership; graphic novels in bookstores?
  
• Significant kung fu mastery and scholarship
  

-The Gneech <-- used to do this all the time, and is trying to get back in the habit

Comments

[murrrmaiyd.livejournal.com]

Wow...makes me think a bit beyond "gee, I hope I win the lottery in the next few years!" :) I did have a long term plan at one point, but nothing worked out like I had planned for it to, and I think I'm in worse shape now than I was then! Also, over time I have began the whole waffling thing you discussed in a previous entry...I'm not sure if that goal is really the best thing for me to do....I'd probably like the career best of the ones I have thought of, and I can get trained for it right here in Orlando, but will I be able to find a job, will it pay enough, etc. The other career I'd like involves a lot of expensive training, and a lot of practical experience, neither of which I have or can afford. Sigh....So I don't know what to do. :P

Mur