My Writing Bucket List

An idea borne from my 2015 Dear Me letter. (Updated for 2023)

Overview:  Every year I come up with several writing resolutions to accomplish during the coming year.  And every year I fall short of completing all of them.  The reasons for failing do not matter.  Achieving my writing goals does. 

This year I'm setting up a list of writing interests--a Writing Bucket List, if you will.  These assignments will vary from minute exercises to more in-depth writing tasks that may require several lengthy sessions.  The items listed are randomly generated; one assignment is not considered more important than another.

There will be no deadlines assigned to these entries, although some may be time sensitive.  Such a list allows success without the stigma of self imposed time constraints.

Rules:
Include all wants, needs and desires with respect to my intense interest in writing.
Include only interests related to writing.  Other personal goals may be included insofar as they pertain to a writing assignment.
Maintain this dynamic list by adding entries at any time. 
Modify entries if needed, but take care to preserve the essence of the original entry.
Never delete an entry.
Complete these entries as life circumstances permit.  They do not have to be completed in 2015.
Annotate completed entries with the date completed and a link to the written item.
Finally, shamelessly copy writing ideas from others if your interest is piqued.

The Bucket List:

  Maintain a writing Bucket List. 
                             [1/30/2015--"My Writing Bucket List"  - Last Modified: 05-03-24 @ 3:00pm ]

WRITING:
}  Prepare and submit a 2024 Dear Me letter to "Dear Me: Official WDC Contest" .
                             [1/2/2024--"DEAR ME!"  - Last Modified: 01-31-24 @ 9:24pm ]
  Submit four memoir stories to "Roots & Wings Contest"  before year's end.
           Entry 1 completed:
           Entry 2 completed:
           Entry 3 completed:
           Entry 4 completed:
  Write and submit an entry in "A Romance Contest - winners announced"  before year's end.
           Entry completed:
  Write and submit at least four entries in "The Weekly Quickie Contest"  before year's end.
          Entry 1 completed:  "Whose Brother's Keeper"  Feb 19, 2024
           Entry 2 completed:
           Entry 3 completed:
           Entry 4 completed:
  Write and submit at least six entries in "Merit Badge Projects"  before year's end.
           Entry 1 completed:  "Journey By Photo"  Jan 22, 2024
           Entry 2 completed:  "Surprise!"  Mar 21, 2024
           Entry 3 completed:  "Who Do You See?"  Apr 19, 2024
           Entry 4 completed:
           Entry 5 completed:
           Entry 6 completed:

  Create and maintain a journal of daily received blessings.
  Organize and publish a Chapbook of written poems.
  Write a love letter in long hand to my wife, Jeanette.
  I remarried into four cats.  Write a pet short story.
  Write a father's letter in long hand to my eldest daughter, Jenna.
           Entry completed:  Aug. 16, 2020.
  Write a father's letter in long hand to my middle daughter, Kimmy.
           Entry completed:  May 3, 2020.
  Write a father's letter in long hand to my youngest daughter, Val.
           Entry completed:  Nov. 7, 2020.
  Write a father's letter in long hand to my son, Michael.
           Entry completed:  Feb. 1, 2020.
  Spend a weekend alone in nature (a cabin in the woods will do) contemplating about my writing.
  Write and submit an article to a travel publication about a vacation taken.
           Entry completed:
  Write and submit an entry for the "Short Shots: Official WDC Contest" .
           Entry completed:
  Write and submit an entry for the "What a Character! : Official WDC Contest" .
           Entry completed:
  Write and submit an entry for the "Journey Through Genres: Official Contest" .
           Entry completed:
  Interview and record a Centenarian (100 year old).  Write an appropriate story.
  Interview and record a Nonagenarian (90 year old).  Write an appropriate story.
  Interview and record a Octogenarian (80 year old).  Write an appropriate story.
  Interview the oldest member of my family and record her stories of my family.
  Write a series of memoir stories about my life growing up, including (but not limited to):
           Moving frequently as a young child.
           Meeting my first wife.
           Proposal to first wife.
           Starting a business.
           Having and raising four children.
           Going through a divorce.
           Meeting my present wife.
           Retiring
  Collate these memoir stories into a Chapbook for family members.

REVIEWING:
  Write at least 15 reviews each month.  Ensure they are submitted to "Good Deeds Go Noticed" .
          November 2023:  27 reviews
          December 2023:  65 reviews
          January 2024:  79 reviews
          February 2024:  43 reviews
          March 2024: 72 reviews
          April 2024:  89 reviews
          May 2024:  __ reviews
          June 2024:  __ reviews
          July 2024:  __ reviews
          August 2024:  __ reviews

READING:
  Read 24 books in 2024.  (List forthcoming)

PARTICIPATION:
  Set up a writing area at home to which I can retreat to write.
  Create and maintain a writing library to assist in my writing endeavors.
  Earn next year's Premium membership using WDC gift points through reviewing, contests and events.
  Maintain a weekly presence in the "Noticing Newbies" .
  Maintain a weekly presence in the "Technical Support Forum" .
  Maintain a weekly presence in the "Non-Technical Support Forum" .
  Maintain an active leadership role in "The Talent Pond" 
  Maintain an active leadership role in "Unofficial Erotica Newsletter Group" 
  Continue as full-time editor of the Noticing Newbies newsletter, creating one issue every four weeks.
           "Reviewing Groups"  completed January 24, 2024
           "Welcome to Writing.Com"  completed February 21, 2024
           "A Daily Achievement Regimen"  completed March 20, 2024
           "A Newsletter About Newsletters"  completed April 17, 2024
           {tnl:} completed:
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  Write at least four other official WDC newsletters as a guest editor.
           Contests & Activities newsletter "A Primer: Contests and Activities"  completed December 27, 2023
           ______________ newsletter {tnl:} completed
           ______________ newsletter {tnl:} completed
           ______________ newsletter {tnl:} completed
  Participate in NaNoWriMo in November 2024.

  Regularly attend a local writer's group.
  Take personal time once a week to brainstorm story or poem ideas.
  Record any writing prompt or idea that occurs in a notebook carried with me at all times.  ON-GOING

PUBLISHING:
  Enter one of my poems in a local or regional (non-WDC) contest.
  Enter one of my poems in a national (non-WDC) contest.
  Enter one of my short stories in a local or regional (non-WDC) contest.
  Enter one of my short stories in a national (non-WDC) contest.
  Attend a Writer's Conference, whether local or regional.
  Perform a reading of one of my works at a local Open Mic night.
  Attend a book signing for a local author.
  Take one week off from work and spend time updating my older stories--minimum of ten stories.

 

  Add entries to this list as they occur to me.

To be continued...