Dear Me: My Campaign Begins

Dear Me,

2012!  It's election year, a year fraught with all manner of political elections and maneuvering.  It's also a year in which I will campaign for my most fervent writing goal. 

I intend to seek the office of Published Author.

I've taken an informal poll using statistics gleaned from my Portfolio stats and received reviews, and this broad-base support by many WDC constituents has bolstered my desire to invest more time in my writing future.  Publication--this initiative is a call to action.

People have long seen me as a dark horse candidate, a long shot for this office, probably due to my proclivities toward procrastication.  I resolve to achieve this office while maintaining my active presence as a Moderator on WDC.  Perhaps the complacency that plagues so many writers has become my watchword as well.  From now on I shall no longer sit back and procrastinate with the Silent Majority.

I know my goals will only be met if I focus all aspects of my being on this aim.  That said, I've assembled a few of the most capable personalities I know to help me overcome that limiting habit.  My campaign manager, Michael MUSE, has outdone himself with a plan to accomplish this goal by November's Election Day.  The campaign group's two remaining members are Ignacio ID and Ethan EGO, both fervent and driven, though sometimes irrational, supporters.  Muse suggested that I keep Ego in check, that much of what holds me back is being too tied to what I write.  I need to consider all feedback with an open mind and be willing to accept change.  The creativity that Id brings to my campaign is without peer.

A caucus among my supporters has determined that the following positions are vital in this working and dynamic platform.  I shall:

           NOT be conservative in my writing endeavors in 2012.  This year promises to be a banner year in my quest for writing publication and eventual free-lance writing independence.

           Select several noteworthy poems and short stories not later than February 29th that I feel have the most potential for publication and focus efforts on marketing them.  Subsequent offerings written throughout the year will be considered for the same.

           Identify several support groups and peers on WDC to which I will lobby heavily for feedback.  Their advice is instrumental for this endeavor.  This contact will be made within two weeks after identifying the offerings cited above.

           Write one new story and two new poems each month, AND review a minimum of thirty items each month in order to improve my writing abilities.

           Enter both WDC and offsite contests regularly in order to advertise my offerings and enhance their marketability.  I will select offsite contests with editors as judges to gain better recognition.

           Actively seek at least two suitable venues for publication every other month--one for my poetry and one for my fictional short stories--and submit offerings to each beginning in April.

           Submit How-To articles of experiences in my everyday woodworking business in select trade magazines for publication, the first submission to go out by June 15th.

Each measure ... uh, goal will be realized in a series of simple continuing resolutions on WDC funded by entering various contests, strategically selected to maximize exposure for my offerings by a number of tangible means--gift points to help fund further promotion, merit badges and awardicons to increase awareness of my continued success among fellow authors, and reviews to help fine-tune those offerings for eventual publication.  I will build on each goal until both at least one fictional short story and one poem is published.  Publication must be by print or electronic medium outside WDC, and will net some form of monetary return for my campaign effort.

The feedback I've gotten from my Noticing Newbies newsletter readers, and from members of several groups to which I belong lead me to believe I have considerable grassroots support for my campaign.  My efforts will not be done out of sight in some smoke-filled room; accountability will be maintained by detailing this journey in my blog, "From My Mind to...." . 

I will make this happen.


I'm Jace ... and I've approved this letter.

Word Count:  724  

Notes:
1.  Many of the election campaign terms cited in this letter are defined on the Scholastic.Com website, specifically http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/vocabulary-political-words.

2.  Ignacio means one who is lively, fiery.  Ethan means strong, firm, impetuous.