In the fall of 2008 I had a crazy idea.  Why not join a masters program to make my already insanely busy life even more so?

My thinking process went like this: I could take one class a semester and within a few years I could have a second Masters degree. Or I could twiddle my thumbs every evening or watch a mindless video and be no better off after a few years.

I decided to do it and found a suitable and affordable program in Humanities with a history concentration which worked well for me. I wanted to bone up on this area of study in order to help my teaching which was primarily in the social studies department. So despite having a family, teaching a heavy load, managing a baseball league, writing our yearly dramas, coaching softball, and directing our plays; I decided to step out and try to do a little studying at a time to fulfill my goal.

Now, four years later, I am on the cusp of completely that Master’s degree. I’m in the home stretch of my thesis, and I hope to graduate in May (August at the latest). I am pleased with how my plan went, and I’m glad that I stuck with it even though I felt, at times, completely overwhelmed.

Well, now I have another 4 year plan and I hope the last four years have given me the blue print for accomplishing it.

With one novel published, another novel finished, and a third novel in its beginning stages, I am off on a four year writing plan. My goal? When 2017 rolls around, I hope to have five or more novels under my belt.

I have no goals of readership or success or money. Those are the least of my concerns. I want to write. I want to improve. I want to strive to be the best, creative writer I can be. If I do that, I believe all those other things will take care of themselves, and even if they don’t, I’m writing for myself because I enjoy it.

So I have a plan and I’m sticking to it.

Remember the motto: “Create, not consume.”

PS: What goals do you have?