The Jan Plan is the brainchild of YA author Christa Desir. While tweeting one day, Christa and I (and a few other lovelies) realized that we had a lot of unfinished projects lying around, and we wanted to start the new year on a positive note, with an actual plan of finishing something.
Christa dubbed it The Jan Plan. And projects are like puppies--once you name it, you're committed to it. So here we are, day one of the new year, ready to put this fabulous plan into action.
The Jan Plan is simple.
1. Find a project you've been putting off for a while. Something that has been started already but never finished. Most of us are authors here, but your Jan Plan project doesn't have to relate to writing. It can be a personal project, a home project, a hobby project, a career project, anything that's important to you.
2. Create a workable plan that allows you to finish that project by February 1.
3. Share your goals, and later your results, on your blog and/or via Twitter with the #TheJanPlan hashtag. Feel free to share the image above on your blog.
4. Write a follow-up post (or tweet) with your Jan Plan results on February 1.
January is about new beginnings, a fresh start. But it's much easier to start something than finish something, so why not take one of the previous years' unfinished "fresh starts" and make January about a new feeling, one of uplifting satisfaction.
My 2013 Jan Plan:
...is not about writing! I surprised even myself with this one, but it really needs to get done. I've been working on reorganizing my son's bedroom and all the closets in my apartment for...oh, I don't know, something ridiculous, like, the past two or three years or something.
So. In January 2013 I am going to finish my son's room and closets. This is no simple feat, my friends. At some point I'm going to have to move an upright piano with broken legs and no wheels. It has to be carried, hence the reason it is still taking up half my son's bedroom. Which was fine when he was little, but now The Boy needs his space.
I will also be moving and rearranging entire bookshelves, but I'm actually looking forward to this part. ;-)
We do hope you'll join us! The more the merrier.
Check out Christa's Jan Plan post here. Write your own post. Use the #TheJanPlan hashtag on Twitter. Let's start the year with a BIG FINISH!
Happy 2013,
~Lydia
What an awesome idea! :D I love your JanPlan, and your boy will be so happy to have room for all his activities! ^_^
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to put some thought in to my plan, what you have is such a good idea, but I do have this story that's been inching its way along. Perhaps the JanPlan is just the right motivator for me to git 'er done! :)
Great post, Lydia! Happy new year! :D <3 *hugs!*
Good luck to you, Kelly! ~squeezy hugs~
DeleteWell, there's my novel...
ReplyDeleteMaybe I could aim for getting a new draft done.
Forward progress is always a good thing. :-)
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ReplyDeleteThis is a fantastic idea! I've got a manuscript I've been trying to finish forever now, and had already decided January's the month for it... So basically, you've been reading my mind ;). I'd love to join in on the fun, too.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the closets and the bedroom--sending positive thoughts your direction! :)
Awesome! Sending good writerly vibes your way. :-)
DeleteI'm joining the Jan Plan. Have a manuscript that I've been working on since March. I want to have it ready for querying by February!
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Laurie! I'm in the same boat!
DeleteThat is an excellent goal. :-)
DeleteLove this post! I've got a little over 30,000 words of my novel written. I will try to knock out the 60,000-ish necessary to finish the first draft by February 1. With 31 days in January, I could start tomorrow, January 2, and try to knock out 2,000 words a day for 30 days. I'll game-plan it tonight. Even if I fall short, I may be so close to finishing, that there is no down side. Thanks for giving us all a theoretical forum in which to "house" our projects: The Jan Plan. I hope to tweet a killer word count on February 1. Word number 60,001? #TheJanPlan
ReplyDeleteLydia, good luck with your project! A year ago, I had to make a major overhaul to give my only son the space he needed. Feeling the squeeze of encroachment on your child's space is a great motivator. I'm sure you'll be tweeting pics of the revamped room well before February 1. :-)
Happy New Year,
Deborah (@D_Leigh_Writes)
Thanks, Deborah! Hoping January brings you many good words. :-)
DeleteWow! moving a piano with no legs or wheels. Yeah, I can see how that keep dropping in the to do list. Good luck getting it all done this month.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
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