Printable 2017 Quarterly Calendar

24 December, 201626 February, 2020Leave a comment

Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!

Near the end of 2015, I made a post about time management, which included free downloads to help you get organized for the new year, including a Gantt Chart Excel template and a printable blank quarterly calendar.

Plan a Month’s Worth of Projects with a Gantt chart

Here’s what the Gantt Chart template looks like:

Click to download the Excel Template

Track your progress AND plan out your month so you know which tasks you should work on each day.

Plan Several Months at Once with a Quarterly Calendar

I’ve been using this quarterly calendar since 2015 as a family planner, color-coding events and appointments for each family member. We can see the whole year at a glance, and I use it daily! It also works really well for planning out projects. You could use highlighters to create Gantt Charts on your calendar.

The new calendar spans January to December, 2017, and this time I added a color version.

Continue reading →

StoryWorldCon: Find Your Cabin!

8 March, 2016Leave a comment

It’s orientation at StoryWorldCon! Which cabin do you belong in?

I’m still working on curriculum for the StoryWorldCon courses, but in the meantime, check out the campsite, meet and mingle with other campers, and start asking your questions about the courses in the free forum!

If you’ve ever wanted to go to a writing conference but didn’t have it in your budget, this is for you. If you’re a conference junkie, this is for you. If you want to meet other writers and find critique partners, this is for you.

The campsite is only as good as its campers, so tell your friends to join! The forum is going to be year-round, but workshops will happen based on interest and enrollment.

Find out more about StoryWorldCon here. To receive updates on the conference and when the workshops will be available, make sure you subscribe to this blog!

pg70pit is Back!

3 February, 20168 June, 20162 Comments

pg70pit is coming back in 2016!

This year is going to have an added feature:

7th on the 7th

Every month on the 7th leading up to the contest, I’ll share one of last year’s winning entries with a commentary talking about how it works. I’ll also do a line edit of one blog subscriber’s seventh page, on my blog, to show you exactly how to make your entries (70th page) shine.

To enter for a chance of getting your seventh page edited on my blog, fill out the form at the bottom of the page. Unlike the contest itself, this will not be a blind drawing. I’ll be picking entries that I think will be the most educational for my blog readers.

#70pit16 Schedule

February 7: first 7th on the 7th post

March 7: 7th on the 7th

April 7: 7th on the 7th

May 7: 7th on the 7th

June 1: Check-in with last year’s winners

June 7: last 7th on the 7th

June TBD: Agents announced

July 1: MG entry window opens

July 2: YA entry window opens

July 3: Adult entry window opens

July 7: Winners posted on larawillard.com and co-hosts’ blogs

Any questions? Read this post.

7th on 7th Entry

~~By entering, you agree that your work may appear and be edited on my public blog. Your name and email address will be used only to contact you in the event your page is chosen.~~

~~PLEASE CHANGE ALL CHARACTERS’ NAMES. I don’t want you to be disqualified from pg70pit because we recognize your entry.~~

ThanksGIVING

25 November, 20154 August, 20182 Comments

15 Bookish & Writerly Things I’m Thankful For
My Gift to You
Small Business Saturday–Cyber Monday Editing Deals

15 Bookish & Writerly Things I’m Thankful For

My editing clients! I wouldn’t be able to blog or stay home with my kids if it weren’t for you. I’m daily inspired and encouraged by your creative spirits. You’re THE BEST.
The books patiently waiting by my bedside for me to read them
My local library, for saving me hundreds of dollars a year with all their books and comics and movies.
Librarians, for being insanely helpful and brilliant.
This reminder from Shannon Hale:
https://twitter.com/haleshannon/status/636907891379736576
This GIF:
https://twitter.com/larathelark/status/667520389229101056
Indie Booksellers (like Addendum Books) and lit mags (like Revolver) who put on awesome literary events.
The social media accounts which show how hilarious and human book publishers are.
The couple hundred writers who participated in #pg70pit this summer—Thank you! We’ll be doing it again in 2016!
The readers & writers who joined in my first BookDeeply writing seminar / book club. (You can still join! Nominate next spring’s debut author in the comments below.)
My fellow MS Editors—you raise me up so I can stand on mountains. Oh, wait, that’s Josh Groban.
Writing/editing/reading social media—Twitter, for helping me find my tribe, and Bookstagrammers, for making my daily doses of books and design easy and convenient.
The community of comics creators at OA Live.
FREE COMIC BOOK DAY
And YOU, for reading my blog! Thank you!

What literary wonders are you thankful for this year? Share in the comments!

My Gift to You

If you are not of a geeky persuasion and/or have no appreciation for popular culture, you probably won’t appreciate this. But if you know who Pavel Chekov is, then I hope you like and enjoy.

I made a series of geeky to-do/checklists for you. I call them…

wait for it…

the CHEKOV LIST.

I’ve got blue ones with trekkie insignia…

Assorted colors for color-coders:

and black and white sketchy ones for those trying to save some toner…

They’re free! You can download them by clicking the image below.

If you do download them, and if you enjoy them, do me a favor and rate them on Teachers Pay Teachers, please!

Eventually I’ll add more writing worksheets to that site, so let your writing instructors know about it. 🙂

Have fun with these, print out a bunch for friends, enjoy!

Editing Deals

From now through Cyber Monday, request a quote from me to receive big discounts!

Note: November is the craziest month for Marine families, so my posting schedule is a bit off! We had the Marine Corps Birthday Ball last weekend and have Thanksgiving tomorrow, so November’s query workshop and the Act Three post will be a bit delayed.