While I try to gather enough momentum to keep me travelling ‘til Christmas my mind has already wandered into next year. I started mapping out my writing goals for next year in October. Over the last week or so I have been reviewing how this year has gone, whether I can actually achieve anything further in the last little bit of this year and thinking about where I hope to be this time 2012.
I have found over the last few weeks that I have been getting progressively fatigued with every passing day. But then I haven’t had a proper holiday since Easter, so I think my body, and mind, are trying to tell me something. Then this past weekend my daughter was ill, really ill, vomit up the walls kind of ill, and before I knew it I had lost another two days (that does sound a little uncaring, but I wasn’t thinking of anything but her, until it was all over and I was washing vomit off everything).
So in the calm and quiet of my study this morning I really looked at my list for this year and thought about what wasn’t quite there yet and what I could do over the next two weeks. I can finish the novel I had hoped to read this month. My Masters work is actually travelling along well, and I’m not where I wanted to be with my fantasy draft but it’s not too far off.
I have ticked off some things this year which has been very rewarding and satisfying, not just for the tick (I love ticking things off lists) but because I have completed these huge tasks. Among them was completing a novel writing course, completing a novel (that should probably be first), and submitted to a publisher and been rejected (as every good writer should be on the first attempt; not sure I’m good but it gives me hope).
Now I am refining what I want to do next year and what I need to do to meet my long term goals. The list doesn’t look that long really, but they are big tasks and I’m still working full time so I want to be realistic but challenge myself a little at the same time.
In no particular order here are my writing goals for 2012:
· Journal/blog twice a week (once a week has been going reasonably well; time to push it up a bit).
· Prepare my current fantasy work for publication.
· Continue the attempt to get novel number 1 published.
· Write first draft of next manuscript – probably first in the trilogy; other ideas haunting me but trying to ignore them for the present.
· Write every day (essential).
· Read at least 12 novels (still a huge pile beside the bed; still avoiding bookshops in fear of buying more).
· Create a folio of writing – this is a maybe, wouldn’t it be lovely goal; but if I don’t get the time it will drop off the list.
So I’m excited and keen; after I’ve had a little break. I am having holidays from my day job over January. This will mean some more me time, and some quality time with my daughter. I am also continuing my study over the holiday period. There are other non-writing goals I have for the coming year and others I have managed to tick off this list for this year and some not quite there; but I think 2011 has been one of my most productive years yet.
The main reason for this is that I finally decided that writing is what I want to do, no matter what else is happening in my life or what others say. And that I have made that dedication to it, that I write (almost) every day and even when it is hard I know it is what I love. Sitting and losing myself in a story for an hour or so a day is what makes me complete. I hope that one day I can do that more and more; to the point I can spend the day writing and not have to worry about the day job because the two will become one.
I am taking a little break from blogging over the Christmas period – I’ll be back the week after (twice if all goes well).
Have a joyous and safe Christmas and New Year. I hope your New Year resolutions are already well thought out and written down.
Happy Scribbling
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