As for the rest of you, welcome to the new year. I'm celebrating with a space bar that doesn't want to register, so if you see wordsmashedtogetherlikethis please ignore them as I'm still recovering from a week of holiday celebrating with extended family.
Last night just after midnight, my son (11) asked what our new year's resolutions were. He was a little shocked when I said I don't do those. Reason? People tend to choose things that are destined to fail. They vow to curse less or eat better or exercise everyday until they puke. I'm not saying it never works out, but the loftier the resolution, the more likely it is to fail. So I don't bother with them. The closest thing I have to a resolution is to be the best me I can be.
What I do have are goals.
You see, a resolution is like a promise. Once you break it, the deed is done and can't be undone. Sure, you can start over again, but it feels like you failed. With a goal, you have the whole year to keep trying. Don't reach it in January? No worries, you still have 11 months to go! And I also set reasonable goals. I figure there's twelve months to the year. While I could stand to lose more than this, I have a goal to lose 12 pounds. If I hit that quickly, *poof* goal accomplished. I might set another one or I might just content myself with the 12.
I also have writing goals. These are a little trickier as they are out of my control to some degree.
- I want to make more money than I did last year. Honestly, this shouldn't be all that hard. Financially (for me), 2012 blew massive chunks and I don't want to discuss it.
- I want to streamline and de-stress my writing time. I already started this by making the painful decision to leave Steamed! I love that blog, but it was becoming more work than fun. I'll be making more cuts of that nature soon. The only part of my writing that should be "work" is... you know, the work part.
- I want to sell more than I did last year. In 2012, I sold 5 stories (1 short, 2 novellas, 2 novels). I want 2013 to be more than that. Considering I already have one piece on sub and another that should go out by month's end (hopefully), I think I can manage that.
- I want to meet more readers. This means breaking out of my comfort zone at both RT and Up in the Aether (as well as any other cons I manage to get to).
- I want to wrap up at least one series. I'm pretty sure I know which one it will be, but only time will tell for sure (and this will be a late-in-the-year goal no matter what).
- Streamline giveaways so I'm not confused on what I owe where. (ie--I'm only doing giveaways on other blogs if they choose the winner and notify me of what I'm sending where. Which is how it should be since it's their party.)
- Celebrate releases. I haven't done this in... ages. Literally, my release-celebrations last year went something like this. "I have a book out today. Oh shit. I have a fucking book out today! (cue panic) I need to get on the blog and pimp it on social media and..." Good times... Or at least I'm sure someone somewhere would consider it a good time. I kind of don't.
- I want to find the joy in writing again. I lost it for a while last year, and I think my work suffered as a result. To much trying to fit inside a box that wasn't made for me left me cranky. No more of that. Writing should be fun.
If you notice, a lot of that (though not all for sure) is about getting back to where I was before I was published. That sweet spot where writing is all a big, fun, scary adventure. I have no intention of leaving my publishers to find it. But I do want to get there again, to just embrace and run with things, rather than worrying about shit all the time. I have enough damn gray hairs. I don't need anymore, thanks.
So what about you? Resolutions or goals?
