Well on my way

I have read the experiences of many an author. I have concluded that there is no set way to get published. The only commonality I find among all successful authors is that they wrote something and stuck their neck out and gave it to someone else to read.

So, maybe I should par my resolutions down to this. 

1. Write something

2. Submit it

Sounds easy enough, but others' experiences tell me that there's a writing demon out there that does his darndest to make sure one or both of those things don't happen. And I'm pretty sure his major weapon is busy-ness. Keep people busy with "important" things, and neither of those two will happen. 

2009

My 2009 resolutions begin in approximately 6 hours. I decided I'd start the first Monday back to work for 2009, tomorrow. I should be in bed right now, getting lots of sleep for all of my inspired writing and reading and such that I will be accomplishing come 3 AM tomorrow morning, but alas, I am awake. 

So, I decided to get an early start. This will take care of one of my three blogs for this week--can't go wrong with that. 

I've been thinking a lot about goals and resolutions for this year. I've been comparing notes with others. And I still have more people to compare with. As I continue to compare, my list grows and grows. I also sat down with my hubby and we wrote parenthood goals (instead of just "motherhood" goals) and financial goals for 2009. I'm excited because I can already feel the momentum. We started many things in December, so the transition to January is going to be more of a step rather than a leap.

And, all this said, I have already decided that I need to cut back my goals. The list is slowly creeping into two typed pages. Sounds impressive, and also is unrealistic. I will begin paring back tomorrow. I need goals to aim for (because if you aim at nothing, you'll hit it every time), but I don't need a list that is so impossible that I give up on everything. Plus, I've already started making excuses in my head for why I wouldn't complete the goals each week which tells me those really aren't as big of priorities as I first thought. This is a process, but a good one. 

What are your goals for 2009? I'd love to compare lists. I believe mine will be a work in progress as the year goes on. Oh, and I've decided on a motif for this year. I believe 2009 will be a year of peace. 

Merry New Christmas Year (what do you say in between the two holidays?)

A belated Merry Christmas and an early Happy New Year to my readers.

Christmas was . . . tranquil. There was only a splash of drama. Overall, I realized how much I love being home. I found myself wishing for more time to sit on the couch and stare at the twinkle lights on my tree. We got our stockings embroidered this year, and I only had a week to admire them before the holidays. I saw a few of my favorite holiday movies (White Christmas, The Holiday, Family Man, Miracle on 34th Street, and the good part of Home Alone), but I still have many titles I want to see. We spent time with family, but all of the festivities went so fast. And the time celebrating with friends went doubly fast.

I am not complaining. I am realizing how much I love the quality time that comes with the holidays. And I have decided I will keep my Christmas decorations up longer than usual. I just can't say goodbye to the twinkle lights and Christmas stockings yet.

On a completely unrelated side note: I've been thinking a lot about my new year resolutions, and I am really excited about 2009. I can't wait for the year to start and my life to start on a new path--focused on a new goal. Bring on the next 4 day weekend, and all the fun that starts after!

2009 . . . more resolutions

I realized later that I left another resolution off--Blog 3x's a week.

Also, I was looking at another blog and a "writermama" plans to only query 3x's a month. I'm beginning to wonder if my goal is realistic. We shall see. Anyone have insight on this?

Resolutions

As promised on my facebook, here are some of my 2009 resolutions and strategies to make them happen. I've always been a believer in not only writing goals, but writing HOW I'm going to accomplish them. 2008 has been a big year of, excuse the now-cliche phrase, change. Becoming as some bloggers term themselves, a "writermama" has been more difficult than I expected. It started with everyone telling me to "nap when she naps" and "give yourself time to adjust," and it continued with justifications to put all of my writer career pretty much on the back burner while I figured out this whole mama thing.

Well, now that we've established a semi-routine, and now that the proverbial fire is once again lit underneath me, here are my goals for the new year concerning my writing/editing career.

1. Write 30 minutes a day, five days a week. The one thing that has had the most influence on my writing career and actually getting it started is what I learned from Peggy Fielding in a free class she offers locally, "You're not a writer unless you write." Simple. Profound. Rocked my world. I must be a writer.

2. Submit a query to a magazine/publisher/agent 3x's a week. Mainly magazine. Am actually planning on applying at a local magazine, and I'm on the hunt for community-based writing jobs. Of all I've read, the people making the big bucks started local. I wanted to skip local and go straight to national and then universal! But, it turns out, the local community is not to be overlooked and many times provides steady assignments.

3. Read 1-2 books per month. I know, that's not a lofty goal for a writer, but I must read. I read slowly, so this is a realistic goal. If I made it more, I wouldn't accomplish it. Granted, this goal's focus is on novels. Picture books I will read ad nauseum (is that spelled right?) with my baby girl.

4. Go to a major national writer's conference this year, fully paid for with my business money. When I go, I want to have at least 3 manuscripts and 5 agents that I've researched and am ready to pitch to.

The resolutions continue to include health resolutions and spiritual, but we'll stop here.

Now, the plan of attack. 

I find that I get the most accomplished first thing in the morning. If I don't do it first thing, I generally don't get it done. With this in mind, I've also noticed of late that I have two "first thing in the morning" opportunities per day. My hubby works two jobs, bless him, so I can stay at home. I usually wake up to see him off to his first job, then spend 40 minutes lying awake in bed wanting to go back to sleep. Then I wake up again to get ready for the day. Why not take advantage of both wake-up times?

So, for 2009, I will get up and do all writing during my first wake-up moment. Then I will either work through to my second, or I will snooze and wake up again an hour or more later. During that second wake-up time, I'll work on health and spiritual goals.

That leaves the rest of the day to focus on my daughter, and maybe, just maybe, I'll try that "nap when she naps" theory. We'll see. Housework has to fit in somewhere. . .