Well, my household seems to be functioning a bit better than it did a few days ago. Everyone appears well and Baby Girl is recovering from her headlong dash into the coffee table and tangle with the dog. New toys are put away. Leftovers are eaten. And ten trash bags will be picked up bright and early in the morning.
This time of year my focus always turns to the coming New Year and the dwindling days to the current one. Two of my critique partners (Hi Lori and Leeanne) both began the week by looking back at what they were doing this time last year. It's a wonderful exercise - both to remind us how far we've come and to bring to mind those goals we let slide as the year progressed.
At this time last year - my youngest child was 6 months old. I had just completed my second book, subbed it to Silhouette. Was working on my third and fouth at the same time and entering contests left and right.
Simply reading my work from this time last year provides plenty of evidence to just how far I've come. I can't open one of those old documents and read a page without wanting to make adjustments here and there - to make the story and writing better. It's nice to realize exactly how much I've learned and grown as a writer in 365 days. If I can do that this year just think what I can do next!
So as the New Year barrels towards us and the urge to make promises to ourselves we know we won't keep gets too strong to fight - remember to look back and pat yourself on the back for a year well spent. And tell us where you were this time last year.
Happy New Year!
Instigator
P.S. If you guys haven't tried out Sudoku puzzles run to your nearest bookstore and buy a book of them today! My family discovered these over Christmas and let me tell you they are addictive, challenging, stress-relief fun.
2 comments:
This time last year - I had a nasty flu/cold and had larengitis from Christmas day through almost to new years. I had a partial with SIM that I was emailing the Sr. Editior back and forth about because they'd lost it. Oops. I was still editing the old book, trying to meet the word count, but I had just started a new book during November with the gonna beez BIAW and I was itching to work on it. Vampires! How exciting. :) I also had a contest submission into Delacorte Press' Young Adult Fiction contest. I had just joined RWA and HOD in September so I was just getting everything rolling. I had decided I would go to the conference in Reno and told Kim I'd room with her and take pictures at the luncheon. I was on my way!
In other news, I had just gotten a new boss who was a little weird, but for the most part left me alone (The good ol days). I was 5 lbs lighter. I also had started a new scrapbooking hobby that I was piddling around with and wondering how much money it would end up costing me. If I only knew then what I know now...
SP
I was sick this time last year too.
I also had the same two manuscripts started and unfinished. Pitiful, huh?
SP has her scrapbooking; I have beading. I'd just started doing book thongs last year. I made a bunch for Christmas gifts and one person emailed me back and said "How much and how soon can you make me 40 more?" A business is born!
On the good news front, I had to eat lunch out yesterday because of running errands so I bought a cheap legal pad and started writing an idea for a "Trues" story that I've had for a while.
Post a Comment