Posting Somewhere Else Today

I'm posting over at the Authors Incognito Blog today if you wanted to drop over. I'll be over there every Sunday.

I love Jon Schmidt and The Piano Guys.

Enjoy.

A New Year . . . and Resolutions

I'm going to the iWriteNetwork Workshop on January 21st. 

Anybody else coming?

It's that time of year to first look back and then ahead.

Definitions
resolution - A firm decision to do or not to do something 
goal - The result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end.

I know a lot of people hate the idea of New Years resolutions. I don't have a problem with them. I'm a goal-setting person and a list checker offer. I love the list I made for myself for the last part of December and the feeling of focus and accomplishment I felt as I've been marking things off.

I'm also realistic. No way will I always be able to achieve the goals I set. But if I don't strive for something--and keep a reminder of it in front of me--I'm guaranteed to do nothing.

And the "keep it in front of you" is important. One year on New Year's Day, I wrote a list of goals for myself for the year in my journal. One included writing in my journal every day.

Um . . . the following year on New Year's Day I opened that journal again for the first first time in a year and saw those goals again.

Epic fail!

Whether I call them resolutions or goals, these are mine for 2012:

• Query A Change of Plans
• Make changes suggested by editor
• Go to Kaua'i for 10 days in January -- I know, this is a tough one, but I gotta visit the grandkids! *sigh* It's such a terrible sacrifice. NOT!
• Finalize the cover  for A Change of Plans in case I self-publish
• In February attend Life, the Universe, and Everything (LTUE)
• In March go back to Kaua'i for grandson's baptism
• In May attend Storymaker
• Finish my 2011 NaNo project in time to give the published book to my granddaughter for her  birthday in July (she's the main character).
• Work through issues with my SciFi project, including doing a simple outline for turning it into a trilogy
• Attend League of Utah Writers Roundup
• Get a basic outline for my 2012 NaNo project (sequel to A Change of Plans)
• Attend the Authors Incognito retreat for NaNo
• Be glad it's not an election year . . . for me.

What about you? Are you a resolution / goal person? Do you have some things you'd like to accomplish in 2012?

Reflections on NaNoWriMo 2011

After my epic fail attempt at NaNo last year I wrote this post. At that time I did not expect to try NaNo again.

Um, I so did NaNo this year and whupped its sorry arse. Can't tell I'm proud of myself, can you?

So, what was the difference between last year and this?

1. I joined an online critique group full of some pretty amazing people with lots of insight. They've taught me a lot.
2. I've attended writing conferences and critique bootcamps (LTUE, Storymaker, UVU Book Academy).
3. I've joined associations for writers (iWriteNetwork, ANWA, Authors Incognito, LUW)
4. Through blogging and conference attendance, I've met and become friends with lots of other writers, many of whom I've met in real life.
5. After attending my second critique bootcamp, some of us formed a local in-person critique group. We range in age from a 15-year-old boy (he's amazing, btw) to grandmothers older even than I am.
6. I learned how to use sprint writing and the pomodoro technique to help me focus and really crank out the words. I love using their timer and will continue to do so when writing and editing.
7. I forced myself to keep writing even when I wasn't sure where to take the story, knowing it was going to change some in the editing process anyway.

When I did NaNo last year, I was very much alone. I had no cheerleader or people with whom to bounce ideas off (except for my sons, who are wonderful but not writers). This year, if I ran into a snag I had three different sprint writing locations  and social groups via Facebook and Yahoo Groups I could go and there'd be writers I could bounce ideas off or get ideas from.

I hear often that writing is a solitary business. It can be, as it was for my first year. But methinks times they are achangin'. I know that not all writers/authors are made of sweetness and light, and I realize many find themselves on different sides of the debate about where the future of publishing will end.

Overall, however, I've found this community to be full of helpful, giving people who are happy to share from their experience. Rather than feeling threatened by potential rivals they are out there cheering us on and more than willing to give us a helping hand.

I think that's why NaNo was such a different experience for me this year. Next year? Real life will determine that but I'm hopeful. I had a tight schedule what with putting on a municipal election that I won't have to worry about next year (I'll be able to attend the writing retreat--squeee!).

What about you? Have you found the writing community to be as friendly as I have? Did you attempt NaNo this year? If so, how are you doing?

And a humorous note, I stole this from Stina Lindenblatt over at Seeing Creative. It made me laugh.