In Which Another Year Has Passed
So 2012 didn't end in an apocalypse, maybe we'll have better luck for 2013!
...Wait a sec...
2012 was an odd year for me. I broke the formula of 'work, write, work' and spent a good chunk of the year unemployed doing only the 'write' bit of the equation. And then I went and got myself a part time job for the second half of the year. I am a much, much happier person for it. The risks have been worth it and I feel, for once at the end of the year, like I've got my feet solidly on the path where I want them to be. I'm making progress on my goals, I'm getting closer, and I'm actually enjoying the journey at least two thirds of the time! Sometimes even when I'm freaking out at the same time!
Health:
Physically, fine this year. No real physical complaints to be made. Though someone always seems to be sick at the job, I swear. 8|
For 2013: ...Health insurance would be nice. But this is always the case and an issue that gets more complicated every single year. Either way, I will deal with what comes on the health front as it comes, which is the best I can do right now.
Wealth:
Technically a wash. Money wise, I'm not in debt, but the bank account is not as full as it was when I started this year. Well, that's what happens when you don't work for half the year. I'm employed now, but the job is only barely making me enough to cover month to month expenses, without really any leeway for unexpected costs. I have savings, though, so I can cover said unexpected costs when they crop up.
For 2013: I'll need to find a long term solution here. Not fretting over this one at this point, because this summer, it WILL have to be addressed. And until I know how it will have to be addressed, there's no point in worrying. I'm making enough to stay afloat now, so I'm going to focus on the things that matter. Also hoping that I can start getting the writing to cover this part, but we'll see what happens.
Love:
Eh, no real improvements on the social life front. I'm where I was last year, which is not the best place, but not the worst either. We had some scares in the extended family, but we bounced back from those and the immediate family is all doing fine and well. So, no gains, but no losses, we'll call this a draw for 2012.
For 2013:
Ought to work on this. Probably won't at all.
Prosperity:
Hot damn it was a productive year. Quitting my job to focus on writing... definitely meant I got a lot written! So, to review the projects I had on my plate last year and where they stand now:
Yu's Story: Officially dead. Never did finish the edits and I'm okay with that. I took some time and thought about it and realized... it was never the story I wanted to tell. I got distracted by a story that I want somebody to tell, but don't actually want to tell myself. Not to mention, as profitable and popular as teen lit is, I so don't want to start my writing career in that field. If this ever gets resurrected, it will be to tell Shu's story, because that's the one I always wanted to tell, even when I was telling the other story. Shu's story has foxes, crazy monks, wild mountain spirits, and crows! Yu's story just had demons and a bunch of guys, I mean, who even cares about that?
Trask's Story: Novel one of Trask's has been written, polished, and is out testing the waters of rejection! Definite success on editing this one, I got a complete and polished draft! I'm not working on novel two, because why not? For 2013, I'd like to see book two done in first draft format. We'll see what more comes of these stories.
The Cat That Wouldn't Die: Still love this one, still have a fantastic feeling about this one. Oh, I love Trask's stories or I wouldn't be writing a sequel. But for various reasons, they don't feel as publishable to me as this one, which I think would do very well on the market that currently exists. So, this is where I want to devote my energy. I want to get a cleaned and presentable draft of this novel and I want to start shopping it around before the end of the year. Before July, honestly. We'll see what happens, but I did start the year out right and spent some time chewing on the first draft of this (it tastes like paper and ink).
Other Projects: Wrote one novella, need to clean it up. Started another novella that still needs finished. Have a third novella in some phase of ambiguity where it's threatening to become a novel or sit in a desk drawer for the rest of forever. Not sure on the third, but really would love to see that story told. Otherwise, I'm tempted to start an entirely new book or series, but I've always got that temptation. We'll see if anything pulls itself together enough to be a new book/series.
Resolutions:
2012: My goals/resolutions last year were threefold:
1) Get something to the point where I could start submitting to agents
Result: SUCCESS! Despite me.
I can only look at Trask's novel and see all the places that I really wish were considerably stronger (mostly scenes that got added in while second drafting). BUT, I succeeded at my goal, by which I mean I actually threw it out into the world, into an agent's hands. What comes of this, well, that's yet to be seen. However, I did the work of tossing my novel out into the world once, I can do it again, weak spots and all.
2) Do more THINGS
Result: SUCCESS! In round terms anyway.
This is one of those immeasurable goals, especially as I didn't say how many things. So I'm calling it a success. Sure, I could have done more. But I did get out and do things. Took walks, went to OMSI, the Art Museum, concerts, and hell, even managed to see an opera! So, things. Those happened and I feel pretty successful about that one.
3) Learn how to write short stories
Result: FAILED
This was a low priority goal anyway, so I'm not feeling all that upset for failing it. But I'm still just as terrible at writing short stories now as I was rolling into 2012. Okay, maybe it's not a complete failure, because I actually wrote a NOVELLA and am learning the ropes of those, at least. They're like novels, only shorter! I can manage that! Short stories, though, those still elude me.
2013:
1) Learn how to write short stories
And this year, I actually mean it and am taking measures to see it accomplished. I'm signed up for a short story class this winter and I'm hoping to roll out of it with a better grip on how to write something that isn't a whole novel. I may never be good at short stories, in fact I'm deeply suspicious I'll be one of those authors, but I need to get a better handle on them to know that for certain.
2) Get my ass back in the internet eye
Sigh. This is one that I'm kind of dreading and absolutely need to do. It's not enough anymore to just write stories and have someone else publish them. Or maybe it is, but the whole process of getting my writing to the level of paying job will go better if I have a net presence. So, it's time. I need to get a (semi)professional blog going and probably back on twitter. Facebook wouldn't be a bad idea, but like hell if you'll see me on there.
I will be getting on this last goal shortly, creating a new blog on wordpress. No worries for anyone who follows this blog here, I'll be crossposting everything, because I do still love this old LJ. But I need a blog for authoring and wordpress should let me easily incorporate into a website, when I get one of those as well. So my resolution, with measurements, is to get the new blog going and to update it twice a month. Weekly would be best, but I'll settle for twice a month.
All things equal, I wish you all a happy New Year and that this one, 2013, will be the one where it all starts to come together.
...Wait a sec...
2012 was an odd year for me. I broke the formula of 'work, write, work' and spent a good chunk of the year unemployed doing only the 'write' bit of the equation. And then I went and got myself a part time job for the second half of the year. I am a much, much happier person for it. The risks have been worth it and I feel, for once at the end of the year, like I've got my feet solidly on the path where I want them to be. I'm making progress on my goals, I'm getting closer, and I'm actually enjoying the journey at least two thirds of the time! Sometimes even when I'm freaking out at the same time!
Health:
Physically, fine this year. No real physical complaints to be made. Though someone always seems to be sick at the job, I swear. 8|
For 2013: ...Health insurance would be nice. But this is always the case and an issue that gets more complicated every single year. Either way, I will deal with what comes on the health front as it comes, which is the best I can do right now.
Wealth:
Technically a wash. Money wise, I'm not in debt, but the bank account is not as full as it was when I started this year. Well, that's what happens when you don't work for half the year. I'm employed now, but the job is only barely making me enough to cover month to month expenses, without really any leeway for unexpected costs. I have savings, though, so I can cover said unexpected costs when they crop up.
For 2013: I'll need to find a long term solution here. Not fretting over this one at this point, because this summer, it WILL have to be addressed. And until I know how it will have to be addressed, there's no point in worrying. I'm making enough to stay afloat now, so I'm going to focus on the things that matter. Also hoping that I can start getting the writing to cover this part, but we'll see what happens.
Love:
Eh, no real improvements on the social life front. I'm where I was last year, which is not the best place, but not the worst either. We had some scares in the extended family, but we bounced back from those and the immediate family is all doing fine and well. So, no gains, but no losses, we'll call this a draw for 2012.
For 2013:
Ought to work on this. Probably won't at all.
Prosperity:
Hot damn it was a productive year. Quitting my job to focus on writing... definitely meant I got a lot written! So, to review the projects I had on my plate last year and where they stand now:
Yu's Story: Officially dead. Never did finish the edits and I'm okay with that. I took some time and thought about it and realized... it was never the story I wanted to tell. I got distracted by a story that I want somebody to tell, but don't actually want to tell myself. Not to mention, as profitable and popular as teen lit is, I so don't want to start my writing career in that field. If this ever gets resurrected, it will be to tell Shu's story, because that's the one I always wanted to tell, even when I was telling the other story. Shu's story has foxes, crazy monks, wild mountain spirits, and crows! Yu's story just had demons and a bunch of guys, I mean, who even cares about that?
Trask's Story: Novel one of Trask's has been written, polished, and is out testing the waters of rejection! Definite success on editing this one, I got a complete and polished draft! I'm not working on novel two, because why not? For 2013, I'd like to see book two done in first draft format. We'll see what more comes of these stories.
The Cat That Wouldn't Die: Still love this one, still have a fantastic feeling about this one. Oh, I love Trask's stories or I wouldn't be writing a sequel. But for various reasons, they don't feel as publishable to me as this one, which I think would do very well on the market that currently exists. So, this is where I want to devote my energy. I want to get a cleaned and presentable draft of this novel and I want to start shopping it around before the end of the year. Before July, honestly. We'll see what happens, but I did start the year out right and spent some time chewing on the first draft of this (it tastes like paper and ink).
Other Projects: Wrote one novella, need to clean it up. Started another novella that still needs finished. Have a third novella in some phase of ambiguity where it's threatening to become a novel or sit in a desk drawer for the rest of forever. Not sure on the third, but really would love to see that story told. Otherwise, I'm tempted to start an entirely new book or series, but I've always got that temptation. We'll see if anything pulls itself together enough to be a new book/series.
Resolutions:
2012: My goals/resolutions last year were threefold:
1) Get something to the point where I could start submitting to agents
Result: SUCCESS! Despite me.
I can only look at Trask's novel and see all the places that I really wish were considerably stronger (mostly scenes that got added in while second drafting). BUT, I succeeded at my goal, by which I mean I actually threw it out into the world, into an agent's hands. What comes of this, well, that's yet to be seen. However, I did the work of tossing my novel out into the world once, I can do it again, weak spots and all.
2) Do more THINGS
Result: SUCCESS! In round terms anyway.
This is one of those immeasurable goals, especially as I didn't say how many things. So I'm calling it a success. Sure, I could have done more. But I did get out and do things. Took walks, went to OMSI, the Art Museum, concerts, and hell, even managed to see an opera! So, things. Those happened and I feel pretty successful about that one.
3) Learn how to write short stories
Result: FAILED
This was a low priority goal anyway, so I'm not feeling all that upset for failing it. But I'm still just as terrible at writing short stories now as I was rolling into 2012. Okay, maybe it's not a complete failure, because I actually wrote a NOVELLA and am learning the ropes of those, at least. They're like novels, only shorter! I can manage that! Short stories, though, those still elude me.
2013:
1) Learn how to write short stories
And this year, I actually mean it and am taking measures to see it accomplished. I'm signed up for a short story class this winter and I'm hoping to roll out of it with a better grip on how to write something that isn't a whole novel. I may never be good at short stories, in fact I'm deeply suspicious I'll be one of those authors, but I need to get a better handle on them to know that for certain.
2) Get my ass back in the internet eye
Sigh. This is one that I'm kind of dreading and absolutely need to do. It's not enough anymore to just write stories and have someone else publish them. Or maybe it is, but the whole process of getting my writing to the level of paying job will go better if I have a net presence. So, it's time. I need to get a (semi)professional blog going and probably back on twitter. Facebook wouldn't be a bad idea, but like hell if you'll see me on there.
I will be getting on this last goal shortly, creating a new blog on wordpress. No worries for anyone who follows this blog here, I'll be crossposting everything, because I do still love this old LJ. But I need a blog for authoring and wordpress should let me easily incorporate into a website, when I get one of those as well. So my resolution, with measurements, is to get the new blog going and to update it twice a month. Weekly would be best, but I'll settle for twice a month.
All things equal, I wish you all a happy New Year and that this one, 2013, will be the one where it all starts to come together.