Sorry for the late post. I'm off work for the holidays and operating in my own timezone.
First, some business:
1. Which one of you lovely folks will be hosting WIPmadness for January? Just so I can redirect to the appropriate spot. :)
2. We have one final prize winner: Tonette dela Luna! Tonette, contact me and we'll figure something out.
This is the time of year when the light starts to return. (At least, here in the Northen Hemisphere, and especially the farther north one goes). At its darkest, night falls around 4pm here in Vancouver. Compared to 10pm in the summer... well, that's a pretty big change.
I wish that it wasn't considered a faux pas to keep one's holiday lights up past January 1st. I think they should be able to stay up at least until at least winter is gone. But maybe that's just me. I love seeing all that brightness in the dark. January and February can both be quite miserable and I wonder, is it because we took the lights down too soon?
But at least we have another sort of light that doesn't go away: the light within. The spark that keeps us going. So on this, the very last WIPmadness check-in post of 2013, I thought it would be a good time for us to look ahead to the coming year.
What goals do you have? Writing and otherwise.
Writing-wise, I have a few major goals. First, I'm of course trying to sell my finished novel. Getting an agent is my absolute priority, and I'm going to do everything in my power to succeed.
Second, I have other projects I'd like to finish. The urban fantasy I started last year, for one, and the new YA piece I began back in November.
Outside of writing, my biggest focus is going to be my health. Achilles tendonitis sucks, and has prevented me from going to the gym, but I've adopted strategies now for managing to go even if I can't walk very much. I'd like to get back in shape, and focus on fitness because it just *feels* better. The fact that this just happens to be around the time when the rest of the world is guilted into it is just luck of the draw.
So that's my goals for the coming year. How about you?
Thanks for hosting this month!
ReplyDeleteMy biggest goal for 2014 is to finish this revision and start querying agents again. I need an agent. I just want a cheerleader, someone who is knowledgeable with foreign rights, contracts this time around. I really want to have a book come out that will have galleys available at BEA and ALA. And I so want a book of mine translated into different languages so I can share those covers.
Another goal is to continue practicing yoga as this helps me not stress with MIL, who is still wavering on the whole assistant living thing. For my own sanity I need to get away from all of it and just have 'me time'.
Thanks, Kim! Those sound like good goals. Best of luck finishing revisions and finding an agent. And may your yoga practice bring you further relaxation and stress relief. :)
DeleteEven though it's still very dim and grey out there, it's nice to know the days are already lengthening! (I leave my Christmas lights on until Epiphany -- Jan 6 -- but maybe longer really would help ease the winter woes...)
ReplyDeleteMy first goal for 2014 will be finding an agent. I'll be sending my MG ms out into the world soon -- almost ready for beta readers now, then revisions as needed, then querying. (I'm still hoping to meet my December WIPmadness goal of finishing this revision. I've got a day and a half left!)
Thanks so much for hosting, Laura. All the best to you in 2014!
Yay on the agent goals, Shari! *high fives* And may you meet your revision goals in the next twenty-eight hours. Querying will be my focus this year, too, depending on how things go with PitchWars. And depending on how this year goes it may change some of my other writing goals, but it's all worth it! I will do my best and try to be as flexible as I can, while continuing to move forward. I hope yours go well!
DeleteSquee.
ReplyDeleteLove prezzies. :) Thank you.
Major goals are to finish revisions on three projects (of the many) from 2013 and send them out to beta readers. Schedule permitting--because it hasn't since that one write-in a couple years back--I'd really like to physically attend a TOEM write-in. At least once... please? ;-D
I'll continue the health regimen I've got going. So far so good. Lost 13 lbs in three months through dance and other workouts. I prefer alternative movement to boring exercise routines. Drastically reduced carbs and consumed more vegetarian and gluten-free meals as viable options. Good for the skin, too. :)
Learning languages, the ukelele, and knitting, as non-writing creative activities have been super to keep my synapses firing through to 2015 and beyond.
Thanks for December, Laura.
Best of luck on the agent quests, ladies. As always, I'm cheering you on.
I'm grateful for the lovely WIPster family. This group is the spark that ignited my major return to writing when I first joined 2012's March Madness.
Cheers and Happy New Year, everyone!
Tonette
You're welcome, Tonette! And congrats on the success with your new health routine. I hope your revisions go well. As for beta-readers, there are a variety of options out there if you're seeking them.
DeleteHave fun learning all those other creative things, too!
Thanks again for hosting, Laura! And FYI, I leave my Christmas lights (and my tree for that matter) up year-round. Goals for 2014...I guess it's time to think about that, isn't it? Most people have trouble setting challenging goals for themselves. Honestly, I have trouble holding back in this area. So my goal-setting for the year includes spending more time focusing on my house and family, reading a minimum of 10 books (last year my goal was 100) and revising two novels and drafting one new one. That may sound like a lot, but I work fast when I'm focused and can get way too driven. Trying to let up on that this coming year...
ReplyDeleteYay for pretty lights!
DeleteAnd that's smart of you, realizing your needs are not necessarily more, but to relax a bit. May you meet your goals and also get a chance to enjoy some calm as well this coming year!
I'm just late enough checking in this week that I can say, "Happy New Year!" to everyone. I'm glad to see the fresh goals everyone has. I'm just finishing a revision (hopefully today) that will put me in a position to send out two requested submissions. I hoped I'd finish yesterday, but little things kept me tweaking until I gave up and acknowledged it was going to take an extra day.
ReplyDeleteI'm okay with that -- it's just one day -- and am looking forward to digging into another novel that I left in the lurch a few months ago. I won't have a specific goal for that one... just to get busy and get writing. :)
Thanks for hosting us this month, Laura. I'm committed to helping with the daily March Madness insanity (that'll be here before we know it) so hopefully someone else will volunteer for these intervening months.