Resolutions

I’ve found one of the best ways for me t stay on track is to make my plans public. This blog is my writer’s declaration. As part of my new beginnings, I decided to make my resolutions public.

If you keep tabs on the Writers’ Forum, then you will have noticed a lot of members got agents and or published this year. This doesn’t happen by accident. It doesn’t even happen with talent enough the likes of which the gods of lore have never seen. It takes a great story, a great story telling and lots of mundane, pull your hair out, gut-wrenching work.

The first chapter of Paladin is now in its eighth incarnation. It will have at least two more. I’m hoping to start critiquing in the novels workshop next week. When I get those done, I will begin submitting chapters of Paladin to be sliced and diced. If I have the money saved up, I will also enter it in the Barbara Rogan class for polishing novels. It will most likely have a final polish after that.

Then, it will be juggling finishing the book with rewriting the first chapters.

I have a good story. Not sure it’s great, but it’s good. The polishing is what will show me what I really have. Hopefully, we will be able to find the fire.

There is a large resolution list and much of it deals with personal improvements and writing. At first glance, it looks pretty daunting, but I think it’s doable. Anything is with the right motivation and I’m motivated.

And so, without further adieu, the list.

Finish Paladin’s Pride
Final edit and polish on Paladin.
Barbara Rogan’s class
Start submitting to agents
Find an agent
Either sell Paladin and start on sequel or shelve it and resume work on Dragon Valley
Plot out Over The Hill
Short stories
Surrey Writers’ Conference
Continue exercise program
Get down to 129 this year
Take the dance class
Pow Wow
Ren faire
Old El Paso Saddle Company in El Paso
Spend more time with Pia
Personal self improvement program
Get better organized
Take an Excel program
A home. I want a home more than anything.

This really isn’t a resolution. I want to keep in better contact with my family. I know everyone is busy, but a card or phone call doesn’t take that much time. Life is so very short.

Some goals will strictly depend on money, such as going to a Ren Faire, pow wow and El Paso. Most goals are simply prioritizing time.

I guess what it all boils down to is how much a person wants something. Do we want it enough to commit to it completely? Is it something we think would be nice, but only if we don’t have to try too hard?

Do you want it bad enough to make it happen?

That’s the question. Do you want it bad enough to make it happen?