Tuesday 29 December 2009

This New Year Business

I'm not a big fan of New Year, either as a celebration (having to stay up past my bedtime and fend off drunken strangers trying to kiss me, ewwww) or for making resolutions. In recent years I've made a positive resolution now and again, such as a few years ago when I decided to take proper holidays. Last year I had a year off buying clothes, because I realised I was buying more from habit than from need. It was an interesting change, and meant I had more time and money for other things (oddly enough, holidays again). I stuck to it, too, apart from one pair of hand-made boots I found at a festival and snapped up because I'd been looking for a pair like them for a couple of years and was highly unlikely to find another pair, and then three pairs of thick socks to go with them when I realised they weren't comfortable or warm enough with the thin socks that were all I had.

This year I'm making one, very small, resolution, which is to take part in Quillers' Blog Takeover Day. If you want to join in, the idea is that you write a post on New Year's Day (or, if you use Blogger, you can write it beforehand and schedule it to post on New Year's Day) in which you can be anyone but yourself. Or anything, even. So the post can be from the point of view of a fictional character, or a real-life character, or a meerkat, or a cabbage... if this isn't making sense, there are several examples from the last Blog Takeover Day on Quillers' sidebar.

I'm also making one, very big, wish. I really, really want to secure an agent and a book deal in 2010. I can't make that as a resolution, because it's not within my control. And there's no point resolving to try as hard as I can, because I did that ages ago. But I think there is one small change I want to make. Last year I wrote around 20 short stories, which isn't a lot for some people but it is for me because I find it takes a lot of time to build effective characters, settings and plots. I learned a lot from writing those short stories, I even sold a few, and I'm not ready to stop writing shorties yet. But there were times, last year, when I prioritised my short stories over my book. This year, that will change.

So do you have any resolutions, wishes, or plans for 2010?

11 comments:

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I shall try to remember to take part in Quillers Blog Takeover Day, but will be taking daughter to airport and seeing her off, so may not remember.

I prioritized my book over my short stories, and need to spend more time on short stories this year, as I was hopeless last year.

Martin Stickland said...

Yes I want to keep my body in it's peak condition (I have lots of peaks and dips and wobbly bits)

Nice to hear from you too my friend and have a sooper dooper 2010!

Quillers said...

Thanks for the plug, Queenie! Good luck with finding an agent.

I know what you mean about having to prioritise a novel. I keep thinking I will, then deciding that short stories are easier. Or at least the return on them is quicker.

Debi said...

Yes. My resolution is to continue to do everything I can to help you achieve yours! xxx

Jen said...

Oh, I'm going to be popping out short stories all over the place, in between writing Novel 2. I'm not quite sure what I'll have to give up to accommodate all this of course. Wine? Nah. Men? Hmmmm....

HelenMWalters said...

New job, new man and publishing deal. Do you think I'm being greedy?

Anonymous said...

That's a good resolution and I hope it all comes together for you - there will be all sorts of things crossed this end in case it helps at all.

Martin Stickland said...

Happy new year me old fruit and I hope you have a good one!

Tamsyn Murray said...

Happy New Year, Queenie! I'm in for Blog Takeover Day tomorrow (hangover permitting!!)

Beleaguered Squirrel said...

I didn't even think about thhinking about New Year's resolutions this (last?) year - it didn't enter my head. And then about one hour into 2010 somebody asked me what I would resolve for this year, and I just vaguely thought about getting better at my new career, but the way my career is structured that's kind of built in anyway.

I can't decide whether it's because I'm optimistic or pessimistic about the year ahead. I don't feel any need to think about it in detail. I think maybe that's cos I know it's going to be hard and don't want to dwell on it. Ah well. Hurrah for living in the moment and having a career path laid out for one by Powers That Be!

Jenny Beattie said...

I'm keeping it all crossed for your wish ... and you know how good a crosser I am!

Best of luck, JJx

PS Thanks for your support too... have I said that already?