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Sunday, January 2, 2011

New Year Resolutions

Everyone always sets new goals for the New Year.  I have asked and asked around as to what they are and it is a varied and personal lot.  Loose weight, stop smoking, publish more, write more.  I have put together my list of ten things for the new year.  Some are personal goals, some are writing goals.  They are as follows:

1.  Write at least 15 new marketable stories and submit them all.

2.  Publish at least 15 new stories in any form (magazine, anthology, book)

3.  Read more.  I have been reading less and less lately and I miss it.  So I am going to say at least one book a week.  That's not all that much.  Considering in past years I would read 250 to 300 books a year, 52 should be a cake walk. 

4.  Spend less time on line.  I keep finding that I have less and less time to just write and I think it is because I am spending too much time on-line.  So I am going to limit myself to 1-2 hours a day catching up on my emails, boards, and sites, and etc.  This does not include research time and other real administrative stuff.  This is the play time stuff I am talking about. 

5.  Take a writing class that focuses on adult writing to add to my YA and children's writing.  Can't ever learn too much right?  Why not add to my cache. 

6.  Save more money wise.  I am a miser in general, but I think I could add a bit to savings this year. 

7.  Forgive all the past grudges I have been holding onto.  Let it go already.  I have already made headway on this one as I was aware this was a goal of mine for the new year and have been trying to find the peace I need. 

8.  Eat better.  I am what I call a flexitarian.  What is that?  I eat mostly veggies and such but I do have a weakness for bacon and peperoni, and such now and then.  I also am a candy-aholic.  I want to cut back on the bacon and the candy and try to be more aware of my diet. 

9.  Get in better shape.  I am not talking about losing weight, I am talking about health-wise.  I get lazy in winter.  I hate the cold and the wind so I pretty much sit on my butt most of the winter long.  I dont want to do that this year.  I am going to get my butt outside and be more active. 

10.  Not take everything so seriously.  Laugh a bit more, at myself and others and find more joy around me.  I am a bit of Pollyanna most days but somethings....not so much.  I want to have less of the "not so much" and more of the fun.  I can do this. This is one of the easier goals. 

I like firm goals.  It gives me a bit of balance and something to focus my energy on.  Without goals I think I would go stagnant and I dont want that at all.  Will I reach them all?  Yes.  Yes I will. 

Did you set yourself goals and resolutions for the new year?  What are they?  Did you blog about them?  If you did post your blog address here so others can check it out. 

ctny

8 comments:

  1. Courtney... now I feel tired. Stop being so accomplished. Read more books and spend less time online. Yeah, s'pose I should incorporate those. But 250-300 books in a year! What are you, the Short Circuit robot? Writing goals... that's another niggly one I should do. Does running up and down the stairs count for exercise? You can always laugh at me, as needed. Here's to another successful writing year to you! *clink*

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  3. I had a typo.....anyhoo as I was saying:

    Any to you Carrie...salute

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  4. Good luck with your goals, Courtney. Good for you branching out into writing for adults. Sometimes branching out really helps us learn what we can do--even if it's something we never thought we would be good at.
    I blogged about my goals for 2011. Here's the link: http://www.kellyhashway.com/apps/blog/entries/show/5721677-looking-forward-to-2011

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  5. Hi Courtney,
    To be honest my goal is to enjoy this year and letting the stresses of the past stay there.

    I too keep meaning to get more done on the writing front although I do need to see about submitting more of my own tales to publishers. (YA more than adult to be honest.)

    Other than that just to keep enjoying reading and spreading the love to others. (Reading that is, nothing else, honest guv. LOL)

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  6. zzz zzz zzz... oh sorry I dozed off for a minute. Reading all your accomplishments for 2010 wore me out, I had to take a nap!! Geez Courtney, could you please read a few more books, you are really slacking!!
    Ok, back to serious... congratulations friend, I am so proud of you. You rock!! Now get back to work and up the anty for 2011. Woo hoo!

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  7. Wow! 250 books in one year is a lot! Would they all be new books you have not read before, or would some be re-reads?

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  8. Hmmm, I guess I should tell you all that I dont watch much TV. I would much rather spend my evenings reading and writing that vegging. The 250-300 was when I was not writing as much as I am now. Now that I spend my evenings writing I dont have the time to read as much unless I never sleep and as that makes me a grouch....that wont work. I am already up to 3 books for the year. Give me another few hours...and it will be 4. Oh and they are new reads and re-reads. Mostly new, I dont re-read much.

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