2017 - Here We Come

Welcome to the new year – 2017.  In the past I have set up a few resolutions for the new years, but let’s face it, by June we are different people with different priorities and any resolutions we may have made are long forgotten.  So instead, I have set up a few goals for the year.  Ones that I think I will stick with and actually strive for. I have set down 3.  Three is a good number.  Not to many and not to few.  3 is something to work towards.

1.  I am on Goodreads (in case you want to hunt me down to see what I am reading) and each year I have set up a goal to read so many books.  This year my goal is 52.  That’s one book a week.  I can do that.  Esp. as on a good week I read 2 or 3 books.  Like last week, I read 3.  This goal works for me, because there are some weeks I don’t read at all.  Such as when I am hard-core writing.  Then you have 4-6 weeks where I am not reading a thing. 

2.  I have 3 fully drafted books sitting in my office at home.  Why have I not sent them out and done something with them?  I don’t know.  There is one that I know my publisher would love, as it’s paranormal fantasy.  It’s so my thing.  Then there is a horror story that is pretty much ready to go out, but for one more read through.  The problem with it is that it is not as long as I wanted it to be and I’m not sure a publisher would want a full length novel that comes in at 47,000.  I can add filler to it, or I could toss in one more scene, but that seems like wasted words and space.  The third book, sitting gathering dust, is one that I think is my best work ever.  Most of my books, I think are good.  The stories are sound.  The characters fleshed out.  Not too bad at all.  This new one, that I am sitting on, is really, really good.  It’s different and it’s controversial, and it’s got some hard moments.  It’s almost like I’m afraid of putting it out there because I think it is so good, what if it’s not?  Regardless of any of the reasons I am holding these three books, it’s all in my head and that needs to stop.  So, goal number 2 is to deal with all these books.  NOW.  Stop staring at them. Stop having them take up useless space on my flat surfaces.  These books need to find a home. 

3.  Enjoy the days.  I am a future planner.  I look forward way to much and forget to see what is right before my eyes.  I want to take more time in the present.  That sounds easy right?  I have been doing that for about a week now and it’s really hard.  I find myself still planning and seeing things way down the road.  Not just days but weeks, and months and even years.  I’m so busy planning for a future that I am not living the days. 

That’s it.  Three goals for 2017.  Let’s see how I do.  Did you set up any resolutions?  Or goals?  How is that working out?