The honest truth . . .

[snurri]

. . . is that I hate, loathe, despise, New Year's Eve. I may dislike it even more than I do Valentine's Day, which is saying something. I am a complete and utter sap for Christmas; I love the music, I love the lights, the trees, the food and the gifts and most of all the people. When it comes to December 31st I am a complete and utter Scrooge.

It is, however, the end of the year and a good time to assess my goals. I used to do this around the time of World Fantasy, but this seems like a more logical time to do it and distract you all from my grumpy hats-n-champagne-hatin' ways.

My writing goals for last year (+2 months) were:

1. Do the revisions my agent asked for on the latest manuscript, finish the children's novel I've begun, and get at least halfway through another novel by next WFC.

That's really three things. I did the first--in fact I did it three times. If I hadn't sold that sucker I might be grumpy about that, but since I done sold that baby, I'm not in the least. (Woo!) As for the second, well, I haven't touched that manuscript. I did start another novel, but I'm not nearly halfway through it. Maybe a quarter of the way. Ah well.

2. Write at least seven short stories and keep submitting.

I'm not keeping records as well as I used to, so I'm not 100% of the number of new stories I wrote, but it looks like about 4. I blame the time I spent on novel work. Well, that and the whole finishing-my-Master's thing.

3. Stay with the writing group and attend meetings regularly.

Except for a period where I was having car and health problems (the former were serious, the latter were not), yup.

4. Put out two issues of The Dogtown Review.

Uh, yeah. Didn't happen, largely due to a serious lack of finances.

5. Do readings at WisCon and WFC and any other opportunities that arise.

Didn't get a reading at WFC, on account of me being pretty small potatoes. But the WisCon reading went extremely well.

Goals not in my control and therefore likely to be highly unrealistic:

1. Sell two novels.

Heh. See how optimistic I am? But hell, I did sell one.

2. Sell eight short stories.

I sold seven. Not bad!

Overall, though, I dropped the ball on a few things, and I want to do better than that this year.

Goals for 2007:

1. Finish a first draft of the novel-in-progress by WisCon.

2. Finish the children's book.

3. Start another novel by World Fantasy.

4. Write at least six stories and keep submitting.

5. Keep on with the writing group.

6. Put out two issues of The Dogtown Review.

7. Do readings wherever possible, including WisCon and WFC.

8. Sell two novels.

9. Sell eight stories.

10. Write at least three things that I don't think I can pull off.

In order to do all that I'm going to have to be more disciplined than I have been of late, so I just deleted all the games from my computer. Again.

Comments

[readingthedark.livejournal.com]

Bravo on all fronts, you're blowing my doors off.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_stranger_here/]

I don't like to go out on New Year's Eve either. It's a time of year when I usually get pretty focused and practical about cleaning out the old and setting up the new, so standing around in a crowded room with a bunch of drunk people never seems like what I want to do. I used to feel embarassed about that, but I've pretty much come to terms with my essentially hermitish qualities kicking in for the occasion. Thank you for helping to make it okay.

One of these years, we'll throw a big anniversary bash and get you all to come out here for it. Champagne optional.

This year, we drove home just past midnight with J hanging out the window shouting "Happy New Year!" at the top of his lungs to everyone we passed. That was kind of sweet.

[bondgwendabond.livejournal.com]

I feel the same. I realized a couple of years ago that I get actively cranky if we're doing anything too social on New Year's -- now we limit it to a couple of friends dropping in (and usually not even staying until midnight) and no big nights out.

For me, there's just a somehow fraught vibe to the entire evening at big events, as if you're attempting to say more about the year that's passing and the one that's coming than is really possible. Best to ignore it. Lay low and make your plans and appreciate what you have.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Anniversary bash sounds fun. But yeah, no champagne. Never got a taste for it.

J rules.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth, my dog is totally with you: he spent most of yesterday night glued to my legs and shaking like a leaf.

What is the Dogtown Review?

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Was that 'cause of fireworks or something?

The Dogtown Review is a zine I've done a couple of issues of with my friend Keith. We did two issues in 2005 and then stopped. But we'll start it up again this year.

[jamiam.livejournal.com]

I think so. I kept telling him, you know this happens exactly the same every single year? But he doesn't care. (And why is fear contagious, but a complete lack of fear not so much?) I'm actually glad I had a migraine and came home early... one of my friends lost her condo on New Year's few years ago when one of her dogs sparked a small gas explosion while trying to take cover behind the dryer.

Sounds interesting! And I even like the name...