It’s a week into the new year, so I thought it was time I came clean: Simply put, I don’t “do” New Year’s resolutions. I’m not trying to be contrary or anything, it’s just that it feels a bit like homework to come up with a list of things that are wrong with me and pretend like I’m going to try and fix them.
I was never very good at getting excited about that.
Not that I don’t have resolutions, of course. There are plenty of things that I have resolved to do and, more often than not, actually done.
And there’s always more to do. I’ve got a medium-sized list of things right now (and growing) that I want to make happen. I add to it from time to time, I shuffle them around as my circumstances and priorities change . . . and I focus in on the top few and start banging my head against them. Rinse, repeat.
2007 was a big year for me in that I finished my first novel, took a breath, and jumped right into my second one. A lot of the other things on the list took a backseat to that first book and I’m glad for it. I’m doubly glad that I had the courage to fire up a podcast of it and that, for the most part, people seem to enjoy listening to it.
I don’t have resolutions for 2008. There are a lot of things I plan on doing, though…
I’m going to finish that second book while I try every door I can to get an agent. I’m going to clean up my back catalogue of plays and send them all out into the world to fend for themselves. I’m going to do the same for my poetry and short fiction. I’m going to keep podcasting if for no other reason than a few people are listening.
And I’m going to start on my third book. I have a beginning and an ending — that’s all I need. The middle takes care of itself, I’ve found.
2008 started slow for me, discouraging and frustrating . . . but I’ve got a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen this year and it all feels very good to me.
Hope you can say the same.