To Resolve or Not to Resolve, that is the question

I recently went back and looked at my post at the beginning of 2011 that contained my New Year's Goals and Resolutions. Oh boy, was that sobering!

For my writing goals, I did pretty well. I did indeed heavily promoted my two releases, Deadly Currents and A Real Basket Case. And I edited Wicked Eddies (and turned it in) and Basketful of Troubles (third book in the Claire Hanover Gift basket Designer series), though I haven't done a final pre-turn-in edit for Basketful of Troubles that addresses my agent's comments on the manuscript. So that's an incomplete goal. Another incomplete goal was to write the rough draft for Cataract Canyon, the third book in the RM Outdoor Adventures series. Instead of finishing, I'm about 3/4th's done and hope to finish in January.

One out of three goals met? Not so good. But at least the other two goals are both at least 3/4ths done.

Now, on to the resolutions. My writing-related one was to spend more time on writing and editing and less on promoting and networking. I think I did accomplish that, though I still spent more time on promoting and networking than I would have liked. If I'd been able to cut back more on those, maybe I would have finished those two goals. Sigh!

My non-writing-related resolution was to shed a few pounds. I did do that, but of course, I'd like to shed a few more. I just can't seem to get under my post-baby weight after my son was born 21 years ago. I gained ten pounds with each pregnancy, and that extra twenty pounds has very stubbornly hung on. I guess I should be grateful that I've managed to periodically lose extra pounds that I gained on top of those. My hope now is that moving to Breckenridge, Colorado will encourage me to adopt more of an outdoorsy, active lifestyle that will show positive results in weight loss.

So, given the mixed results on this year's goals and resolutions, my quandary now is whether or not to even bother to set some for 2012. What do you think? Should I? Are you? What are your goals and/or resolutions for the next year?

New Year's Goals and Resolutions

Recently I started a discussion on one of my local writing group's yahoogroup about our writing goals and resolutions. You see, stating those goals and resolutions in a public forum makes them feel more real in our minds and makes us feel more accountable. And that means we are that much more likely to actually meet those goals and fulfill those resolutions. How to I differentiate a goal from a resolution. To me, a goal is a work target, while a resolution is a promise to make a change in behavior.

So, to make me even MORE accountable, I'm going to restate my goals and resolutions here. My writing goals are to:

1) promote two releases (Deadly Currents in March and the paperback/e-book versions of A Real Basket Case in November),
2) edit two manuscripts (Wicked Eddies, book 2 in the RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series, and the 3rd book in the Claire Hanover gift basket designer mystery series), and
3) write the 3rd book in the RM Outdoor Adventures mystery series.

My writing-related resolution is to spend more time on writing and editing this year and less on promotion and networking. This is going to be tough, because opportunities are there for an author to spend an infinite amount of time promoting and networking. My hope is that after a few years of doing this, I can be smarter about it and select only those opportunities that have the most payback potential.

My non-writing-related resolution is to shed a few pounds. I'd like to get those holiday pounds off, plus a few more. We'll see how that goes!

So, spill, folks. What about you? What do you plan to accomplish in the year? What are you going to change or improve on? Do you have any specific goals or resolutions related to writing or reading Let me (and the rest of my blog readers) know!

Happy Holidays!

I want to wish all of my readers and friends a very happy holiday season spent with those you love and full of health and good cheer. I, my husband, and two grown children will be spending Christmas with my side of the family in Virginia. And I have lots of gifts that I bought during our recent temple photo safari in Cambodia and Myanmar to distribute!

May the new year fulfill your wishes and bring you joy, and if you're a writer, may it bring you book contracts and huge sales numbers.

Happy New Year and Happy Blogging!

I had a wonderful New Year's Eve in Breckenridge, Colorado, skiing, hot tubbing, watching the torchlight parade down the mountain from Boreas Pass Road, eating a champagne and steak dinner with hubby, son and friends, then watching the fireworks from Grandview Drive. To cap off the evening, a young man in the group got down on his knees in the middle of the fireworks show to propose to his girlfriend. After she said yes, we all cheered and clapped. They had about a dozen friends circling them in a hushed, anticipatory circle who were in on the secret beforehand, so I'm sure her girlfriends advised him that her answer would be yes. It was so romantic to watch!

New Year's Day was a lazy day spent in PJs watching the Rose Parade, then window shopping on Main Street. Marta Stephens, however, over at the Murder By 4 blog was busy this morning posting messages from some of their 2009 guests, including me, on our thoughts about the past 12 months and our hopes for 2010. You can find out what I have planned for the new year by visiting Murder By 4. Please comment here or there and let me know what YOUR plans are for 2010. And have a very happy new year!