Happy New Year

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Yay! It's a new year.

I know we're all shocked that there was another stretch of 365 days waiting at the end of the last one, but since it was there, and all shiny with possibilities, I say we welcome it into existence.

And, now that we've entered the first days of 2011, the only real question is "Will you give up your resolutions before or after you stop writing the date as 2010?"

(Okay, so it wasn't that funny, but I'm not backspacing.)

I don't usually like resolutions, most of them are too broad and too easy to let slide, but I will concede to making a short list of things I *want* to happen this year.


1. Get an agent

2. Have book on submission

3. Sell book to publisher

4. Get paid to write

5. Inform doubtful family that 1-4 have been accomplished, so they can stop referring to my butt-in-chair writing time as "wasting time at the computer".

I'll also say that I hope to finish 5 books this year. Yes, 5. I know that total sounds insane, but I'm within sight of an end on 3 already and I have 2 more in my "on pause" pile (old NaNos) that I think I'll bump up to WIP status once those other 3 are done. That will elevate another "idea" into my "on pause" pile to fill the hole.

Can I do it? Yes.

Will I do it? Ask me in a year because right now, I don't know.

Anyone who's read this blog probably knows that I'd hoped to have book #1 finished six months ago, but stuff happened, and it didn't get done. It's so close to done, I keep getting the urge not to sleep for three days just to stitch it all together, but I can't do that. Rushing now would most likely trash a book I really, really enjoy. I have to take my time and fill in all those icky plot holes.

So, if all goes according to plan, in a year my writing queue should hopefully look something like this:

Finished MS

Arclight (YA, soft sci-fi/dystopian)
Right now, Arclight's sitting at almost 70K, edited, with another 30K or so still being hammered out and put in place. One glaring plot issue is giving me fits.

Premeditated (YA, contemporary)
Premeditated has been bumped up to "Put the rest on hold and finish now!" status. Word count is in flux and I'm not stopping to check the current one.

Wolf-killer (YA, Gothic fantasy)
Wolf-Killer's at between 30K and 40K (Yes, it has wolves. No, they're not werewolves.)

(Current) Pause Pile
(Meaning stories I've written a chapter for so at some point I'll have to work on them again or let said chapter go wasted. These are at the bottom of the stack priority-wise.)

Draconis (upper-MG, UF)
Draconis (currently in the pause pile) has 15K

Totem (younger-MG, light UF)
Totem (currently in the pause pile) has 12K
(I really need a better name for this one, as totem doesn't fit at all)


(Future) Pause Pile

Blue (MG, ghost story)
The Dragon Train (MG, western / fantasy hybrid)
Adora Adair (YA, UF)
Stone (YA, UF)
Au Naturale (YA, contemporary)
Violet Night (MG, UF)

10 Chiming In:

Joseph Frankmor said...

I always make resolutions and never stick to them, so I tried to make myself a somewhat easy one for this year. To simply finish writing the first draft of one of my novels.

Yeah, I'm pretty slow, but hopefully I'll accomplish it and perhaps more.

AuroraLee said...

Great plans! I suck at them myself. Currently I'll be lucky to finish my Nano story and a collection of short stories and try and shop one of them around.

Can I do it? Yes
Will I do? as a career pessimist, imma go with no :(

Good luck with your goals!

Lisa Aldin said...

Great goals! Good luck! Yeah!

Lisa Aldin said...

BTW - The Dragon Train sounds cool, even without a premise listed! The fact that it is a western/fantasy hybrid and it's title have been intrigued already!

CourtneyC said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
CourtneyC said...

I'm impressed by all the stories rattling around in your noggin!

I emailed you last summer about whether you were going to the Texas Writer's League conf. I'm hearing more stories of agents no longer accepting queries but instead looking for new clients via author recommendations or conference attendees only. I hope that isn't a trend...

Congrats on your query shark victory! Ms. Reid is one of the four agents I queried with my current MS. Bravo to you for your bravery in submitting and your overwhelming success there.
Good luck!

Jaimie Teekell said...

Josin, you should totally go to the Texas League YA conference in April! I'm going. SQUEE. (My first conference. So it'd be sweet if I actually, you know, "knew" someone there.)

Shannon said...

I love the new look. So easy on the eyes! Well done!

Shannon said...

Oh and here's to a great year and accomplishing your goals!

Lola Sharp said...

My goals are relatively similar: Finish revisions on Novel #3, finish drafting Black Rain then revise Black Rain. Write query for novel 1 and 2...and 3. Query. Land agent. Submission. Sell book(s).

Happy 2011. May it bring you great joy and success.
~Lola

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