Writing Goals

I love January, not only because it's the start of a new year, but also because it's my birthday month (that's right, in our family, we celebrate the whole month, like Christmas -- I'll put it away after Feb 2, which is Candlemas).

We've had a lovely visit with my in-laws, but I'm looking forward to our regular routine. My husband is back at work, the children at school, and my in-laws are flying back home. I'm getting reorganized and will finally crack open my manuscript again, which I regret I did not finish before Christmas. But there's always January!

January -- a month full of possibilities, goals, dreams. I can't believe how wonderful 2012 was for our whole family -- swimming, a change to an old-fashioned parish school, greater ease in singing Latin Mass, my first novel out on submission, consecration of our family to the Sacred Heart. Only two things can top 2012 -- baby news and book news. And so we pray. For both! Because I believe in miracles.

Here are my writing goals. Please feel free to add yours in the comments.
1. Finish revising and polishing YA historical
2. Write a couple of short stories that have been noodling around in my head\
3. Polish upcoming presentations on magazine and nonfiction writing
4. Start new novel (three are vying for attention -- pick the right one!)
5. Take on as much work-for-hire without sacrificing pet projects and family
6. Get the right agent who will sell my books (this is not wholly in my control but I'm listing it here anyway).

My friend (and editor extraordinaire), Paula Morrow, sent the Daily Routines of Writers to me. Of course I have to share. I hope you will be entertained and inspired. I'm sorry to say although I met my goals for 2012, sometimes my days went like this: A writer takes earnest measures to secure his solitude and then finds endless ways to squander it. ~ Don DeLillo

I wish you a happy writing year. May you write with joy and abandon. God bless you.