I've just recently been good about writing/polishing at least two short stories a month, so I'm planning to make it my goal for 2013 to write three stories/month and polish one up enough to start submitting it.
Any writerly new year goals for any of you folks? :)
My resolution is to submit something. I write a lot of stories but outside of school and LR, I don't do anything with them.
1. Finish the Naomi Pick-Up
2. Polish and submit the stories I'm sitting on
3. Write more than I am now
1. No more cigarettes. I'm not a usual smoker, but I smoke like a fiend if I get on the grog in a hard way. Right now I'm living in a very snowed in house where two inhabitants smoke indoors, so it's helping me get well and truly over the smell.
2. Get back into a routine. Since I stopped working in an office, my routine has become slacker. I still have a 'to do list' I use every day, but I need more structure, like: 8am - 10am (Social Media), 10am - 11am (Run), 11am - Midday (slush) etc.
3. Get serious about my exercise again. The nomadic life makes this very tricky, so maybe I just need to start convict conditioning or something similar.
Numbers 2 and 3 help keep my bipolar swings in check, but I've been feeling a bit lost without that regularity they bring.
1. Cut back on carbs in general, and wheat specifically. Trying to get rid of some of that visceral fat that seems harder to remove as I get older.
2. Get back in to martial arts training. Need to finish my black belt and get more exercise.
3. Write every day, or at least almost every day. I am good about writing at least a story or two a month, and I have a weekly column to write, but I need to get back to regularly writing fiction. This will be difficult though because of all the academic writing I have to do.
4. Continue giving grad school my all. Sounds silly, but I spent most of college coasting through without much effort. I actually tried to do my best work this year, and it was much more rewarding. I think it makes a difference that I am going on my own and not just because that is what you do after high school.
1. Make some money for the first time in over a year.
2. Get more material published.
3. Do my best to find ways to make SYW a pro-pay market.
4. Get my bigger works in front of publishers.
5. Fall in love again.
(bonus) 6. Maybe quit smoking.
I like Laramore's resolutions. Think I'm gonna add getting a story in SYW.
- Actually apply myself in college this semester. I need to raise my GPA about half a point if I want to be a serious med school candidate.
- Get my shit together and move to Bloomington for the Fall semester (transfer from IUPUI to IUB.)
- Write more. No qualifications -- just write more.
- Expand Parable so I can pay contributors and get other projects off the ground.
@Meredith: That's a tough one. Barely made that happen for me a few months ago.
@Rian: I was wondering when the next chapter for The Naomi Pick-up would show up in the workshop. Make sure to make that happen!
@Courtney, your #1 should be my resolution as well. Been half assing it lately.
1. Not being such a shut-in.
2. Finish up my novel, once it's back from the editor.
3. Get the damn thing published... finally.
4. Find a cafe' that doesn't sport hard, wooden, flat bottomed chairs... my ass is killing me.
1. Take back my house, one square foot at a time. If there were a children's version of Hoarders on Nick Jr. or something, my house would certainly qualify.
2. Get something... anything... published. It would make all of the writerly gifts I got for Christmas this year at least somewhat justified.
3. Realize that going out for lunch during the week is not "treating myself" when I start doing it 3 or 4 times a week.
4. World peace? I think I can pull it off.
- To maintain several consensually polyamorous heterosexual liaisons.
- When online, to always say exactly what I mean and never bullshit.
- Whatever else.
Oh well, having several decades of watching those about me try resolutions I can only shake my head.
Habits take about 21 days to solidify. I've had some instances succeed and others mostly fail. But I am extremely concious of them and can always re-afirm and recommit. Drawing is now up to four sketch books, empty, and four sets of drawing implements purchased in times of optimism, however I now carry practice sheets on my phone in case I would like to sketch eyes or feet or somesuch.
So I'll also be trying to be less wrong in the same vein as the site that ponders those matters.
Oh, writing, yes, right now it is procrastination passing as research. Eight hours today alone.
Happy New Year Everyone!
3. Realize that going out for lunch during the week is not "treating myself" when I start doing it 3 or 4 times a week.
Seconded.
1. Write more
2. Begin submitting my stories
3. Look for a new job
Write, polish, submit.
Repeat
Repeat
Repeat.
also ~ pay off debts :(
No more short stories for me: this year I finish my 3 1/2 unfinished novels. Dammit.
I'm with voodoo_em, on all counts. Also, I vow to have at least one story in a paying publication by my 35th birthday (that's in May).
@Matt This is completely unrelated to your post, but goddamn This Is How You Lose Her is fucking fantastic.
Now you understand why Things Fell Apart (which was written just days after finishing This Is How You Lose Her) was so obviously influenced by his writing. Oscar Wao is actually better, in my opinion, so I'd recommend reading it if you haven't already.
Yeah, I'm blown away by Junot Diaz at the moment. TIHYLH is an amazing collection of stories. Drown is also good if you haven't checked it out.
I like Laramore's resolutions. Think I'm gonna add getting a story in SYW.
I look forward to it! I just posted a bunch of SYW announcements in the whoring thread you might like to check out by the way. It's nice to see everything falling into place after such a long year of work.
No more short stories for me: this year I finish my 3 1/2 unfinished novels. Dammit.
Yeah, I really need to do this too!
I look forward to it! I just posted a bunch of SYW announcements in the whoring thread you might like to check out by the way. It's nice to see everything falling into place after such a long year of work.
- I just saw that. I'll have a look to see what kind of writing you're dealing with over there so I can get something together for you.
Even though it says noir fiction, I don't stop SYW from expanding it's audience.
Meaning literary, noir, bizarro, horror, and anything pretty is all welcome.
Well, I write noir. My specialty. In the same vein as Elmore Leonard, Lawrence Block's Keller series, Christa Faust, Jim Thompson, Jason Starr and Ken Bruen. I don't do detective type shit, although I like to read it. I'm more about the anti-hero. Not sure I have anything off hand that would fit, but as I'm writing this now, I'm boiling up some ideas.
I love new year's resolutions. Sometimes I really do achieve them.
I haven't finished my list, but I definitely want to finish my 100 credits thing (44 to go), and try to get a book of flash stories published.
Double post there.
I haven't read Oscar or Drown, but I have Oscar waiting on my Nook. I remember your story, Sound, I actually commented on the thread that it was incredibly reminiscent of it and started to suspect that was yours because a.) I'd seen you were reading TIHYLH and b.) I know Matt Attack's writing fairly well, and you were up against him, so I predicted the fighters in that battle the second I read them both.
I second the "finish my novel" resolution, too.
Oh, and I want to GET SUBMITTERS TO FUCKING LISTEN TO THE GUIDELINES, GODDAMNIT.
Literally the only people who have followed the guidelines are LR users.
1. Write more, without prompts. Pick something, write, polish, publish.
2. Stop being so damn picky, pick someone, fall in love, possibly repeat or just put a ring on at some point. Again.
Don't really have any others. May just steal yours.....
5. Fall in love again."
Good one.
1. No more cigarettes. I'm not a usual smoker, but I smoke like a fiend if I get on the grog in a hard way. Right now I'm living in a very snowed in house where two inhabitants smoke indoors, so it's helping me get well and truly over the smell."
You know I got your back. I am a month deep now! You got my contact info. I'm there if you need me.
6. Maybe quit smoking"
You too
To maintain several consensually polyamorous heterosexual liaisons."
That too
No more short stories for me: this year I finish my 3 1/2 unfinished novels. Dammit."
We have quite a bit in common there. The Darwinist Dystopian near-future novel. The Civil War Epic, mark iii. The Odyssey in space.
I am shocked no one has posted this.
Last year, my New Year's Resolutions were to start smoking, do drugs, and have unprotected sex. I figured it they were resolutions I could keep. I managed to start smoking.
Oh, I have a bunch of tiny resolutions, like take at least one tote bag with me to the grocery store. Both to cut back on carbon footprint and all that bullshit and to save space in my kitchen. Seriously, we have an entire cabinet fucking full of plastic bags. I should start taking those to the grocery store.
Last year, my New Year's Resolutions were to start smoking, do drugs, and have unprotected sex.
It's overrated. But still awesome. 2013 is your year.
If I may pass on some sage advice, "go ugly early, avoid the 2am rush."
2013 is going to see me learning the publishing game (looking forward to Richard Thomas' upcoming article on the subject), continually working on my first novel, writing more flash, poetry and short stories.
I'm going to sit down early next week and write down some attainable writing goals for January and try to improve my work ethic. I'm often lazy. And hungover.
1) Destroy those who dare oppose my will.
2) Get up to a even dozen doomsday devices.
3) Come out of the closest as a super villain.
4) Laugh insanely with my enemies tied up.
to stimulate my mindclit ™
and produce a cumshaw.
Now I've got to resolve to quit smoking.
Seriously, we have an entire cabinet fucking full of plastic bags. I should start taking those to the grocery store."
I use mine as trashbags or to take my lunch to work. Not at the same time, of course.
Dwayne you are easily the most cliche villain I have ever heard of. Good luck.
I seriously have no fucking clue what to do this weekend and I'm worried that if I don't decide I'll end up doing nothing.
You know Matt, respect for the traditions of my industry is not a cliche. In this age of tolerance it is so narrow minded of you to try and force your world view one me. I mean I'll destroy people, but I won't destroy them for their beliefs. Bigot!
What to do this weekend... go write something you dolt!
I will have 16 classes this year at Towson University as I attempt my second year toward degrees in English Writing and Philosophy. My goal is to maintain my 3.25 gpa.
I will also be quitting drinking and smoking....for the most part. No sense being silly about shit.
I'm going to choose one author a month and mimic my work towards their writing style in the hopes of creating my own voice.
I plan on reading another 50 books this year.
I will get back into working out three days a week for two hours.
ABSOLUTELY NO VIDEO GAMES.
Everything else is up in the air.
"What to do this weekend... go write something you dolt!"
I'm thinking I might do that this weekend. I'm resolving to write something that's strictly for myself to enjoy and not for anything else (LitReactor, War, Thunderdome, whatever).
I also want to read more books in 2013. I want to spend my down time doing things I enjoy and being with people that make me happy. I'm going to quit bringing work home with me (for the most part).
"I'm going to quit bringing work home with me." <<<<<<<<< This.
Also, find some regularity. Anything close. I need to be writing every day. I'm nowhere near that now.
I resolve to quit writing. Gonna be hard. I'll probably make it a month or two before I cave.
I use mine as trashbags
Same. We never buy those tiny trash liners for the bathroom and bedroom trash cans, we just use old Walmart bigs. Still -- we have enough plastic bags to line the two small trash cans (we only have them in the bathrooms now, no need for the bedroom ones) over fifty times a piece. Yes, I counted. I got bored.
I'm thinking I might do that this weekend. I'm resolving to write something that's strictly for myself to enjoy and not for anything else (LitReactor, War, Thunderdome, whatever).
and
I also want to read more books in 2013.
Seriously. I want to quit needing prompts to write. I've become dependent on them since starting here. Also, I seriously lagged behind in my book reading this year, and want to get back to that -- college is a bitch, though, so that probably won't happen.
I know you guys need an authority figure to rebel against, so sure.
I don't think any of you can do any of this stuff you are trying. Failures and wannabes are all I see.
Resolving to quit writing might be the best way to make sure I have my most productive year ever.
I'm going on a fucking diet.
• Write lots of shorts. Publish a few, stock the rest for a collection in '14.
• Flog my last novel a while longer to find those elusive readers.
• Get my singer more involved in our partnership and demo more of these originals I've been sitting on.
• More poems with less rhyme.
• Your mom.
I'm going on a fucking diet.
- Why? Fucking burns calories. Damn near the same as working out.
I think it's a diet of only fucking. Like a 'celery diet'.
I resolve to only fuck celery.
You people are hilarious.
