2011 Resolution Challenge

I hope everyone had a good holiday. I read over last year’s resolutions and realized a few things.  I’ve drastically changed since then.  I have completely new ideas and feeling about almost everything, even writing. In other words I’ve grown.

I’m not going to post my resolutions this year, what I’m going to do is post about my journey through them.  Every change, disappointment, realization, expectation and success, and what happen to cause me to change. 

Since this blog is a journal about my writing journey, my first post this new year, and yes I’m starting a little early is about my decision to start using a writing book called The Weekend Novelist by Robert J. Ray and Bret Norris. 

Now I just have to decide on which project to work on.  I have one manuscript I started last year when I did the NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, in November of 2010.  I didn’t participate this year, 2011.   I started the revisions but had many questions.  Lets just say the revisions didn’t go well. I was not satisfied at all with the manuscript or the revisions and felt a complete failure as a writer. So I started purchasing and reading how to writing book.  I learned a lot, just not how to write a novel. 

One of the books I bought was about plot and structure.  This is what I thought was lacking in my manuscript. So I started a new project based on the info in the book.  The ideas were flowing and it was going good until I ran into a wall. Which is what happens to most novice writers.

How do I proceed?  It was frustrating.  I was in my bedroom sitting on my bed, almost ready to cry.  Looking around my room and that’s when it happened.  Right next to the bed is a small bookshelf where I keep the how to write books.  It was like a light shinning from heaven shown right on a book.  The Weekend Novelist, by Robert J. Ray and Bret Norris.  There it was, the answer I was looking for.

My newest decision.  Go through the book one weekend at a time and apply what I learn to my newest project.  It’s in the idea stage, so that’s perfect. 

I might be incorporating more but it depends on how much time I have writing. 

What new resolutions have you decided to do this year.  

Last Years New Year’s Resolutions.

Did you put down your new years resolutions yet?  I had a good look at my new year’s resolutions from last year.  I had different dreams back then.  My intention was to work on my writing platform.  I was to do this in several ways. 
 I started a Blogstory line.  Then posted my short stories in a few places trying to get my name out there.  But I came to the realization that my strengths in writing wasn’t strong enough to continue. 

My blogstory line, while some people read, there wasn’t much feedback  if they liked it or not.  One of my friends loved it and wanted me to continue.  I had others tell me they read and liked it.  I was happy with this, but then ran into a snag.  My conclusion was it wasn’t good enough to spark interest and continue.  I put it on hold until I understand the writing process better.

I took off all the short stories I had in different places.  I did revisions on them and plan to improve them more.  So I put on hold for a while.

Where I improved. 
What I did do was reach my 2011 Book Challenge.  This challenge I didn’t have too much trouble with because I love to read.  My challenge was to read 50 books throughout the year.  My final count was 68. 
(See 2011 Book Challenge - as I progressed through the year.) 

I did continue to study the writing process and have greatly improved, not only in my writing but in my critiquing. This was good for my Diligent Writes Group that I founded. 

The diligent Writers Critiquing Group is strong.  We don’t have a lot of people but we have a few committed individuals.  We are all progressing one step at a time.  Each writer is talented and adds a lot to each critique.  It has been my pleasure to start and work with this group.  I intend to continue it with the hope that other committed writers will come.  

I have started a project of 'The Fiction Writers Workshop.'   This class is doing one chapter once a month.  We tackle a different aspect of writing each month, and then do the writing exercises.  We get together and discuss them and then cover the next month’s topic. 

New Year's Resolution for 2012. I’m going to continue the book challenge and keep track of what I read during the year.  But this year I’m also going to keep track of my writing, how many words and minutes I write.  My intention is to learn discipline.  I stopped watching most TV shows, and other diversions that keep me from writing.  So my goal will be discipline in this next year.  I have other resolutions of a personal nature but won’t bore you with them. 

What New Year’s resolutions did you pass from last year?  How have you grown from last January to this December? What will you do to continue that growth.  Much came be accomplished in one year, don’t waste it on trivial matters.  Choose wisely. 

Until Next time. 
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Christmas Miracle.

Have you ever had a Christmas Miracle?  I did but at the time I didn’t know it.

I was in College at the time. I worked at a local hospital on a work study program at night.  I worked then every six months I wrote up a report and received credits.  My position was a ward clerk floater. When one of the permanent ward clerks called off, I worked in their place.  If everyone showed up then they placed me in another area.  I worked all over the hospital and met many people. 

The day was Christmas Eve.  Usually my shift was 6:00pm – 10:00pm but I was able to talk my supervisor into allowing me to go home early.  I explained I hadn’t been able to shop for holiday meal yet and was hoping to go before the grocery store closed.  He agreed and allowed me to use some of my vacation pay to cover the time.  It was a slow evening in the hospital.   

So at seven I left the hospital and caught the bus to my little apartment.  It took about an hour because I had to connect with another bus in downtown Cleveland.  As soon as I arrived home, even though I was tired, I grabbed my reusable grocery bags and practically ran to the grocery store. My apartment was in a very ideal location.  I lived just off a main street, a few houses down from the corner and the grocery store was on another main street a few blocks down in the opposite direction.

As I was speed walking to the grocery store I couldn’t tell if it was closed or not. “Please let it be open” was my mantra.  But it was not to be.  When I turned the corner to the parking lot and main entrance.  The entire parking lot was empty and a large Closed sinn hung on the door.  At that moment my heart was empty. 

I hung my head and cried all the way home.  My speed walking was now a slow crawl. I was alone already and it was hard enough, now this.  Of course all the restaurants, and grocery stores will be closed on Christmas Day, so there was no way I could get any type of food. Christmas dinner was a no go and any kind of holiday for me was gone.  It was a very bitter pill to swallow.  I went to bed with prayers of love and devotion to the person who’s birthday it was. I was still grateful that I had a place to live, having been homeless a few years before. 

The next morning it was a beautiful sunny day, even here in Cleveland Ohio.  I watched the parade on TV and just did the best I could.   I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast, what else could I do?

Later when hunger finally caught up with me, I went scrounging in the refrigerator.  Leftovers it would be.  Strangely I found a few things and ended up having one of the best meals I can remember.  Sure it was leftovers but it tasted delicious. I remember praying and being grateful for everything that I had. I was happy to be alive.  The Christmas spirit came into this lonely heart of mine and I was filled with sweetness and joy.  Even years later I remember this Christmas above all others.  Of course I call my family and we talk and share, but I am still alone, or so I thought. 

It was some time later that I realized something extraordinary happened. I remembered that the day before I hardly had any food in that refrigerator.  I desperately needed to buy food not only for the holiday, but for the entire week.  Yet, on Christmas I had a lot of food in there.  Food I’m not sure where it came from.  And it was some of the best tasting food I can remember.  I also remember finally feeling the Christmas spirit. 

Every year since, I’ve had food in my refrigerator and the Christmas spirit in my heart. But still, I remember that holiday miracle even more. 

So the next time Christmas doesn’t quite go as you had planned for whatever reason, the holiday spirit is more important, and of course giving thanks and praise.  May your Holiday be blessed with the spirit within, and joy to you and yours always.

Until next time. 

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