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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