As its still holiday season, we don’t have a guest blogger today. But I thought it would be great to use this Saturday to think about our writing resolutions for the year. Then in six months, I’m going to copy the comments section and post it, to see how well we’ve all done with our resolutions. Sound like fun?
Okay, I’ll start!
My resolution is to stick to my writing schedule. This sounds easy, I suppose, since I managed to do it this year from July through October. But then I stopped because A) I met my deadlines and B) life got in the way.
Well, chances are life is still going to be shoving itself into my face starting next week and deadlines will be met…so I need to keep to my schedule no matter what. My schedule will be different depending on what’s due, but my first starts next week when I edit a novella I finished a few months ago.
Oh, and I resolve to update my website.
That’s two for me…next??
By all reports, Julie Leto was a sweet child once, somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories. However, being raised with three brothers in a loud, primarily Italian household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. Writing sassy heroines has worked out, as she’s sold over forty books to four publishers featuring strong, confident women. Julie lives in Florida with her daughter, a spoiled dachshund, a haughty lynx-point Siamese and a wide range of relatives all within driving distance.
Destiny
Dirty Little Secrets
Once Upon A Valentine
Through The Night
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Gee, you must have scared everyone off with the “then in six months, I’m going to copy the comments section and post it, to see how well we’ve all done with our resolutions.” part! :giggler
I’ve been thinking a lot about this because I love New Years – New Year’s Day is my favorite day of the year. The idea of fresh starts, new beginnings, clean slates :happy2: … you get the idea.
I guess the first thing I need to do is develop a writing schedule. Like, make sure I write 4 hours every day no matter what. I can’t always write at the same time every day, but at some point during the day I can carve out 4 hours to write.
I think I’ll stick to that for now. In six months, then I’ll add more to it. Baby steps….baby steps…
I hope everyone is enjoying the holidays!!!! And, Julie, thanks again for taking the time to do these workshops for us on Saturdays. I know it takes a lot of time to either write the blog or line-up the guest bloggers and I for one appreciate all of your hard work to make them happen!!
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I agree with Jodie, there’s nothing like having something come back and bite you on the ass in six months. :giggler It’s definitely easier to meet your resolutions when you have contracts and deadlines than when you don’t. But here goes:
Writing related stuff:
Finish my single title Something Old, Something New, Something Dead
Work on my first paranormal–The Morakeen
Write “The Blaze” for Brenda
Personal stuff:
Stretch every day
Take some yoga classes
Play my harp better and better
Cher
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Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! Glad to know I’m not the only one who lets life get in the way …
1. Stick to writing schedule and now with the NEO (thank you santa!) no excuses as I hope to pitch 2 books in DC
2. Get back on diet
3. Be better at keeping up with friends, blogs, etc.
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Ha! Great minds and all that. This was my post on Penumbra (my blog) for Friday:
So, as I look toward the new year, here’s my plan of action. For the next week, I’m not writing anything but this blog, my LJ, and thank you notes for some wonderful gifts. (I have some tendinitis issues in my right shoulder, elbow and wrist so I’m giving it a break.) I’m going to clean my kitchen to make room for my new bread maker. And I’m going to make bread.
After the new year, around production edits on Faerie Fate and planned trips to Florida in January and April and Washington DC in July (Yay RWA Nationals!), I’m going to finish the first draft of Waltzing Matilda (January). Then I’m going to edit Faerie Fire, the second book in the Tir Nan Og trilogy, using what I know now that I didn’t know when I first wrote it and get it submitted to The Wild Rose Press. (January/February). By my birthday in March, I hope to start on the third book in the Tir Nan Og trilogy, Faerie Fool. At odd moments along the way, I’ll pull out Shadow Dance (the manuscript and a nice rejection letter arrived the 23rd) and ponder the revisions on it. Yes. Revisions. Not edits. I have more work to do on Shadow Dance…and a new publisher to look for to submit it to. Yeah. I’m disappointed. But I’m not quitting. Delta Ghosts is a good series.
Revisions. *sigh* Sometimes I think it would be easier to write a whole new book. I also want to get back to Season of the Witch, book one in the Penumbra Papers. It, too, needs major revisions, and I’ve had an idea niggling around in my head for some time now.
All of this, though, depends upon my Muse. She is fickle and finicky and very fae. And I often ask her “WTF!??!”
I have a daily writing schedule and stick to it very closely. My problem is to keep from being distracted by some new story before I finish the current WIP.
I second Jodie’s thanks for the wonderful advice and friendship from the Saturday blogs. I’ve learned so much from ya’ll and the guest bloggers!
Here’s to all of us writers!
May we all find publishers in 2009!
But most of all, here’s to all the readers
Ya’ll give us a reason to keep writing!
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Ok, so Julie I started reading the blog thinking how ironic it is that I was sitting at my desk today thinking that my resolution this year is to stop making excuses and hiding behind my insecurities and finish this work in progress that has been in progress for a very long time.
My horoscope for today said, “Fear has held you back for too long — today you just need to go for your goals!
Then you wrote, “Then in six months, I’m going to copy the comments section and post it, to see how well we’ve all done with our resolutions. Sound like fun?”
:yikes: 
And my first thought was, “Crap!”
Ok, so I’m going to try to stop letting fear of failure rule me. I’m going to at least give it my all and get this work in progress complete, even if it is just to say,”It’s done!”
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No resolutions for me!
Good luck to all of you that do make resolutions. Also good luck to all of you that are writing and working toward getting published.
:flower4you:
Enjoy the weekend.
Julie, I picked up Phantom’s Touch when I was at Border’s before Christmas. It is up next on my list.
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Great post, Julie. I think you should repost it for this week too!!!!!
First, I have to finish Lucky Break as quickly as possible.
Then I resolve to get into a daily/weekly schedule despite my crazy home life so I don’t get into last minute binds again.
And I also hope to come up with a new series that really excites me!!!!!
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Write an hour everyday.
Sit down on each Sunday and figure out my schedule for the week and set up my writing hour for each day.
As with every goal you set you should take at least one actionable step. So it’s Sunday now and here is my writing schedule for this week…
Monday 6:oo pm to 7:oo pm
Tuesday same
Wednesday same
Thursday 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Friday 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Saturday 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Sunday Meeting a writing friend at Borders from 11:00 to 1:00 for plotting fun!
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I wasn’t scared off by the copying and posting in 6 months, I’ve just been rather busy in the days since Christmas and had to think about my resolutions.
Mine are
1. Lose weight and remain in my healthy weight range.
2. Return to study for at least one semester, and pass all papers.