Friday, January 20, 2012

Looking back at 2011

It looks like I listed two goals for 2011: 200,000 new words of fiction and 12 short stories.

I didn't make either goal.

My wordcount for 2011 is 181,390 words.  While I missed the 200,000 word mark this counts as my second best year since I've started keeping track in 2007.  I'm hoping to do better this year.

As for short stories, I only wrote seven, little more than half of my goal.  I struggled with this goal, and I am not happy with my output.  If you read my other post on goals, I'm hoping to write as many as 25 short stories this year.  Yes, I set the bar way higher.

Sometimes in 2011 I found it hard to be creative.  That impacted the writing, especially the short stories.  One thing I hope to accomplish this year is to find ways to reignite my creativity.

I did epublish ten short stories, a short story collection, and a novel.  I'm hoping to have a lot more published this year.  And, of course, I plan to send things to magazines and publishers this year.

2011 saw me missing the mark on my goals.  I'm hoping that 2012 will have a different outcome.

Goals for 2012

I've decided to post my goals for 2012 in writing.  I can't remember if I posted my 2011 goals.  If I did, I promise I'll update how I did with them.  Short answer: I think I fell short of any goals I set.

Anyway, here, in no particular order, are my 2012 goals:

1) 200,000 new words in fiction.
2) Epublish 25 short stories/story collections/novels
3) Write at least 25 short stories this year.
4) Begin to epublish my old columns.  I'm hoping to gather them into collections as well.
5) Finish up two novels I started in 2011 and write two more.

That's what I hope to accomplish in 2012.  Wish me luck!

Blast from the past

  The above picture is of my granddaughter Lavinia and her sweet mama from six (!) years ago.  Lavinia is dressed as a squirrel, her daddy&#...