Monday, January 3, 2011

2010 Recap

Wow! I can't believe another year has come and gone. At this time last year, I set some goals for my writing career, so I thought I'd explore the success and failure of these over the next week. (And, I apologize for the lack of shoe picture today. If all goes well, there will be one tomorrow.) My first goal was to complete the rewrites on the manuscript I was working on at the time. It took the better part of the year, but I did in fact accomplish that. I have no complaints. I learned a great deal in the process and became a better writer because of it. What about you? Did any of your 2010 goals take longer to accomplish than you thought they would? And, anyone have any good news to share? Please do tell! Oh, and Happy New Year!

34 comments:

Melanie's Randomness said...

HAPPY New Year lady!! Good for you completing the re-writes!! =) I gotta still do my resolutions but I did get into my new place before teh end of the year which made me soo happy! I need to re-start my novel! Soon enough! =)

Melanie's Randomness

Faith said...

I didn't finish any of my writing goals... which was a bit depressing. But I ended the year with a new novel written, and unexpected success in other areas of my life, so I'm trying to be happy about that and keep looking forward to the possibilities of the new year.

Hope your holidays were fantastic!

Laura Pauling said...

Really digging into revisions always teaches me more about writing. More than writing the first draft. And that's what I'll be doing soon!

laura best said...

I had expected to have another YA novel completed, but I ended up revising an earlier atory that took me quite some time but in the end was worth it. I find it difficult to set specific writing goals because of all those unexpected things that pop up. Sometimes I struggle to work on the story I think I should write VS the story that wants to be written instead. Hoe that makes sense.

Tamika: said...

Happy New Year! 2010 had some definite accomplishments, finishing the first draft of a story I adore. Then the mountainous decision to add an additional POV to the story, all researched and sketched. Then I went and got pregnant:)
All and all I am pleased with 2010!

Stephanie McGee said...

Happy new year!

Beth Mann said...

Bravo on meeting your goal! :) Looking forward to what you have to share with us this year! Happy New Year!!!

Leigh Hutchens Burch said...

Grr... blogger ate my original comment...

Happy New Year!

Shannon O'Donnell said...

It took me most of the year to finish my re-writes, too. And like you, I feel like I learned a lot from the experience and came out of it a far stronger writer. :-)

Stina said...

Last year at this time, I was set to query my novel and start work on a new one. In the end, I spent most of last year rewriting the other novel (including changing it to present tense), and really studying the craft of writing. As for the new project. I finally finished the first draft a few days before Christmas. Better late than never. ;)

Carolyn V. said...

Happy New Year Susan!

Oh my gosh, yes! My goals are taking forever! The writing, the exercising, the finishing college. But this year I plan to move forward a little bit closer to those goals. *fingers crossed!*

This will be the year!

Matthew MacNish said...

I never set any. I need to do that for this year. I'm in the middle of a novel re-write myself, and I damn sure better finish before 2012.

strugglingwriter said...

I accomplished no writing goals, but am happy with how my kids are progressing. Can't take all the credit for that, but at least some of it is me.

Lillian Robinson said...

Unfortunately, due to circumstances somewhat beyond my control, most of my goals for last year have become my goals for this year!

May the force be with me!

Stephanie said...

Congrats on reaching your goal!! I'd wanted/hoped to snag an agent this year, but that was not really one of the goals/resolutions I made this year....that is something I really cannot control myself. But i deal do pretty well on my book reading goal and am happy with my fitness goals.

This year, I'd like to eat more veggies and finish another novel! Plus edit the one I finished the end of 2011! Oh and bump up my promotion.

Sherrie Petersen said...

Congrats on reaching your goal! I didn't put any goals into writing last year, though one of them was to get an agent and that happened :)

Laurel said...

Congrats on finishing your revisions, Susan! I set out to attend at least one conference, which I did in October, and to get my manuscript query-ready--started that in late summer and am getting some requests.

The one I failed big on was drafting my second book. I've not accomplished nearly as much as I'd hoped on that in 2010, but I think some of the planning I did over the holidays should get me unstuck at last.

Diane said...

I joined a writer's group so I feel like I am on my way. Need to work on some personal ones for inner growth in God. :O)

Patti said...

I was one for two on my writing goals, plus I added an extra revision in there, so not bad.

Cathy said...

Hi! It's nice to find another aspiring YA author. I'm revising a ms and my blogging goal for this year is to connect with other aspiring and published YA authors.

Colene Murphy said...

Big goals for this year. Had none for last year so I can't add a thing!
Good luck to you and your goals for this year though!

Carol Riggs said...

What? No one has a publishing or agent deal?? LOL Actually, I would be surprised--no editor or agent would be working over the Christmas holiday, or I would hope not (I mean, they'd better have lives).

Yeah, my goals took longer--still writing my WIP after 6 months, and usually I'm DONE by 3 or 4 months. But I did revisions on another novel in between, so I'm not really worried.
Good luck with your goals for 2011!

Melissa said...

Happy New Year!!! I didn't actually make any goals myself last year (aside from NaNo - which I won!) but this year is a year of goals for me.

Can't wait to hear more about your goals.

Tana said...

I actually wrote a lot more than I expected last year. I don't foresee that repeating itself this year. I'd be happy with half of that. As for goals, same thing, I want an agent! It's a good year for representation, don't you think? ;)

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Hey!

My dream didn't come true... but this is a new year. I'm willing to work for it as long as it takes!

Plamena Schmidt said...

Happy New Year! I started and finished my very first WiP in 2010 : )

Stephanie Thornton said...

I didn't quite make my goal in 2010, but I have one super-polished manuscript and am working on one I dearly love. I'm hoping 2011 will be awesome!

Happy New Year!

Kelsey (Dominique) Ridge said...

Ooh, rewriting. I only did it once, and still every time I hear the word, I cringe. I am very impressed. **high five**

Tabitha Bird said...

Happy New Year to you too.
I rewrote my little heart out in 2010. As a result I have an MS almost ready to go for the New Year. Yeah!
Well don on your goals!

Robyn Campbell said...

Happy New Year woman! I am starting book two. It's not really a series, but does have some of the same characters. And I might do one more using the brother as the MC. (My book for boys.) I too learned a lot on my rewrites of SEVENTY-TWO HOURS. Took me most of the year. I deleted entire chapters.

I told you in the reply from my comment on my blog, my news. Let's hope one of these IS THE ONE. :)

*fingers crossed* Toes too.

K. M. Walton said...

I'm a firm believer that things happen for a reason...for us to learn from experiences...and grow. So, I am calling 2011 the year of learning.

First thing I learned in 2011 - a complete, blank page re-write was necessary for my MG sci-fi trilogy. Ouch, right? But I'm now on page 50 and it just feels right.

Anonymous said...

Congrats on making your 2010 goal! I like placing a check mark beside what I've set out to complete. Last year I set high goals, and only met most of them half way. This year, I'm more realistic.

Terri Tiffany said...

I like to think that I learned a lot with my failures last year:)) Happy New Year to you. I hope your Dad is well!

Natalie said...

That is so awesome that you finished your manuscript last year. That is a huge accomplishment. I have that goal this year. The problem with my goals last year was that they changed when my life changed.