Daring Predictions
- A president shall be elected in the US. It might be a new one.
- Road construction/modification will continue in Surrey, BC. None of it will be completed (except maybe the filling of some pot holes).
- The average price of gas will be higher for 2012 than for 2011.
- I will not meet all of my goals and resolutions for 2012. (Since I didn’t even make goals/resolutions for 2011, anything is an improvement.)
- No one will pay me the big bucks for staring into my crystal ball. (Hey, can you do better?)
Goals
- Survive teaching technical writing class without requiring counseling, therapeutic massage, or stitches. (I may get the massage anyway.)
- Complete one novel, including revisions and final proofreading. (Stop laughing. I mean it.)
- Write 3 shorter works or a second novel. (Notice this section is not called “Realistic Goals”?)
- Knit fingerless gloves for daughter that she’ll actually wear. (I’ve now knitted 2 twisted, lumpy looking gloves for the left hand. I have a new appreciation for those who knit socks.)
- Write one blog post a week. That’s 52 posts, minimum.
Resolutions
- Promote Valknut: The Binding without selling soul. (At least not mine.)
- Lose 15 pounds. 10 pounds. 5 pounds. Grow a muscle.
- Don’t let blog lapse. (Back-up plan in case goal #5 fails.)
(I’m not clear on the difference between a goal and a resolution. For my purposes, I decided that a goal is something I can complete within 2012, whereas a resolution is an ongoing battle.)
Some announcements!
- My guest post Fun with Multiple Viewpoints is online at Wicked & Tricksy. I discuss the benefits of using multiple viewpoints and give examples. (Daughter Hannah is hoping one example is an excerpt from my next novel. It is not. But I’ll keep it in mind for the future.)
- Valknut: The Binding is now available for the Nook at Barnes & Nobles! Woo hoo!
- Valknut: The Binding is now available at Smashwords. Hopefully this means it will be available at iBooks, Kobo, Sony, and other retailers soon.
To give you an idea of things to come, I’ll be doing more interviewing of other writers and more book reviewing this year. However, I look at these sorts of posts as “bonuses.” My plan is to post a personal blog once a week plus occasional bonus posts.
I’ve started doing some guest blogging and hope to do more of that in 2012. In particular, I like to write about writing techniques and other writing-related topics, but don’t feel those topics are of interest to most of my readers. I’ll make sure to let you know when and where those guest posts appear. In case you’ve missed my guest posts so far, here is a list:
Jokul Frosti and the Boy, flash fiction posted at Sommer Leigh’s Tell Great Stories.
Why Not Norse Gods? In Answer to Jaye Manus’s question, posted at Jaye’s Love Affair with Genre Fiction.
Fun with Multiple Viewpoints, some tips on why and how to use multiple viewpoints, posted at Wicked & Tricksy.
Upcoming guest post: I will be posting again at Wicked & Tricksy a week from Friday, this time about the passive voice.
Thus ends post #1 of 52.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL
Marie Loughin's "I WANNA BE . . ." 
How did I not realize you’re teaching technical writing? I didn’t realize we were in similar fields outside of this whole novel-writing business, too. I like the one-blog-a-week goal. Seems pretty reasonable!
I’m a statistical consultant by day. Technical writing is a big part of the job. I teach the technical writing class one term a year to statistics students. It’s fun, but time consuming.
I’m hoping once a week is reasonable. I watch folks like you and wonder what’s wrong with me that I can’t post 800 words every day (complete with photos, links, and formatting), and still write multiple novels every year. I think it goes back to “…ideas seem to pop fully formed in his head. He must type 120 words a minute to get it all down.”
Oooh yeah, I partner with folks who do that quite a bit. That makes sense, and that sounds fun.
Hah, well even I couldn’t keep that one up. I’m down to two or three entries a week. But I don’t think it’s anything wrong with you – I think we all write differently. Setting a word count goal helped a lot, but I do actually type over 100 WPM so that helps 🙂
Cool sunglasses!
I laughed a lot reading this. Your predgoalutions sound so similar to mine. Good luck!
I’m glad I’m not alone 🙂