Saturday, January 1, 2011

Six-word resolutions

Today's Mood: Industrious. Today's Music: Ipod on shuffle. Today's Writing: journal. Today's Quote:
"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." -E.B. White

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This morning I sat down to reflect on the past year--as well as make some resolutions for 2011. I have been reading a couple of books called Not quite what I was planning; six-word memoirs by writers famous and obscure, and so I decided to write my reflections as well as my goals in six words. In some ways it made it easier and in some ways harder. There were so many things that happened this year, it's impossible to even remember it all. When I only have six words, I am forced to focus only on a few things.

My reflections on 2010:

Year went by; not everything done.
Year went by; more to do.
A year gone by. Not published.
Chocolate and wine consumed in measure.
Family, work, writing--they don't balance.
Still haven't finished damned rough draft.
Should have written more, cleaned less.
House not condemned--can still write.

As for resolutions:

Write more and more and more.
Finish rough draft--revise, revise, revise.
Write when inspired--daily at 6:30.
Eat less, exercise more--good luck.
Send out awesome query--get published.
Become famous and then find publisher.
Exercise and write more--goodbye sleep.

How about you? How was your 2010? And do you have any resolutions for 2011?

3 comments:

outdoorwriter said...

Sarah;

Good to see your blog again! Hope your holidays were wonderful.

2010--first year being retired. Trying to learn to handle the free time. I've been running my beagle every morning to the point at 8:30--the time we go out--he starts pacing and howling. He follows me to the bedroom to see if I'm puting my old pants on. I think he recognizes my hunting jacket, gloves, etc. When my daughter was home from school, I had to put him in the truck for a few minutes so he wouldn't wake her up.

I have all kinds of time to write, but I think my muse has left the building. It's really hard to get back to it. I think some of my confidence is gone.

No resolutions; I don't keep them anyway.

smcelrath said...

Retired! Wow, I didn't know you'd retired. Sounds like the dog likes it. : )

And I doubt the muse is gone for good--sometimes you have to dig a little deeper though. Butt in chair, remember? Do you show up? Every day? Butt in chair waiting for that muse to peek its shy head up?

Shoooooot, sometimes I feel like I got nothing, but after sitting there for awhile, my brain starts to throw things out there in sheer desperation--or maybe it's boredom. Anyway, showing up works more than you'd think.

As for me, I'm writing. Slow, but writing every day. The end of this rough draft is in sight--and in some ways that's bad. I get to thinking about the next step before I'm even done with this one. Gotta take it one day, one chapter at a time.

Good to hear from you. I feel like I've been in my little cave, not connecting with other writers. I've missed it. Missed you.

Don't give up. Resolve to show up every day, even when you don't think the muse is anywhere in the building--or even in the same state for that matter.

Butt in chair.

Anonymous said...

love the chocolate and wine one!
KXJ