Simple goals

I don't set concrete, milestone-focused goals because inevitably something derails any good intentions. This year I came up with 3 goals:

Eat Right. Just be mindful about what I eat. No more robo-eating, chowing down while I'm doing something else. I already have a daily habit of exercise, so now it's a matter of making good eating a daily habit.

Write Daily. I've been wickedly busy through the summer with legal crap, the Day Job, getting settled in a new home, and a million other things. I used to ALWAYS make time for writing, no matter what, but somehow I got out of that habit. Heck, I wrote 27 books while holding down a full-time job. Yes, I'm still working full-time, but I have even more time since I now telecommute and no longer that the grind of sitting in traffic. So no more excuses.I will write daily.

Daily Promo. I dislike doing blatant promotion, so I made a deal with myself: I would make one promo post (or blog entry or something) every day that's related to me as a writer. I would post to a Yahoo group, or on a blog, or on Facebook, or *somewhere* that relates to me as a writer. One a day.

Here we are, 10 days into the year, and I'm doing it. I'm sticking with all 3 goals. Writing daily has been a problem until I realized that the research I'm doing for the next book counts, too. It's all writing-related.

It's doable. Now it's just a matter of doing it.

Famous last words ....

Do You Like Setting Goals? by Vonnie Davis

The holidays are over and life returns to normal. But, for writers, what is normal? Characters that populate our minds. Conversations that play-out in the shower. Written scenes that waken us in the middle of the night to tell us we'd written them wrong. Queries, synopsis, edits, releases, promotions.--all of these things are normalcy for writers.

Depressing at times.

 

Exhilarating at others.

 

Still, writing is what we love. It's what makes our souls happy. So, what are your plans for 2013? Will you finish your current WIP? Or will you spread your wings to try penning something new? These were questions my agent asked me recently. "What do you want to accomplish next?" She sipped at her drink, her piercing eyes watching and waiting for my reactions to her question.

 

We talked, plotted and created a wish list for the coming year. Personally I hate doing that. I always feel like I'm setting myself up for failure. I'd rather flutter along from idea to idea like a butterfly in a garden of blooms. My thinking being if I don't set goals, then I can't fail. Right?

 

Maybe not.

 

I do have one goal: to become stronger as a writer. That means I have a lot of learning to do.

 

THE LEARNING CURVE OF A GOOD WRITER IS CONTINUAL.

 

 

As we step forward into 2013, may you begin to achieve your goals--your next goal, a better goal. Even if you hate listing them the way I do. Make a plan, figure out how to achieve it and move forward to that end. Good luck and great sales in 2013.

Gwen,

 

You won’t believe this email. I’m sitting in a French safe house, eating caviar and drinking champagne with handsome government agent, Niko Reynard. He’s wearing nothing but silk pajama bottoms and mega doses of sex appeal. I’m in big trouble, little sister. He’s kissed me several times and given me a foot massage that nearly caused spontaneous combustion. I'm feeling strangely virginal compared to the sexual prowess this thirty-year-old man exudes.

 

When I came to Paris for a bit of adventure, I never imagined I’d foil a bombing attempt, karate-kick two men, and run from terrorists while wearing a new pair of stilettos. I met a German musician, a gay poet from Australia, and the most delightful older French woman.

Don’t worry. I’m safe…the jury’s still out on yummy Niko, though. The more champagne I drink, the less reserved I feel. What an unforgettable fortieth birthday!

 

Alyson

** Available at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon and Barnes and Noble.