How did your first week of the New Year go? Mine is off to a wonderful start. I've jumped right back into working on my novels. I worked on them over the holidays but nothing in-depth. Little by little I'm clearing out the clutter, I plan on clearing out my office today. My desk is covered with everything imaginable from software boxes, instruction books and books and magazines to file. I've been toying with the idea of letting my Writer's Digest magazine lapse. I've been a subscriber since the middle nineties and while I enjoy reading it, much of it is the same information just written by different writers. I have two complete years archived. I'll actually be thinning those by purging the ones that don't cover my current focus. I'll either put the magazines up for grabs on one of my writers groups or I'll donate them to the library if I don't tear anything from them.
I'm happy to be back to work with my novel critique group. I've missed their stories and characters. I met this group last summer through another online list. We were basically put together to help each other with our novels and something happened, we all clicked, six women from different parts of the US, England and Sweden, all of at different stages in our writing. Some of us waiting for the agent to sell our book and some trying to get the first novel revised. We've bonded to the point that we all come to our list with more than just problems with our novels. The novel is what brought us together but a genuine like of each other has kept us together. I see great things happening this year for all us.
The last part of last year I aspired to step outside of my comfort zone and did that a few times. First by joining my online novel critique group and then by volunteering with two rescue groups. While volunteering with those groups doesn't sound huge it was for me as I tend to shy away from crowds, but each time I went to the SPCA or a Meet and Greet at a local Petco it became easier and less frightening. My initial steps to becoming the real me started long before the New Year and I will continue to build on them using my photography, writing and interest in art. And my interest in art has spurred me to contact the local community college for information on the Fine Arts certificate they offer. If all goes well I could be back in school by spring. It's not a degree, but it puts me in a position to get an entry-level position if I choose or it sets me on the degree path. We'll see where this less traveled path leads me.
Good writing to all!
You're still one up on me. I looked over my PB and Chapter book MS(s) and fine-tuned them; but there's still a novel I've been procrastinating on. That's another story.
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