Hello 2020

Last year, I made a list of resolutions, and kept myself accountable here on my blog/bookstagram.
I will be doing the same exact thing this year with new resolutions (slightly new).

2019 Resolutions: 

     (1) Keep learning

     (2) Write [almost] every day

     (3) Don't stop reading

     (4) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

     (5) Get [a little] professional.

 2020 Resolutions:

     (1) Write [almost] every day

     (2) Don't stop reading

     (3) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

     (4) Share love of books/writing
     (5) Be kinder to myself

So really, they haven't changed a whole, whole lot. But I really loved my resolutions last year. I want a whole new start at them this year. Really make it a full on addition to my life.

(4) is the old (5)--Get [a little] professional turned into Share love of books/writing. Aka continue with the blog. Most posts next year.

(5) is really the only new one. I want to continue to lose weight (which has been an on and off again struggle last year), but I didn't want to focus just on a number. I want to eat better. I want to exercise more. And I want to not be too hard on myself when I don't do the other three things. When I fall off the wagon (which I will), I don't want to feel (too) bad. I want to be kinder to myself.

What are your 2020 resolutions?

#newyearsresolutions #hello2020 #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodbye 2019

I can't believe that 2019 is almost over. Like...I can't believe it. I feel like it was only just June. And in June it felt like it was only just February. How did this year go by so quickly? How?

Here I am again checking in with my 2019 resolutions:

(1) Keep learning

(2) Write [almost] every day

(3) Don't stop reading

(4) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

(5) Get [a little] professional 

The Full Year Check Up:

(1) Again, no real "evidence" of this to share. 

(2) In total, I read less than half of the year. I didn't do as well as I had hoped. But my dreams had been far reaching. All and all, I think I did good. Next year can only get better.

(3) Again, in total, I did less than I had hoped, less than last year. But I'd like to say that a total of 60 books was a good accomplishment. That's a little over 1 books per week. More than the average reader. Next year can only get better.

(4) I hadn't...exactly completed anything. Not fully. But I made some really major strides in the last two months. But I guess completely a full run through of pen-to-paper edits and half of the pen-to-computer edits done is something to be proud of. Third time's a charm: next year can only get better.

(5) I forgot about this one. Or to say that this post meant my blog itself. Again, like reading, my posts have gone down in numbers in the past few months (only writing = no reading = no posts). Posts in 2019: 156 (that includes this one).

I'm going to (try) to do this whole thing (resolutions, reading/writing, blog posts, checking-in, etc) again next year.

What are your big 2020 reads?

Anything I should check out?

As we say at the daycare I work at during circle time:

"Goodbye, 2019!"

"Hello, 2020!"

It sounds silly, but just imagine 6-10 two year olds repeating that after you. It could make almost anyone smile.

#newyearsresolutions #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #goodbye2019 #hello2020 #bookstagram #books #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Goodby December

December felt unreal. And very fast.

Here I am again checking in with my 2019 resolutions:

(1) Keep learning

(2) Write [almost] every day

(3) Don't stop reading

(4) Complete something (e.g. a manuscript)

(5) Get [a little] professional 

This month went...barely better. I kinda sucked again.

(1) Again, no real "evidence" of this to share. 

(2) I wrote almost every single day. I can count on one hand, less than one hand, how many days I didn't get writing in (and they were because I was sick--or the "its Christmas" excuse)

(3) I read 0 books in December, almost started a few. I've sucked at reading for a while now. I find it hard to write and read at the same time.

(4)  60+ pages. Its hard to tell. I'm still editing, and I have a bunch of different docs going on. But I'm going very well. Very. :)

(5) Posts in December: 2 (that includes this one).

I'm going to (try) to do this at the end of every month, or close to it (that is, if I remember, and my life isn't too too crazy at that time).

#newyearsresolutions #keeplearning #writeeveryday #dontstopreading #completesomething #getprofessional #bookstagram #books #bookphotography #ilovebooks

Writing/Editing Rant--Part 3

Editing Update: Another 40-60 pages in.
Again, its hard to tell exactly how much I've come along.

But I'm almost halfway through putting my pen-to-paper edits into the computer document. So there's that.

I had a very (very) ambitious goal of finishing this whole round of paper-to-computer edits by the end of the year. And well, its not happening. It's just not. Unfortunately. But it was a big (almost un-accomplishable) goal in the first place.

I'm on a roll, and I love it.

Okay, well I was on a roll. Was.

I started a new TV show and watched two whole seasons in a week.
I forced myself to stop, because I wasn't getting any writing done with all that binge watching.
So naturally, I started another new TV show. I've been binging that. Two seasons done in a week. I need to stop. Really. I do. Or find a good balance of work (writing) and play (watching).

Any advice on a good balance?

Also, I've really been in a reading mood lately. So that means (because I can't do both--I really can't) no writing. Its a bitter sweet moment. I've been wanting to read more, but it'll take time away from my writing. Bleh!

Again, any advice?

Also, I just like...get so much done. I feel so freaking accomplished. And then I remember a lot of other things to add, to edit, to remove. Its a freaking never-ending cycle. I'm so tired.

New Goal: finish this whole manuscript and have it (almost?) sent (hopefully) to an agent by this time next year? Yeah? :/ Yeah. :)

#keepwriting #writersproblems #writing #editing #books #bookstagram #bookphotography #ilovebooks