MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS? YEAH, WHAT THE HELL

Photo by Ricky Leong
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rleong101/

A blog post about New Year's Resolutions, how original. But if there's anyone who needs to make some—and keep them—it's me.

This has been one busy, stressed-out, chaotic, monumentally disorganized year for me. Real world stuff frequently overwhelmed the creative world here in my computer room cubbyhole, and the real world almost always won out (and didn't that frikkety-frakkin' suck?).

So that's it. I've decided.

When I get independently wealthy, I'm going to ban real world stuff entirely.

I'll hire someone (an underling—I've always wanted an actual underling) to deal with the outside world, and I'll stay in here, writing (and thereby creating entirely new worlds and brand-spankin'-new people). And reading books, books, and more books. And gazing into the plastic eyes of my awesomely manly-cool Daryl Dixon action figure.

Does that sound perfect, or what?

Um...I thought I heard vague whispers of What???! coming from various directions, but I'm sure I imagined it, so let's continue.

Do you make lists? Not just New Year's Resolutions lists, but daily lists, year-round? I'm thinking lists is the way to go. Writing-wise, I generally have several projects pulling me in different directions at once. A couple of long-term, almost-but-not-quite-done stories (at this moment, a dystopian novella and a serial killer short story with sequels in mind), plus there's always a new short story I've just started and a *whatever holiday is too close to finish a holiday story but I started one anyway* story.

Can't imagine why I'm distracted.

Anyway, lists. I figure I should make a list for those stories, with what specifically is needed for each one (the opening & THE BIG SCENE for the novella, an ending for the serial killer short story), so I'll know each day what needs to get done.

Those of you who are writers know how that will go, of course. I'll check the list and it'll say I need to finish the dialogue in the opening scene of the world-has-turned-upside-down dystopian novella. I'll open the file, I'll take a sip of coffee...

And the main character from my serial killer short story will start screaming his imaginary little lungs out. “Me, me, me! I'm ready now! I'll be fascinating! I won't turn mute as soon as you switch documents, like I did yesterday, I promise!”

I'll fall for it.

I always do.

Sigh.

I know. You're right. Lists probably won't make a difference. My characters play me like a ukelele. But I'll give it a shot anyway. And what better way to start than with the totally cliché New Year's Resolutions list?

Here's mine, short and sweet:

                NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS FOR 2014

      1) Keep updated list of writing projects & each day's scenes.

2) DO NOT spend hours(!) wandering through Twitter when I have nothing to say and no one is saying anything to me.

3) Do not keep clicking on my Twitter @'s to see if a follower (or two or three) has had an urgent need to say howdy.

      4) Do not play Spider Solitaire when I should be writing.

5) Stop spending so damn much money on cats. They're getting fat.

6) Stop buying junk food for me. See above.

      7) Try and get used to writing “2014” before 2015 rolls around.

  8-10) Try not to screw up 1-7.