Tuesday, January 7, 2014

TALKIN' 'BOUT MY RESOLUTIONS...

See how determined I look?

I’m a New Year’s Resolution maker. I’ll admit it. And I stick with about 25% of them. Not a great number but that’s okay – I did manage to join a gym and lose 30 lbs this past year – so that’s something.

But this year I’m doing it differently. Instead of self-improvement resolutions (yup – gonna be the same old jerk I was last year) I’m making career resolutions. 2014 will be the year I work my butt off to get more stuff out.

That also means 2014 will be the year I don’t leave the house much or have a life – but that’s the way the Times Square crystal ball bounces.

Why the narrow focus?  A couple of reasons. First of all – my kids are teenagers now. They don’t need (or necessarily want) me to spend every moment with them. They no longer need me to make them snacks, play Clue or supervise every question in their homework. They’d rather immerse themselves in their sports and music activities, go to the movies with friends or spend hours doing whatever it is they do in their rooms. I get that. I think kids need alone time. And now, for once, in 15 years – I’ll get some.



Secondly – I’m in a good place with my writing. I produced 2 novellas and a short story since July. My mojo’s back and I know what I can do now – which is a LOT more. I have a new genre to work on for one publisher and a new series idea for another. And these are small, boutique publishers with better contracts than I got from New York and they handle the covers, editing, formatting and marketing so I don’t have to. I spent a great deal of time on that in the last few years. I’m happy to give that up.

And last but not least – I’m into writing again. I’ve got a timeline for the novels I want to write this year and I’m confident (for once) that I can achieve it. And I have new office supplies. Nothing makes my heart beat faster than shiny new office supplies!
So we shall see where this year takes me. I’m hoping to fatten up my bookshelf and lose myself in new things.

Oh, and I’ll keep working on the weight thing. Still have about 10 more lbs. to lose. I do have to have my priorities, after all.  

18 comments:

  1. Go, Leslie, go! Love this idea of making career resolutions.

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    1. Thanks Brenda! It's the only way for me to get stuff done. If I did personal improvement resolutions too - I'd be fab, but my work wouldn't, right? ;)

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  2. Sounds like a great plan. And I love office supplies, too. I get all excited over post-it notes in rainbow shades...

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    1. Oooh! I LOVE post-its! And pens - I'm really picky about my pens. My fantasy catalog is Levenger. Is that sad?

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  3. This sounds positive and attainable. Congrats on having such a good plan (and the weight loss last year)!

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    1. I sure hope so Ariella. I added a word count app to my iphone - I'm hoping that will properly shame me.

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  4. You look SO determined. LOVE that picture. That is a picture of woman who WILL do it!

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  5. Need to sign you up as my weight trainer coach! Mostly you'd have to just tell me to STOP EATING. And get off the couch.

    Cannot wait to see what you come up with this year, with all this time available to you...it's like giving the Weasley boys a Think Tank.

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    1. LOL! I'd love to have the Weasley Boys work on my stuff Hellie!
      As for the weight loss - I just worked out at the gym 1 hour three times a week and cut back on the cheesecake - which was sad. Very sad.

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  6. Isn't it great to be in a good place where your writing is concerned, Les? Here's to a productive--and prolific--2014!

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    1. It is Kathy! I think this is gonna be a banner year for both of us! ;)

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  7. So happy to hear there will be more Leslie Langtry books! I'm not good about resolutions. I make the lose weight one every year and never do it. Well, rarely do it. And then I put what little I lost back on.

    But this year! *waves fist in air* I will! And I will write more books. The most depressing lesson I learned in 2013 is that these things won't write themselves. Sigh.

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    1. You'd better write more Terri! And yes - it totally sucks that they don't write themselves. Maybe someone will come up with author cloning this year!

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  8. Go Leslie, I hope to find my mojo soon!

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  9. How inspiring but fun! Keep us posted!

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