Obligatory end of year navel gazing

[erastes]

I hope you enjoy my Regency Twinks icon!  :)

Things changed for me this year, in many ways, and being not the most organised person when it comes to my personal life, I feel I'm still running to keep up.

I lost my job about 3 years ago--I worked in the conveyancing department of a major law firm, and when a recession hits, it's houses that people stop buying first, so almost the entire department was made redundant, dropping from about 25 to 3 people. I tried to find a job but nothing happened, so at the beginning of 2010--with my father deteriorating in his Alzheimer's--I applied to be his Carer. This means I have  to spend 35 hours a week with him, or looking after him in some way. This isn't--yet--too much of a hardship, other than his failing memory, he's still managing to look after himself and the house pretty well. i do his shopping and deal with his bills, cook breakfast and lunch for us and make sure he has food for the evening and the days I'm not there.  The beauty of the arrangement is that I can write full time while I'm over there.

But in July I was hit with a case of diplopia - or double vision - entirely out of the blue and I was next to useless in the writing--or much of anything--stakes for six weeks. It hasn't entirely cleared up, although I have a screen over one lens to help cope with it. I can write, and drive, that's the main thing.

My goals for 2010 were to write a novella and a novel and to publish some short stories. And I have failed in this. I wrote a novella - Muffled Drum, which I was lucky enough that Carina bought, but, due to the changes I haven't quite managed to finish the novel. And now it's 31st December, I realise I'm not going to finish it either.

But I think one shouldn't get despondent about "FAILED" goals. I think you should take on board that shit happens, life gets in the way, no matter how many Good Intentions or New Year Resolutions one has. Some people might say "oh well, I'm a failure, what's the point of going on?" but I think one should say "well, if I start again tomorrow, then I'll get things done eventually." 

If you write only 300 words every single day - then by the end of the year you'd have  110,000 words. That's a full sized novel, or two very saleable novellas. Think about that - JUST 300 WORDS A DAY.

i aim for 5000 words a week. This means I should have 260,000 words by the end of the year - easily two novels. I don't always do that, but sometimes I do, and every week chips away a little more.

New Year's Resolutions?  They are ok, but it's better to have a small resolution each day rather than one huge one that seems mountainous.

Whatever your goals I hope you reach them, and that 2011 is full of lots of lovely words, whether you are a writer or a reader.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Comments

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

I think you coped admirably with the double-vision problems and fighting to get the care you needed, to make sure your dad got cared for, and to keep on writing in spite of the problems. some days, I swear, it's as much as I can do to pop up with something larger than an email, so the small daily goals really are a great idea.
You didn't mention your gaming exploits here, although they are also affected by all this, but I think it's a good idea for any writer to keep up with the younger sprats, and various computer games do help with it.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you dear!

I'm going to stop being ashamed of being a gamer in 2011 - that's one of my goals too. Darah O Briain was on the TV the other day talking about it and he said that if he was asked what he did to relax and said "I watch porn" it would get a better reaction than "i'm a gamer"

I think that having been one since Pong, qualifies me a earning a lifetime achievement. :D

Happy New Year to you!

[catsintheattic.livejournal.com]

Some people might say "oh well, I'm a failure, what's the point of going on?" but I think one should say "well, if I start again tomorrow, then I'll get things done eventually."

Fully seconded. Life gets in the way of plans, but that doesn't mean that we have to abandon the goals behind the plans, just that we have to adjust the plans.

Happy New Year to you!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I wish I could be that way about sensible eating, though... I tend to fall off the wagon and just give up! LOL.

Thanks dear - happy noo year to you!

[lexin.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year to you and yours. I hope things pick up in 2011.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you! and back at cher!

[viggofest.livejournal.com]

I hope 2011 is happier and healthier than this past year, and I look forward to reading whatever you write!
Best wishes to you and your father!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Aw thank you so much! I have two books out in 2011, and if I get my finger out, I might make it 3!

Have a good night and a great new year!

[valarltd.livejournal.com]

Your icon made me go "Heiney? Oh wait."

Health problems suck. My glasses are needing to be bifocals, when they aren't.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I wish they'd do something about my eyes. take one out, or something - it would be easier!!

Heiney to you!

[beckyblack]

It can be good to have a couple of the goals on the list be sort of optional. That it would be nice to get them done, but that will probably only happen if life goes totally smoothly all year, and that never happens! But if things are quiet at least you don't run out of things to do.

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I definitely need to get organised this year - i'm getting there, but because I've only ever had me (and animals) to deal with, it's a shock to have to start worrying about someone else's shopping and washing and bills and stuff!!

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

The novel is probably a lot closer to being finished now than it was when you started, though! And I think it's impressive to have done so much in a year when you had to struggle with not really being able to see.

Small, achievable daily goals sound like just the thing. I might join you in that :) Happy New Year to you too!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Hope you have a good night, dear!

I've been watching Elisa's blog and Shining in the sun will be reviewed very soon!

I've written nothing for about 2 weeks now...I have been using the "edit of Muffled drum due 6th Jan" as procrastination - because obviously i can't write anything else at the same time and not until after 6th jan!!!! I'm terrible.

[alex-beecroft.livejournal.com]

Thank you! You too :)

*g* Yes, I've been watching it creep up there over the past week. I can't wait, though it'll be just my luck for her to post about it while I'm up at my MILs with sporadic internet. (We're going up there tomorrow.)

Oh, it's the holidays! You've got to have an occasional break. In my case my standard excuse is that I can't write with the children in the house, but I'm starting to think that I should at least try to do 500 words a day while they're around - just to keep things ticking over. School holidays are terribly long.

But no, concentrating on an edit with a deadline is not a bad thing!

[baritonejeff.livejournal.com]

I like your reasoning and intentions.

Healthy. :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thanks dear! Happy New Year to you, Charles and the wooflets.

[gavinatlas.livejournal.com]

May the new year bring you happiness, better health, and success. :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Thank you - and the same to you!

[josephine-myles.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year! May your health be much better this next year.

I like your goals - they sound doable. And you're right about not getting despondent about missing them. You just have to move the target date and you'll get there eventually and can count it as a success. I've always figured goals are useful in so far as they motivate me, but I'm not going to let them rule my life :)

[jenniferkoliver.livejournal.com]

but I think one should say "well, if I start again tomorrow, then I'll get things done eventually."

I agree wholeheartedly with this advice. :)

[stevie-carroll.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year!

[clarelondon.livejournal.com]

Happy New Year to you too :).

And I'm totally in agreement with pitching goals that are realistic as well as challenging. I've reduced my writing goals again and again over the last 2 years because of real life responsibilities and the amazing-but-true fact that there are only 24 hours in a day. I found I was provoking my own "failure", which was just daft. That said, I could benefit from some better planning and self-motivation, so I'll be working on that :).

^__^