Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, Guatemala

Sunday, January 9, 2011

I'm Back and Ready to Move Forward

That was a really long break I took. First over Christmas, and then my family events. Not only did my mom pass away but my youngest son graduated from Marine Boot Camp. Half the family was in Minnesota for her funeral, the other half in San Diego for his graduation. Crazy stuff. Life can be so bizarre sometimes. Thanks for all the caring thoughts and support given to me during this difficult time. I have really really appreciated it.

But now I'm back and looking forward to another fun and exciting blogging year. How many writer friends will find agents this year? Or get publishing contracts? Or see their book released? And sell millions? And get on the NY Times bestseller list? Hey, we might as well be thinking big, right?

My writing goals for this year are pretty ordinary, however. Finish "House of Diamonds", set up a blog tour in advance of its release, write daily instead of sporadically. I'm not getting any younger and I want to get more books published.

What are your writing goals for the year? Small as well as big? Next post I'm announcing a submissions contest, something to motivate for the new year, so watch for it in a few days!

42 comments:

  1. Welcome back- you've been missed!

    I have many goals, but right now I'm plugging away on Book #3. I'm loving it, but I'm always so impatient during the first draft.

    Happy New Year!

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  2. Welcome back. You've been in my thoughts and prayers. Sounds like you've got some great goals for the year. Hope you'll keep Thoughts in Progress in mind when you being your blog tour. Best of luck.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  3. Great to see you back KarenG!! And full of the Xena spirit - brilliant!!

    Congratulations with your son's graduation. All the best with your 2011 goals too!!!

    Take care
    x

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  4. Stephanie, I am also incredibly impatient with the first draft because it's so...so... rough.

    Mason, I'd love to have your awesome blog hosting me on my tour. I've held off on doing interviews until my book is closer to release.

    Old Kitty, the Xena spirit is the best way to kick off a new year, right? I'm about 2 weeks in but better late than never :)

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  5. Happy New Year Karen! I'm sorry for your loss, I'm praying for your continued strengyh.

    Writing is taking center stage for me this year! Writing, writing, and more writing.

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  6. I'm so sorry about your Mom. I lost my mom in 2008. Thanks for always being so encouraging to me on my blog.

    I'm going to write more this year and keep up with blog friends more. Thanks for being one of them!

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  7. Good to see you back. Congrats to your son and good luck with all your 2011 goals, my thoughts are with you on the loss of your dear mother.

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  8. Welcome back Karen! I'm so sorry for your loss.

    My writing goal this year is just to finish the re-write of my first and only novel.

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  9. Karen, welcome back! We missed you! Congrats to your son -- you must be a very proud Mom.

    I am so sorry to hear about your own Mom. I am certain her inspiration will carry on in your work.

    My goal this year is to write a book -- not start one and put it on the shelf -- but to finish one end to end.

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  10. WElcome back!
    My goals to finish my WIP#1 and **fingers crossed** query it by the end of the year. I'm thinking big.
    I would also like to finish the first draft of my WiP#3.
    Good luck!

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  11. Well, I'm editing. But, I plan to finish four books this year! That's my goal anyways. I'm sick of all my partially completed books sitting on my computer. I want them finished and out!
    CD

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  12. It's great to see your smiling face again! May this New Year be a great one for you!!

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  13. it's a good week to start back. My goals are most likely the same as most of us aspiring novelists. Here's to all of us~ :o) <3

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  14. I just got back from a long break, too, so my goal is to get back into the writing swing of things. Sorry about your loss. Hope all is well.

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  15. Karen, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. I am sending hugs. And congrats to your son (what a roller coaster!)

    I have a big year planned--the big difference being a more concerted effort at editing. I have a big stack of first drafts and need to get a couple things ready to test the publishing waters. I will still write, but mostly for what my contract requires. My extra time will be cleaning.

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  16. Welcome back, Karen! You've been dearly missed! :o) Mwah! ;o)

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  17. Welcome back! My goal was to be serious about writing and so far the year has been total chaos!
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  18. It's good to have you back! My goal is to send more stories out to literary magazines. I did send a couple last year, but this year I'm going to do more research. I'd also like to finish the final draft of my first novel. I keep coming up with ideas for new stories, so once I finish a draft of one story I move on to the next one. I need to stick with one story at a time, I think, so that I can finish the final drafts sooner.

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  19. May 2011 bring you blessings, Karen.

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  20. Welcome back Karen! I hope 2011 is a good year for all of us writers. And best of luck finishing up "House of Diamonds"

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  21. I just found out I have a pitch session in May, so I'm polishing up my ms and getting my pitch ready. =)

    Glad to have you back!!! =D

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  22. Glad you were able to get through your difficult times. Congratulations on your son gradutating from boot camp.
    This year it's polish and submit the sequel to my book!

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  23. A submissions contest--oh the suspense!

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  24. Welcome back, Karen! My writing goals are pretty ordinary, but "big" for me if I accomplish them. The main one is to finish the first draft of a novel (this is my 3rd attempt).

    Congrats on your son graduating Marine boot camp. That's quite an accomplishment. You must be so proud!

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  25. Welcome back and again, sorry for your loss. I'll keep you in my prayers.
    :-)

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  26. I'm happy to see you back Karen. You've had much to keep you busy lately. Will you be posting anything about your son's boot camp experiences?
    I recently finished Uncut Diamonds and will be posting a review on Amazon as soon as I get a chance.

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  27. Welcome back Karen... we've missed you! I hope you're hanging in there and trying to stay strong... remember, our thoughts and prayers are always with you.

    I wish you all the best for the upcoming year. Congratulations on your son's graduation :)

    This year, I plan to query and find that agent.

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  28. I've seen you up and around the blogosphere. I'm glad you're back, but I'm sure you're still recovering from all of this.

    My grandmother's wake was the same weekend my sister-in-law got married and my husband wound up in the hospital with a kidney stone (missed his sister's wedding). I couldn't be in three places at once.

    I'm sorry you've had such a hectic time. I hope you reach your goals easily. And I hope to hear good writing news from our blogging-writer friends too.

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  29. Hi Karen, so glad you're back! You were greatly missed and you've been in my thoughts and prayers. Best of luck to you and your book in 2011! My goal is to publish my cookbook, at long last!

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  30. Hi Karen. I'm sorry to hear about your mother. My mom is still alive, but we had a scare just before Christmas.

    I've been so busy getting ready for my blog book tour, writing 17 post, and now I'm in the middle of it. Anyway, I haven't been able to get to all my friends in the blogging world. But it sure is exciting.
    Nancy
    N. R. Williams, fantasy author

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  31. It's strange to give condolences and congratulations in the same breath but that's what I'm going to do. You must be so proud of your son. Congratulations on his graduation. At the same time, losing your mother will have been so painful. I'm so sorry. My condolences to you and family at this difficult time. Big hug.

    Jai

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  32. gosh so sorry to hear about your beautiful mother.
    Good luck with your goals and I hope 2011 is a good year for us all

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  33. Welcome back, and all the best for 2011.
    My goal is 100 words a day, a smallish one, but yes, better than sporadic fits of writing!

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  34. I know how it feels to move from chaos to sanity. I've done that so far this year with my writing. I set large and small goals and ways to meet each one. So far I'm still moving forward. And I have a real schedule! I love it.

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  35. Welcome back. I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Congratulations, though, on your son’s milestone.

    My goal is to work on my WIP more than I did last year!

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  36. Welcome back! I like the thinking big thing. It's good to aim high. My plans for this year are to finish my 2 WIPS and start querying.

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  37. I'm glad you are back and hope you are taking care of yourself in this vulnerable time. How is your son feeling upon reaching his goal? good I bet.
    I'm shooting for the moon this year. I'm turning 60 which means in the Tibetan calendar I'm in the animal and elemental horoscope I was born into - iron rabbit (or tin bunny as I call it) - this is my year and I plan to land a contract with an agent or a publisher or both for one or two books. And I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen. I don't believe in luck but I do if I put a 'p' in front of it.

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  38. Jan, I love that last line! With that kind of attitude I have no doubt you will reach your goals!

    Lynda, 3 cheers for aiming high!

    Carol, Moving from chaos from sanity and back again-- yep that sounds familiar.

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  39. Karen, I'm so sorry I missed the earlier post about your mother. I'm sorry for you loss. The pictures you posted are beautiful.

    Goals...revise, revise, revise, then submit, submit, submit!

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  40. Life can hold strange contrasts for us sometimes. What an emotionally challenging time having to deal with losing your mother on the same day as your son graduating.

    Good luck with all your writing wishes and plans for this year. Here's hoping it's a successful one for all of us.

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  41. Delighted you are back. Missed you and your inspiring posts.

    This year I hope to write a story from start to finish. That is my goal. I might even submit something.

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  42. welcome back and my sympathies for your loss. x

    I've no real resolutions other than having no resolutions this year....fed up bossing myself around! I'm going to be organic, and go with the flow and keep a big fat journal!

    http://niamhboyce.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-resoloutions.html

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