255. A New Year Beckons

Saturday, December 31, 2005

"Yesterdays a memory, another page in history. You sell yourself on hopes and dreams that leave you feeling sideways. Tripping over my own feet. Trying to walk to my own beat, another car out on the street trying to find the highway. Yeah, are you going my way? This is the story of my life, and I write it everyday. I know it isn't black and white, and it's anything but gray. Anything can, everything can happen, that's the story of my life."

In just a few hours 2005 will be history, and a new year will begin. Where does the year go? I usually keep the starting my entries with lyrics to my personal journal, but I made an exception here this once. These lyrics are fitting for my state of mine as I transition from 2005 to 2006. When the year began, I was in a much different place than I am now. Everything was different. My state of mind was anywhere and everywhere.

I had made the decision at the end of 2004 to try to pull myself out of a deep depression I had found myself since 2003. I wanted to get back into my writing and I wanted to make it my life's focus. Between 2000 and 2002, I had done well getting things going, but I knew I could do better if I put my mind to it. I had sold one article in December 2004, and I saw this as a turning point. However, life decided to pull me back down, and it took until somewhere in March or April for me to really move forward.

I started this blog in March. I also began writing reviews for Blogcritics in March. I also began reviewing for Romance Divas in May, and then I sold my column reviewing the final season of Queer as Folk that same month. Things seemed to be moving forward. The summer months I kept working on my reviewing, but I put a huge focus on my fiction. I wrote a lot fiction wise over the summer.

By the end of the summer, I took a look at the fall season, and I wanted to branch out. I began my review blog, and from then on I was picked up as a blogger and forum leader for Media Village. My fiction has dwindled in recent months, but I expected it to be when I put my focus on my nonfiction work.

All in all 2005 was a very productive year for me. Not financially, but I see that picking up now. I never expected to make a full time living from my writing over night, but I see myself moving towards that goal each day. I see progress, and that is what makes me proud of the accomplishments I have made in 2005. Not only am I proud of what I've done, but my family is also now seeing that I am serious about this dream of mine, and they also see it should end up paying off for me. It is just taking time.

I have lot in mind for 2006. I have resolutions that I've made, goals in my mind for my writing. I want to make 2006 even better than 2005 for me. These are some of my goals for the year to come.

Personal Goals

I want to be a better daughter. I want to find patience with my father. He isn't getting any younger. He just turned 80 this month, and as much as I try to not snap at him when he can't hear me or I need to explain things over and over again, I sometimes do it without thinking, and I need to work on that.

I want to be a good friend to those around me. I need to work on not getting lost in my own little world, and talk more to those around me because I do cherish all my friendships dearly. I need to show that. Whether it is my blogging friends around the blogosphere or my friends here and elsewhere. I don't want any of my friends to doubt how much I care about them.

I want to be better at keeping in touch with my family elsewhere. It is so easy to pick up a phone and just say hello. I need to do that more often.

Writing Goals

I need to finish what I begin. My main problem with my fiction is finishing the stories I start. I need to do better. I know I can finish them. I've done it before, many times before when it came to my fan fiction in the past. I've finished stories this year too, but that is definitely something I need to improve on. I'd really like to submit two or more of my short novellas this year for publication with e-book publishers.

I need to work on my fiction in general. I need to continue writing it. I need to try to find some time every week to write fiction. I know my nonfiction is taking precedence at the moment, and it has to. I need to keep the fiction up as well.

I need to continue pursuing my nonfiction. I need to find other sites and publications for my nonfiction work. I need to keep up my current pursuits as well.

I need to continue improving my writing. The more I write, the more I improve, but I need to make that improvement important. I need to read the works of others and any resources I can that will help me to do this.

In general, I just want to be the best person I can be for 2006. I want to be able to look back next year at this time and be proud of what I've done. Have a wonderful New Year everyone. Be safe tonight.

Tag: 2006resolutions