n_wilkinson | Happy New Year 2015 (and goals!)

Last year, I managed to complete ten of my twelve goals which is a record for me! Wahoo! The only two I didn't complete was one that grew itself into requiring a whole nother part and plot and the other that's been on my to-do list for the past five years. Alas. I feel pretty accomplished over all.

So this year, I have a whole new set of goals! All of them, hopefully, more manageable. I've gone ahead and dropped The Butterfly Effect entirely from my goals. It's not abandoned, but I'm not going to keep putting it on my list as a foreseeable goal.

The Break of Day Part III
Wayward Sons Act III
War of the Animum Quisling
Numerology parts 6-10
Fugue of Shadows First Draft
Finish Insoluble
Self-Publish Monster
Apple a Day, five updates
Witches East of Eden First Draft
Outline and Plot Zero Sum (sequel to Critical Mass)
Second Draft A Tale of Two Geeks
Ten Year Website Cleanup

I also intend to put a LOT more effort into promoting and advertising my original fic. 90% of it is free read but I would also love to get my published stories out there a bit more. I'm going to try and promote my commissions as well, which I've now opened for fanfiction. Wahoo?

I plan to set aside at least three days a month to focus on improving my writing. Whether that be sitting down and actually reading these Writer's Digests I pay for, or examining technique websites or reading novels that aren't fanfiction, or skimming the internet for methods of improvement. And if I find anything helpful, I'll be sure to share.

But more than, I also want to be a better reader. And by that I mean, stop reading fics and not leaving feedback of any kind, even if just a “great job! I enjoyed that!” I have a terrible habit of being a lazy reader and well, even the most prolific and successful writers need to hear that someone enjoyed their work. I know I constantly have days where I feel like putting down the pen and giving up because I'm obviously an untalented sot. Of course, I don't. I keep going. And usually because no sooner than I think that then someone sends me a lovely review that reminds me there's at least one person out there who enjoys what I do.

It's easy enough to say “write for you, not for the readers.” Or to exclaim that as long as I'm happy with what I do, that's enough. But really, it's not. Not when you hope to one day make a career out of writing. And it can often be the little things that's enough to encourage talent. I'd hate to lose potential awesome writers out there because they didn't get enough encouragement.

So. I will make an effort to be a better reader by offering feedback on everything I read every time. Except for the things I did not enjoy because that can always be a sketchy situation. Most writers claim that they want constructive feedback, but if you give it, they get all rude and uptight, so better to keep that kind of feedback to myself.

In real life, I just want to find a little stability. I want my stuff, which sounds like a selfish thing to say, but for the past almost two years I've been living with 90% of my belongings in a storage building, straddling the fence of where I'm going to make my home. I up and dropped everything to come home to help my Mom and now that she's back on her feet, I have the chance to get back on mine.

It's a challenge. And hopefully, I can see it through in 2015.

So. There we go. 2015.

*fingers crossed*

Happy New Year! *confetti*

Oh WAIT.

Another thing I realized.

2015 marks the tenth-anniversary of my fanfiction writing. The TENTH. Holy Primus on a Pogo stick but I never thought, when I first posted that three page Fullmetal Alchemist ficlet ten years ago, that I would be here, still going. But I am.

So I am going to celebrate that somehow. I don't know how yet, but I will. And honestly, my persistence is thanks in part to all the fans, readers, reviewers, betas, editors, friends, and neighbors I've made over the years. Some I've lost as I've shifted fandoms. Some have been with me since the beginning. Some are new that I've made along the way. But you know what?

ALL OF YOU ARE PRECIOUS TO ME. Every last one of you.

I just wanted to say that. *smiles*