I missed you! Hope you a wonderful Christmas and NYE!
Today is a repost from last year (but I had maybe 10 followers so you probably haven’t read it), anywho, since I haven’t accomplished any of them, I’m giving it a go again! On Wednesday, I’ll be posting a more serious plan–as in ONE WORD for the year and tying it into a devotional so don’t miss it! Today? Enjoy!
Well, a year has come and is about to be gone. Profound, I know. I’ve been hearing lots of New Year’s resolutions. The same ones I hear every year. Lose weight. Eat healthier. Spend more time with family. Those seem to be the top three.
I don’t make resolutions. I make plans. Maybe they are resolutions. I just call them personal plans for the new year.
This year, I’m going to work on a few that involve the debilitation of being a writer. You writers may get to shout a few amens in agreement, and those of you who are not…this may explain my eccentric and sometimes morbid behavior.
Here are a few areas I need to work on.
1. FOCUS AND LISTEN
I have a hard time NOT daydreaming up new plots and storylines, like when I’m at church. Pastor is preaching and delivering the word and I watch the sweet elderly lady who passes out handfuls of candy–throwing it really–and all I see are members of the congregation, dropping like flies because the candy has been poisoned. The old woman is shocked when she finds out, declaring she didn’t do it as they drag her poor soul off in cuffs. I look around and find a single mom sitting two rows back and use her to refuse to believe old lady “nameless” has poisoned the church. What motive does she have? She enlists, I look around and find a young widowed man, ah him, yes!… and together they investigate. (and fall in love duh!) At this point I’m jerked back into reality as our Pastor says, “Answer me when I ask you a question.” I don’t know if I should holler yes, no, or amen. Have I just missed a word for me? What was that reference again? My husband scowls at me…knowing. My best friend leans over and asks, “Who did it? The Royal Ranger teacher or the Youth Pastor?”
This may be the hardest goal for me. I can find a story in anything! Just two days ago, my friend shared with me about her nephew and some of his nefarious behavior. Immediately I explained to her why he was a narcissist sociopath, on his way to becoming a homicidal maniac, and then instead of offering to pray for him…I asked if she could get me about thirty minutes alone with him to pick his demented juvenile mind and test my theory. Yep. I really did. I was seeing backstory all over the place!
I’m constantly eavesdropping in restaurants, movie lines, grocery stores, doctors’ offices, anywhere I can find crowds of people. I zone out of the conversation at hand–the one I’m supposed to be involved in, and find out that some stranger’s sister stole her boyfriend and she found out from the Hispanic gardener by slip of the tongue. She’s now dating the Hispanic gardener.
2. KNOW WHERE I AM AND WHO I’M WITH
My husband and I took a trip to Rhode Island last year, he was marrying his cousin! I love saying that! (He’s an ordained minister.) It was beautiful and it happened to be the setting in a book I was about to write. We sat on the bench at a pier overlooking the water, and he talked and talked. Then he said, “Isn’t this place just beautiful, Jess?”
“Yes, I can see why Scarlet loves it. No wonder Noah can’t leave.” Sigh.
My husband cleared his throat, “Jess,I’ve gotten used to you living in a fictional world, but please tell me you’re at least holding my hand!”
“Hmmm…oh, of course. Definitely.”
3. PAY ATTENTION TO MY KIDS MORE
“Mom, I have pretend people in my head too, but I don’t sit in front of the computer all day and play with them!” My son Myles expressed that after he’d asked for a glass of milk about two hundred times. At least that’s what he said…I never heard him. I’m a master of tuning out what’s going on at home. I stick my skull candy in and I’m off. When I look up, my house looks like a tornado hit it. I’m going to pay attention more and find better balance between writing and spending time with my family.
4. GET OUT MORE (other than to research)
Before long, my friends are going to stop asking me to do anything!
“You want to come to my jewelry party?”
“No.”
“You wanna get lunch?”
“No.”
“Hey, let’s go shopping!”
“Can’t.”
Right now, they may be plotting an intervention. Every free opportunity I don’t HAVE to be somewhere, I’m at home. In my chair. On my laptop. Writing. Yeah, I need to rekindle my social life.
Wow! It sounds like you are going to try to do a wholehearted change in the way you think and function. Good luck and I am sure you will keep us posted.
I don't generally make New Year's resolutions, but have told myself I will write more this year than last year.
Yeah…you got several "Amens" from me! lol… Praying that God gives you the wisdom, motivation, and perseverance to succeed in y our plans!
hehehe…hand up in the air here, oh so guilty! And #3 is definitely on my list, much to my children's cheers. Yes, I do love them more than the characters in my books, now to make sure they know it!
Hope you had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
I'm right with on you getting out more outside of research. Hahahaha! These are great goals – you can do it! Happy New Year!
That's a dang big list!! I have my doubts that you need to change that much!! 😉 But I know you can do anything you set out to do!! Happy New Year!
Loved the 4 things you will do! Makes me want to get my list going.
Thanks for the nudge.
Lol that's absolutely where I am at the moment.
It's sort of scary sometimes, how my mind can run away with me, leaving an almost drooling shell behind. ;-P
I'm with you on #1 through #4…especially #4.
This year I'm going to do more of my favorite things and try some new things too.
I forgot to say, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
I've noticed the 'one word' trend this year. Loved this repost since, as you said, I hadn't read it before. It still applies nicely.
Listen more…That's something I can always do better. *sigh* Wishing you a great 2012, Jessica! 🙂
I love it, Jessica. As a writer, you get to see life and reimagine it in unique ways. Although your hubby and Myles may not like it when they are asking you a question, I'm sure they're proud to say that their wife/mommy is a writer 🙂
I also don't do resolutions, as I explain in my post tomorrow, lol. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, Jessica! LOL! You are so funny. You are blessed indeed to have a husband and friends who supports your imagination. 🙂
Don't change too much, Jessica! You are, after all, a writer. You need to do all all those misunderstood things to be a better writer.
And, believe me, I understand.
Sigh.
Sounds like your commitment is to "be present."
There. The editor in me had to sum it up in two words.
My apologies.
My writing goal this year? Well, I'm on to book 2. And I'm determined to up my game this book, specifically the Storyworld (Thoughts like this don't cut it: It's a room. You know: 4 walls, a floor and a ceiling. Figure it out.) & the spiritual truth. (This is one of the most challenging aspects of writing well–at least for me.)
Hey everyone! Sorry I'm late getting in on y'alls comments! I've been out of town and just got back yesterday evening!
Hope you all had a fab New Year!
Happy New Year! Balance needs to be on the top of my list! It's so easy for me to concentrate on one project and leave everything else undone…for days. Big plans for finishing the Bible study I'm writing and pitching it to several agents/publishers this year. Looking forward to all of it! God bless!
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