The first blog post of a New Year is a bit difficult to write.

I don’t do resolutions, because I’m too hard on myself if I fail to keep them—and the idea is to do better, not to beat yourself up.

I can think back on a few highlights from the past year, but I don’t think I’m ever satisfied (and if you know an author who IS completely satisfied with the status of their career, I’d ask you when they died).

Goal-setting is fine, but you only have control over what you can do. I can work on making my writing the best that I can, determine to finish as much work as possible, make up my mind to send them to this many publishers or so many agents—but I can’t determine their actions.

So now what?

Last night I started a new chapter in the current wip. The ms at this point is so all over the place that’s the title I’ve given it—”Next Chapter”. (I also have “Son Of The Next Chapter”, “Revenge Of The Next Chapter”, and “The Chapter Strikes Back”, but that’s a different story). It’s rough, it’s crude. The conversation of the characters isn’t focused, the setting is generalized, and although I’ve got a great idea for the beginning of it, I’m not sure how I’ll wrap it up and make the segue into the next chapter.

But I’m moving right along with it anyway.
After all, there’s always the chance it’ll be the best one I’ve written so far. :smile: