I have never been great with resolutions so I don’t plan to make any this year.  I know what I want and I am going to go for it.  I have a mostly finished novel that I worked on for Nano but I am not foolish enough to think that it is a book.  November allowed me to get my thoughts down on paper but it is very rough.  I plan to work on it daily rewriting and writing 3-5 pages as I go.  To be honest, I don’t enjoy writing as fast as Nano requires.  It takes the fun out of the process.  

Today I pulled out my manuscript and put it into a binder.  I am starting from the beginning and will work my way through to the end.  With my work schedule, I do believe 3-5 pages per day are possible.  I will try to keep you, my readers, informed about the process.  If I run into something that I am struggling with, I may ask for some help.

Feel free to share any of your writing suggestions as I will gladly share with you.

I know I planned to have the first draft done by the end of the year but it didn’t happen.  My new job seemed to wipe me out more than I expected it to.  I tend to be a night owl but because of my hours, I have to get to bed early.  It has taken me a while to adjust.  I am up by 5:00 AM and out of the house by 6:00.  It takes me that long to get to work by 7:00 and that’s on a good day.  I like what I’m doing and truly hope they will make my temp position permanent.  I am a Claims Specialist at a large bank.  I am doing Fannie Mae claims for foreclosed properties from all over the United States.  It is interesting and challenging and sad.  As a former Realtor I understand that those names and addresses are real people who have lost their homes. 

I do hope 2010 is the best year ever.  I plan to read and write and push on to the next step toward publication.

I have been reading a lot the past month.  I read all of Louise Penny’s books and now wait breathlessly for the next.  Love the series.  Want to live in Three Pines – except for maybe the winter. Canada’ s got to be worse than Iowa.  I also read a Debbie Macomber holiday book called Mrs. Miracle.  Hallmark made a movie starring Doris Roberts as Mrs. Miracle.  The movie was okay but the book was great.  I would almost say it could be a modern Christmas classic.  I don’t save too many books but this one I plan to pull out again and read next year. 

I always read nonfiction as well as fiction.  I am currently reading James Scott Bell’s ‘The Art of War For Writers”.  Will tell you more about it when I finish reading. 

Wishing you the best this year and may your writing dreams come true too!