Friday, January 9, 2009

The Highlights Of '08

Well, I have to be honest -- 2008 wasn't the greatest year for me. There were a lot of ups and downs and to go into all of them would take me hours. Therefore, I'm taking a page from Helene and doing a brief, month-by-month look back at my year.

January -- I'm hit with a major ephiphany. I need to run the "Firsts Workshop" over at compu. I mean, life isn't crazy enough with school and revisions, and just...everything else. I must run a multi-month workshop! Yes. (g)

February -- The Firsts Workshop kicks off. Oh man, it was fun!

March -- The Firsts Workshop is still going...I think we're on first page/first five at this point.

April -- The Firsts Workshop is still kickin'....oh my. My finals are coming up...graduation is approaching! Oh wait...I'm sure as heck not getting a lot accomplished on the revisions front. At about this time, I was made a section leader in Writers Exercises. The girl who doesn't know how to talk craft--at all--is now going to be teaching people craft. Eeek. I think I've been mis-cast. (g)

May -- Finals are over -- I graduate!! Yay for life after school. YAY for sleep!!! Erm, I think the firsts is still going on. Uh, yeah, it is -- but this is the end. *confetti*

June -- I decide to run another workshop -- this time on synopses. WHAT was I thinking? (g) Unfortunately, I kinda poop out at the end because my grandmother passed away. Very difficult time.

July -- Still extremely sad. I start two new jobs. No writing.

Aug -- More of the same.

Sept -- My writer nose peeks out and sniffs the air. Maybe I'll come out and play awhile. A new book bubbles up...STOLEN. Yay -- super excited to be writing again, even though I'm completely ignoring those dang revisions!

Oct -- Oh...good grief! I need to reaaaaally finish FI. WTH am I doing? I need someone to crack the whip. And M:A is born. I lurve it.

Nov -- M:A is doing it's job. I'm writing again. YAY.

Dec -- Still writing, but ack...the holidays! I wanted to finish by the end of the year, but alas, I didn't. *cries* Vows to finish in January.

Yeah... I look back on '08 and wonder what the heck I was doing. I was most unproductive and really let other things take over my time,thus avoiding those pesky revisions. I don't need anyone to tell me why -- fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear that I'll never be good enough. It all played a part.

Anywho -- I refuse to live with regrets. I had a lot going on. I realize this and I forgive myself for not accomplishing all I had hoped to. Nothing I can do but keep moving forward and learn from everything I've gone through. :)

Okay...therapy session over!

Congrats to everyone who kept it real this year -- working towards your goals, finishing an MS, finding an agent, holding your book in your hands. So many of you have done outstanding this year and I couldn't be happier for you! There's nothing like flipping through a friend's book and knowing how hard they've struggled from SFD--to revisions--to final publication. It's a long road and I commend everyone for setting out on that journey.

As someone said -- I can't wait until the day when I can point to a shelf full of books and say, "Oh those? Those are my friends." :) I have a feeling I'm going to need a very large shelf.

Here's to a great 2009!

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