Here we are at the end of 2009. It went really fast. I think it went so fast we skipped over some days in there somehow. I'd like them back, please.
I did pretty good this year, all told. I met a lot of my writing goals and came close to meeting most of the others. Here were my goals for 2009:
land an agent
sell a novel
sell a novel to a major publisher (i.e. one which will get my books on shelves)
sell at least four short stories
sell a story to a SFWA pro market
write at least six short stories (flash doesn't count)
write at least two novels
finish writing White Rose
Now obviously I didn't get an agent or sell a novel to a major publisher, and I abandoned White Rose as not worth finishing pretty early in the year. I also didn't make a sale to a SFWA pro market (I might have done better if I'd actually submitted stories to pro markets more than I did). I did, however, sell a novel to Double Dragon, sold 13 short stories, wrote five short stories and five flash stories, and wrote two novels (Blood and Taxes and Bell-Men).
I most regret not finishing my "read 50 books in 2009" goal. I only read 47, which isn't bad, and if you count rereads then I easily passed the goal. Next year I'll read more.
As for the whole decade, it's been good. I started selling stories in 2007 after never having a piece of fiction published before then. I sold Jack of All Trades, my first published novel, which came out this September. I've got my own website and a new book review blog. I feel like my writing has improved in leaps and bounds in the last few years, and I feel part of a small writerly community online, which is particularly awesome (thanks for letting me play with you, guys!).
And in my personal life, two of my three nephews were born in the oughts, I gained my M.Ed, and I have a decent job with good benefits. I've had losses (two grandparents, an uncle, an aunt, my beloved dog, and one of my cats all passed away this decade), but they were balanced by the good things in life. I've seen good movies and read good books. I've had fascinating conversations with intelligent people. I met Terry Pratchett and got him to sign a book for me. I went to my first convention and loved it. In short, it's been a very good decade.
I fully expect the 2010s to be even better. Here's to the next decade, and Happy New Year!
7 comments:
"Only" 47 out of 50? I'm still working on number 25!
I think 2009 was a kickass writing year for many folks, yourself included.
Now, here's to a better 2010!
Notice how I don't even join the 50 books conversation? There's a reason I mostly write short stories...
What a decade. Onward!
Jameson--I came so close to 50 that I really should have just stayed up late a few nights and read three more books. Still, I read a lot more books this year than I did last year!
Aaron--Onward!
47 is GOOD! I'll be proud for you, if you persist in being so modest ; )
Thanks. :) Maybe I'll ease my conscience by reading 53 books in 2010.
Last week I organised twenty books in my 'to read pile' into the order I'd read them (I do this often and never stick to it), and I realised it would probably take me all year just to get to the bottom of the pile. I can't imagine contemplating 50.
I organize my to be read stack in order of thickness sometimes, to try and read more of them. That means the thickest books have been waiting for over a year. :)
Post a Comment