Hello, 2012!

I am really good at setting goals and not reaching them--mostly because I get bored with them or I forget. This year, I made a really over-arching personal goal for 2012. I'll share it because I think the more places I put it, the more likely I am to remember it. But it's a bold statement. It's a big, scary statement for me. That's why I know I need it.

Happiness. No looking back at what was. Only looking forward, finding something to achieve and never giving up.

See, there's this time after something big changes and it takes you a while to regain your footing. This has been me. Most of the time since college graduation I've been trying to figure out life. I've moved a lot. I've tried a lot of things. I've searched for whatever it is I lost in the transition of everything and for whatever reason, I haven't found it. For me, I want what I used to have before. It's easy to look back on before and wonder if you can ever have life as good as that. But that's the problem. You can't. It can't be what it was before because you are not who you were before. You have to be different, find yourself and everything else. This is what I'm learning and why I think I need to resolute myself to this statement. Life is a forward motion and I think I spend a lot of time looking backward. No more, 2012.

Writing is also a forward motion. And guys, I've been stagnant. Just like in life. (Funny how those two things are connected, right?) I've thought about what I want to achieve this year and here's what I've come up with.

Do one more round of edits on current MS in January
Because I know my MS needs it. I have some notes en route and some people reading now. I can't wait to dive in and make it better.

Query current MS
Since I've been working on Darkness for so long, I'm in the stage where I want to query it and move on. You know, I love this project but at some point I have to step away and work on new things. So, this is the plan. Once I'm at the point where I can query, I won't necessarily have to be thinking about it all the time--at least in the writing aspect--and can focus my attention in other places.

Write TWO new projects
Maybe this is ambitious. BUT I can do it. That's 12 months, and since I'm currently just starting a new WIP, I should (theoretically) be able to write two first drafts in 12 months. I mean, I can do it. It's all about diligence. And I'm not so good at that all the time.

Find ways to support other writers 
I'm not sure what this entails yet, but I want to be a person who is supportive, encouraging and friendly in any way I can be. I'm on the lookout to define this still. 

Do things better
What things? All the things. I half-a** some things too much and I know I need to be better. It's because I do too many things at once. So, I want to refine a little, bring in my focus and be better at each thing.

What are some things you want to do this year? Have you told us yet? If not leave a comment with your goals or a link.