2013 was a busy year. I turned 30 and I moved in with my lovely boyfriend and generally had a whale of a time amongst the usual curve balls life throws us all. I only have one regret and that is how badly I lost my writing way. I also missed my second blog birthday which shows how much my head was not screwed on right in June! My poor blog has been neglected partly as we have still not got internet at our flat (we moved in mid-September. I know. Nightmare.) but mainly because for the last six months my writing life has been patchy.
I took part in NaNoWriMo in November for the third time and for the first time I didn't complete it. Life got in the way but I did manage to write 25,000 before I bowed out gracefully and I have decided to be positive about it rather than beat myself up - 25k is 25k! I wrote, I re-read, I pondered but I had no real routine or plan.
2014 is going to be about routine. Even if I struggle to make a daily routine I want to get in a weekly routine and a huge part of this is taking part in ROW80 as I need the accountability and I miss the community and support of my fellow ROWers. I stopped taking part mid round as I think I was fed up of not having much to report and I felt like I was failing a bit at this whole writing game.
I need to set my goals on Monday 6th when the new round starts but I already know I am going to aim to read 100 books in a year. I managed 70 books last year and 78 the year before but both times I was hampered by moving house. This year we WILL NOT be moving so I hope I can finally achieve this goal! I also want some sort of exercise goal in there as this is another area in which I need some routine.
One of my first jobs is to edit and polish the first section of my re-written chick-lit story as I won a critique early in 2013 but had nothing I wanted anyone else to read. This must be my first focus as much as it scares me to let someone read it I know it is a necessary step.
I'll put my thinking cap on and finalise my goals by Monday. It feels good to be back!
