Love this time after Christmas before everyone gets back to work and all the meetings get up and running again. Gives me time even just mentally to have a sort out of what I’ve been doing (or rather not doing) all year. So many half written things, or first drafts never polished up, even completed things never sent out because I was so busy getting on with the next thing, brain fired up with the latest inspiration and thoughts already running on to the next project … and the next…etc…..etc….
Yesterday i got all the notes typed up for the latest chapter of my local history. They’ve been hanging round for ages and one new year’s resolution is to publish the four chapters I’ve now done by June which will coincide with a special anniversary in our town’s history. Quite a bit of work as it means I have to source photos, check facts and references, still have people to interview, then learn how to format everything for publishing either as print or ebook or both, (I’d really like to have some print copies) and learn how to work the publishing process.
Today I wrote half a short story for my ‘Plotlands’ collection, a set of tales based around a decayed seaside resort. I’ve got five of these now and I’d like to finish the collection in 2014 but I’m not tying myself to this because I’ve the current novel to finish first and the short stories are something I like to write as I’m inspired, something to relax with away from the planning and structure required for the long narrative arc of the novel. How many stories need to be in a collection anyway? Somewhere I read that there shouldn’t be too many, I have one or two more roughly thought out and a sort of grand finale, I’m thinking maybe ten or twelve in total.
Last thing in my stocktaking is to sort out all the unpublished stories I have and make a systematic programme of sending them out. I keep workshopping them in my writing groups and then sticking them in drawers for editing. No more. 2014 will be a year of consistent effort, I promise myself.
And a happy New Year and a successful one to everyone.
carolfenlon 
Carol, it looks like you had a rummage inside my head and unscrambled all those thoughts; a few tweeks here and there, and I could have written all of that. New year resolution, finish and edit at least one story to send out. Or…or, maybe we should invest in self publishing instead.
Happy New Year to all x