A year ago, at the beginning of June, I decided that I wanted to be an author. I mean, I've always wanted to be. I'd written a completed manuscript in the prior years, and even got a little interest from agents (ended up trunking it). But this was different. No more diddling around, no more halfhearted goals. I wanted to shoot for the moon. Publication or die trying. A year later, I'm still not published. But I think I'm a lot closer.
In that time I've: -finished writing the 150K rough draft of Lestoor's Chosen in 3 months -revised Lestoor's Chosen (bringing it down to 140K) -finalized a query letter and synopsis for Lestoor's Chosen -neared completion on the rough draft of Loose Changeling -written multiple short stories, subbed them, and received personal rejections from pro publications -received a full request on Lestoor's Chosen from my dream agency, got rejected, decided to rewrite the first 1/3 -made good headway on rewriting the first 1/3
I fell short on my ultimate goals, but I set the bar so high, I knew that if I got close, I'd still have done something worth being proud of. I have worked a complex, and at times demanding, full-time job at the same time. I've traveled. I've helped my husband maintain our backyard micro-farm. I still have a social life. I play a lot fewer video games though, and watch less television. I don't miss it much (okay, I miss Mass Effect a little). I mean, if I could do this, so can you, right? I'm scatterbrained, disorganized, and easily distracted (my husband can attest to this).
I have a good feeling about this next year, June to end of May. I want to turn those personal rejections into a short story publication. I want to pick up representation for Lestoor's Chosen. I want to polish up Loose Changeling and write the rough draft for Windrider. And then I'm going to dream big. Really big. I want to go back to my roots - 3rd person, multiple POV, epic fantasy with intricate, interlacing plots and subplots. It's percolating right now, so I'll see where I am in a couple years.
Keep dreaming, keep writing, keep trying. I think success in this business takes a ton of endurance, persistence, and a refusal to give up.
I'll tell you where that gets me in another year ;)