Friday, December 31, 2010

Go with the Action Verb: New Year's Resolution

Not the noun resolve or resolution but the verb resolve.

According to Merriam-Webster, the first known use of resolve was in the 14th century, Middle English derived from the Latin word "resolvere to unloose, dissolve, from re- + solvere to loosen, release."

Here are desires, goals, thoughts, dreams--call them what you will--writing action-steps that I resolve for 2011. That's right, I unloose and release them into the world.

  • The Stone Dragon: I resolve to rewrite this novel to simplify and clarify its language. This will be the 7th major revision, with a lot of minor diversions, as in "version 2.1 or 4.3." The rewrite will renew the concept for me, allow me to confidently renew my quest for representation, and lead me to the first rewrite of the first draft of Dragons of Blood and Stone.
  • Love Ya Like a Sister and Bare Ruined Choirs: Now that I have accepted the proof of LYLAS, my printer Lightning Source will send me books and place the book on the Amazon and Barnes and Noble websites for sale--within a couple of weeks. I resolve to allocate regular time for marketing these books.
  • Ebook publication: I resolve to research ebook publication requirements and to publish Love Ya Like a Sister as an electronic book. My first three ebook publishers to research? Lightning Source, Smashwords, and Kindle. LS, since I already am a publisher with them. Smashwords because of the company's universal publishing strategy, and Kindle because Amazon is such a major player.
  • Author "Platform": For a little over a year and a half, I have been developing connections with folks who are interested in writing and reading--and a lot of other things: my Facebook writing page and LinkedIn, the most prominent social networks. That's the way it is with social networks and the whole "friends" phenomenon. I resolve to allocate time to keeping connected. For most of 40 years, I wrote and didn't worry too much about publishing. Time to share my words. 
 These writing goals obviously interconnect. My social networking connects with marketing. Ebooks are a quick and less expensive access for readers for recreational reading--and I feel Love Ya Like a Sister fits that category. Literary agents and publishers look to see if an author is connected and can help in promoting a book. And finally, as a creative writer (in the most literal sense of the word), I want to be passionately interested in my current writing project. I want to create.

These goals seem enough, but I haven't even mentioned the goals for my other profession--teaching (the one that, more or less, pays the bills). Nor have I mentioned personal goals for health and happiness--my marriage, my time in the garden, and riding my bicycle.

At least as I move into the new year of 2011, I won't be troubled about having nothing to do!

Copyright 2010 by Thomas L. Kepler, all rights reserved

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