I haven’t made new year’s resolutions in a long time. I am in a job that’s demanding and exhausting and until I get out of it for a few weeks I don’t even have what it takes to think about changing anything. Most of the time I’m singing with John Green and The Mountain Goats: “I’m going to make it through this year if it kills me.”
BUT I have been away from my job for a few weeks (*sigh* I go back Monday). AND this list inspired me. AND I was already committed to this challenge from the day it was announced.
SO I structured a list in my journal. When Jen made her list public, I thought it might help me to do likewise.
- Eliminate decision fatigue for my Sun-Fri routine. As the list says (under #4): “when you create a solid routine, you save your willpower for the stuff that matters.” I already know this is true for self-control, so it make sense that it’s true for reaching goals, too. I also love the Mason Curry description of the routine NOT being the creative/training work itself, but the getting-herself-to-a-space where she’s likely to do that creative/training work. I’ve built my routine just like that.
- Complete the Read Harder Challenge from Book Riot. This year I asked my students to participate in #WeNeedDiverseBooks by reading a book by or about someone from a different demographic than their own. It was big potatoes for them but small potatoes for me, so this challenge is my big potato. You can join me or follow my progress here or here. BTW, I just finished my first book, El Deafo by Cece Bell, and I’m already excited for the next one.
- Write something new every writing day (Sun-Fri). This feels especially important after a lengthy R&R (revise & resubmit). I can get lost in revisions and market/agent research for weeks without writing a new thing. I need to keep writing the new things, even on days when those are just Tweets or blog posts.
- Write a new draft of a new novel and at least fifteen poems. Not particularly ambitious for an entire year. But with my job, this is probably (importantly) realistic.
- Submit poems to publication outlets at least once a month. My shiny new subscription to DuoTrope will hopefully help me. My previous hunt-and-read-at-random methods have been notoriously slow.
- Eliminate email/social media use on Saturdays (phone for calls and photos only).
- Train for and run at least one 5K. I’ve been walking most days since June. I want to up the ante for myself a little bit.
And for a bonus: I’d like to explore some ways to nurture my creativity: another writing retreat (or more), writing in journals/writing notebooks, keeping plants/flowers in my studio, writing near friends, writing with prompts or for word sprints, noodling around on the piano or painting or drawing or… (more TBD)(and by “D” I mean “discovered”).
sweet & arch 
I forgot about writing retreats! I might change one of my festivals to a writing retreat. I’m also going to work on my routine building (again). Let’s be buddies on that front. Also, I’m down for a writing date (or more) with you:)