2013: Looking back and looking forward

So, it’s the New Year and I realise that I have been incredibly rubbish at posting during December. I’m not sure why although it may have something to do with my incredible bout of laziness that struck me during that month. Either way, I intend to remedy that this month and for the rest of the year, starting now.

I want to look back on the last year. I was considering addressing each of my resolutions and saying how miserable I failed in them but then a very smart person told me to look at the successes, rather than the failures so that’s what I will do. So...

1) I finished the first draft of Darkling Watch, a project, or rather THE project that helped me realise that I wanted to be a writer and share my stories with everyone. I managed to get it finished and even began the editing process.

2) I wrote the complete script for a web-comic. I never began drawing it past the thumbnail stage but I wrote it, I edited it and I was happy with it, for the most part. And then I turned it into a novel instead. Yeah... I’m still not sure how that happened but the fact is I managed to finish something. 

3) I got my writing organised. I managed to find a way to make myself write down all those amazing ideas I was had, sort them out and keep track of them. The system isn’t perfect yet but it is much better than it was. So I see it as a success. 

4) I got some very valuable work experience under my belt. Although I didn’t get paid for it I got lots of experience and something new to put on my cv. Plus, I also learnt that I could write and work at the same time without any real damage to the quality which is always a plus. 

5) I lost a bit of weight. Not much and not as much as I could have hoped but considering I didn’t really change my lifestyle I’m still quite happy that I managed to lose some. Now instead of looking 5 months pregnant I’m just chubby. For me that’s a vast improvement.

And that is the key success of 2012 for me. They’re not many and they’re not all that great to other people but for me they are important and I’m glad that I looked back on them. But now, for resolutions for 2013;

1) Lose some weight and get in shape so that in the possible event of a zombie apocalypse I won’t get eaten. I’m already looking at joining a gym, I’ve got an exercise buddy and it’s looking good right now. 

2) Quit smoking. I tried several times last year, with sheer will power but each time something would happen and I would fail. But now I’m taking advantage of the schemes on offer by the NHS and I’m using New Leaf, nicorette lozenges and patches. My first official start day is tomorrow and my last cigarette was at around 3pm this afternoon. 

3) Finish editing and release Darkling Watch Book One. It’s been over a year since I started that novel and I want to edit the first book and have it on sale on Amazon by September at the earliest. A lot of work needs to be done on it though and I’m hoping that I can push myself to do this. 

4) Reach my RoW80 targets. Last year I struggled and I’d stop trying and posting. Whether this was because I was lazy, I’d set my targets too high or they just weren’t measurable enough I don’t know. This year though I plan to set them and reach them. AND actually keep posting about them. Fingers crossed. 

5) Be an adult. This doesn’t mean being boring and growing up. To me being an adult means taking responsibility for myself and that includes finding a job and moving out of my parents house. I’m fed up of having a tiny room and having to go into town each week to sign on to JobSeekers. So I’m determined that whilst my work experience is current enough I will apply for jobs left right and center and hopefully find one. 

6) Start and maintain a webcomic. I know that I made that resolution last year and I did quite well with it until it came time to draw and then I grew to dislike the script. Hopefully that will be changed this year, especially with the new idea I’m working on. 

 7) Complete WriYe. I’ve set myself the word target of 400,000 words by the end of December this year but more on WriYe in another post.

And that is that; my successes of 2012 and my aims for 2013. I don’t know if I will achieve them but I hope I do. Keep an eye out on Sunday for my RoW80 target post and as always

Keep Writing!