Hope you've all got your goals ready for the next year.

One of mine for 2008 had been to finish 8 short stories.  I managed 7. 

Finished the last one today.  A fantasy romance called The Misspelled Charm.  It turned out to be more enjoyable to write than I expected.  And the ending surprised me, not the usual happily ever after but oh so romantic and very happy and fun in its own way.

Despite being 1 short of the goal, I've decided that 7's good enough.

What are my goals for 2009? Start and finish a new novel in 2009. And considering these tough economic times, not surprisingly, I want to get saving, over and above saving for bills, lol.

Hope all of your wishes for the new year come true.


Shereen
www.shereenvedam.com

I've got a white Christmas and the best part of it is I don't have to go out and shovel today. 

It's not snowing and better yet (not for the gutters, but for my snow banks) they're promising rain and warmer temperatures.

My Christmas Wish for you:
Hope today is relaxing, not spent in an airport and brings you peace.

I know it's too early for New Year's resolutions, but I've already got one in the works.

2009 Goal #1:
I'm going to post more regularly - definitely not every day, but more often than every few months.

Was a bust, new writing wise.  It's October and I didn't finish a short for September, didn't even start one.

And I'm not sure how October will fare either.  I'm off to the World Fantasy Convention at the end of the month being held in Calgary and using the month end long weekend to do it, which I've normally been using to finish these shorts each month.

Well, that's part of a writing life, having goals but willing to compromise and adjust those goals as needed when necessary.  I still have hopes for a short story to be at least started in October, if not ended.

As for today, (I've got the day off) but I've got critiques to read for Tuesday.  And then editing of that short story I finished in August.  It's been a month since I finished it, so hopefully, I will be distanced enough to do a credible editing job on it without that flush from new writing passion coloring my vision of the crappy bits that needs serious re-working.

Most of all, I'm grateful for having a stress free day off work!


Shereen

Thought this was a useful topic for the first of the year.

First and foremost, Happy New Year to all!

I'm beginning the year by finishing a book.  I'm so close to the ending, I should be in the manuscript writing instead of here journaling.  Ah well, if I had kept to that credo, the book would be finished by now.

For me, endings are always nerve-racking to write.  It's the point in the story when all the threads have got to seamlessly meet.   Even in first draft, which is what this is, writing the ending makes me hesitate and ask useless questions.

• Does this cover all pertinent points?
• Have I built in enough surprises?
• Is there believable suspense?
• Will it be touching?
• Is this the right ending for this book?
• Is this the best ending for this book?

The above is know among writers as the internal editor's voice.  I can normally shut it out through most of the book, but by the time I get to the ending, it's sitting firmly on my shoulder, more entranced by the finish line than I am.

In this particular case, I know the ending.  I know there's enough surprises built in to make it work.  I've got enough characters with opposing goals to make this a showstopper of an ending.  I only have to just knock my internal-editor off my shoulder and write.

As goals for the new year go, I've got one.  I've got the time off to do it.  And the impetus to get it finihsed.  Wish me luck.

And I wish all of you the best for 2008.


Shereen