Changes and Fresh Starts

The hubby and I welcomed the New Year in a relatively quiet way: he playing a quest on W.O.W. and me reading in the bedroom. Around 9pm last night we hit up Starbucks (their hot chocolate sucks, BTW. Tastes like it came straight from a Swiss Miss packet). Needless to say, it's that time again to re-evaluate what you've done--or haven't done--the previous year. Did you achieve what you'd set out to achieve? Did some things fall by the way side? That's all right. You have a whole fresh new year to make changes and fresh starts. Here are ten of mine:

1) Get an agent. However long that takes. I have a list of over 30 and it continues to grow. If nothing happens, and I've exhausted my list, I can't say I didn't try.

2) Renew writer-and self-published based subscriptions and memberships. As a writer and the owner of a small indie press, I have several memberships and subscriptions that have lapsed. To the point where they start sending you 2nd and 3rd notice reminders that it's time to renew. I have yet to take advantage of some of the self-publishing resources that are available to me as a self-publisher and I really need to make a point to do so.

3) Attend a writer's retreat. I really, really, really, need to do this. I'm a member of my local SCBWI chapter and they have a local writer's retreat every year. It's not like I have to buy a plane ticket to go anywhere, it's right here. It's always been a financial issue, so hopefully I'll be more smart about it and put something aside ahead of time.

4) Try NaNoWriMo again. A little crisis like losing a job can you really set you back creatively. When it rolls around again in November this year, I'd like to start on Book Three of the DA series.

5) Finish Book Two in the DA series. I got midway thru Chapter Two when I started this for NaNoWriMo last year. I hope to finish it before the next one.

6) Re-vamp my author website. I'm ready for something new. Even though it was created just last year, I'm envisioning something else.

7) Overhaul the company website. I've been "excusing the blandness" of Gemini Mojo Press for so long, it's starting to sound like an excuse. I've been throwing around some ideas, but I'm going to need some feedback. I think I might even turn it into a contest and see what happens.

8) Work on a marketing/business plan. Because I don't have either one.

9) Create a website for Sassy Purse Candy (formerly Purse Candy). I'm a wholesale distrubutor for Alexx Inc, who makes these. I'd like to expand this side business and become a Sales Rep and get a better online presence.

10) Create a Barefoot Lady blog. I'm a Consultant for Barefoot Parties, a company that was created just last year. This is another side business I'd like to see have a more online presence (other than the personal websites that were created for us). And seeing as how I'm always blogging on a semi-daily basis, why not have one for the business?

BONUS RESOLUTION:

11) Call 1-800-Got Junk. And have all that crap in our backyard hauled away. The hubby's been slackin' with an unfinished project he started last summer. He says he can't finish it until all that other stuff gets removed. Rolling my eyes. Yeah. Whatev. Lazy-ass. I'll show him.