Writing Goals - Shut Up or Share?

Howdy fellow writers! Thank you for all the lovely Christmas and New Year wishes on my last post - right back atcha'. I haven't blogged because I was up in Queensland for Christmas, staying with my dad (who has also been bitten by the writing-bug and is polishing his three manuscripts about a loveable rogue who drinks and plays too much but also happens to be a quick-witted soldier/spy/hero).

My New Year's resolution is to find more time to learn about the craft of writing/publishing and blog about it. Empty words? Resolutions can sometimes be, and Derek Sivers warns us if you have a goal you really want to achieve, keep it to yourself, because through the act of talking about it, your mind feels you've already achieved it. Then it slacks off.

I'm not so good at keeping things to myself and still remember his previous TED Talk telling us that whatever can be true means the opposite can also be true. So, making yourself accountable for your goals by broadcasting them can also help motivate (surely?).

Derek Sivers: Keep Your Goals to Yourself

But, the flip side:

For my next post (the first one for 2011!) I'll blog about my tactics to make sure I learn more about writing. But, I'll probably also blog about our new family member soon. Tim and Emily are on a road trip to Melbourne right now, and on the 2nd January they will pick up 'Pinkachu' our new Devon Rex kitten - I'm pretty darn excited!!!!! (usually I don't condone the overuse of '!' but this is a special occasion).

Pinkachu (yes, she is supposed to look like that)

Merry Christmas

Our family is enjoying Christmas up in Brisbane at my Dad's house. All the pressies are under the tree and the old bank account balance is groaning - must be alsmost Christmas now.

When I think of the presents I pick for loved ones, I'm reminded just how individual they all are. Even with my two daughters, so similar in some ways, one always prefers electronic gadgets and the other likes fluffy creatures to love. It's a good reminder to make sure our characters each have their own individual traits and desires.

Hope you have a wonderful time with family and friends this holiday season - pudding for everyone!

4 Links for Pushing Through Writer's Block

I know, I know, it's been a while.

NaNoWriMo was a struggle for me this year and I only just slipped in with my wordcount goal. I'm proud of the story I told, but think it will take more editing than any other novel I've written. How'd you go?

I'm not sure if other writers find this, but once I met my goal, I became blocked. I could not bring myself to try to write anything, not even my blog. I think my daughters were the same, they temporarily abandoned their Paper Dolls book reviews blog too. So what's the cure for writer's block? There's many suggestions, you can visit some of my earlier posts on the subject:

Flexing the Creative Muscle
Make it Happen
Writing Resources and Distractions
Conquering Writer's Block and Summoning Inspiration (an interview with K M Weiland)

But this time I decided to go with the old 'write anyway' trick. I didn't know if I had anything writerly to tell you all, but decided to blog anyway. And so, now I do have something to share. I'll have to push the girls to get onto their blog too, it's been lovely to receive messages from people asking when they will blog again.

We did have some family dramas, our Devon Rex, Freckles, passed away. She was only young but developed tumours in her lungs. We miss her racing down the hallway at night and trying to open the bedroom doors by turning the handles.