end of year

I don't know that I did all that well with writing goals last year--the WIP is still a WIP, although I would no longer call it "problematic" and it has many thousands of words more on it than last year. But I took a long summer break from it to do a deep revision of First Book, and many of the things I learned there have fed into my current project, so I don't consider the time wasted at all.

Goals/hopes for this year: finish and polish the WIP! And if I have time, start the story I have in mind that takes place in my local German forest. Keep learning about writing. I want to write stronger, truer, and deeper. I want my words to count, but I want substance in story, not just pretty words that don't bring the reader anywhere.

I want to find more balance, but I suspect that won't happen until I've left Germany. And with that thought, I really, really, really hope we can find a job where we stay for a while. Academia has brought us to so many places we never would have seen otherwise, places we really needed to be during that time. But still--I'm eager to throw away the cardboard boxes!

I want to read lots of books in English and enjoy the services of a full-sized US washer and dryer again.

I want to find a way for my kids to keep their German after we leave here.

Of course I want to find the right publishing person who loves my writing and sell something. But I can only control writing, revising, and submitting--not acceptance. So I guess I want to keep improving until I reach that point someday. And I want to enjoy the process along the way.

I want to find a way to help people while at the same time being able to prioritize needs. And I want to be a good youth leader, and have the strength to follow through with all that entails.

And I think I want a good long nap in there somewhere as well. :)

I wish you all success with your goals and dreams this year!