My New Year (writing) resolutions

The end of the year is like the end of a book. It may be happy, it may be sad. It may be bittersweet, it may leave you thinking, what happens next? The story that is finished may have been what you'd hoped, or it may have disappointed you. It may leave you hopeful, as it may leave wishing you could have changed so many things.

The last day of the year, like the ending of a book, is the opportunity to pause and think. About what will happen next, or what you want to happen next. It is the opportunity to daydream and imagine. For all is possible in the future. What book will you next read? What turn will your life take? What will your next adventure be?

It is the moment to take resolutions. Why, actually, since barely are ever kept? Because it gives the illusion that we can decide the shape of all the possible futures lying ahead.

I have a few resolutions for 2019, writing ones. Maybe I will keep them, and maybe not. But still I make them. It is like when I think of the outline of my stories: how different the finished novel is to the initial idea. It was changed and transformed. It veered away from the path I thought it would follow. Is it because it could not be otherwise? Is it better that way? I cannot tell. My stories changed as I do, day after day, as we all do. Our hopes, our dreams, the shape of all the possible futures.

But still I make resolution, just as a create an outline. To be followed or not followed. For outlines, like New Year resolutions are a starting point. So here they are:

*I want to finish the first draft of the sequel of As Winter Came and Went before the summer, and start the second draft then (earlier if possible).

*I want to have written at least half of the first draft of Cinnamon.

*I have two, non-fiction projects, one related to As Winter Came and Went, another to the cartoons I've been publishing on this blog. I want to complete and publish at least one of them in 2019.

*I want to engage more with the Internet writing community, for I feel it has given me more than I have given it. I did not have the time to comment, to encourage, to support as much as I should the different writers I virtually met there, but so many took the time to do this for me that now I want to return the favour.

*I'd like to practice writing short stories and maybe publish a couple on this blog. I intended to do so around Christmas, but I lacked time and ideas. Or rather I did not make time for it, and did not really look for ideas. It would be the opportunity to try out more genres and develop my writing skills.

The end of the year is like the end of a book. There is no way of knowing what will happen next. But you can write parts of the story, of the story that comes next, the one you want to read, the one you want to live.

"Writing in a café"

I love writing in a café! I mean, I love going to a café with the intention to get some writing done. it doesn't mean that I'm especially productive once I'm there...

"When your book is about to be published and you spot a typo..."

Yes, this happened... I spotted not one but two typos, just before publication. And I was tempted, very tempted to leave them there... I didn't of course! In the end, my conscience prevailed and I went through the whole process again (actually, I found an easier way of correcting them...).

So if you read the book and spot a typo, it's not one I was aware of (and left there out of sheer lazyness)!

"How I feel when I enter my book into a competition..."

Now that my novel is published, a whole new journey has begun. Now it has to make its way into the world, and to help it, I intend to enter it into compétitions. I'll let you know later on how all that is going! 

What happens now?

And that's it. As Winter Came and Went is published. Which means I can now relax...or not! It's good to be a published author. It's even better to be a published author who actually sells some books.

 

So I know need to develop (or rather acquire) some marketing skills and try to spread the word about my book and hopefully sell a few copies (to people who are not family or friends). What will I do then? I'll go on being present on social media (Facebook and Instagram, because I still haven't figured out how to use Twitter...). I'll also go on publishing fascinating articles and this wonderful blog. And I'll enter my novel in some competitions.

 

There's one I have in mind and I'll try to find others. I'll post more about that later on (or if I don't, you'll understand that it's been a failure and that I'm to ashamed to speak of it...). I'm not so much hoping for a win as to be shortlisted: that would already be great.

 

I will also go on working on the sequel to As Winter Came and Went. I'm two thirds into the first draft and hopefully, same time next year I'll already be editing it, which could mean that the publication could take place in 2020. I'm also still working on Cinnamon. Maybe it will be finished (and published) before the sequel, for it is more of a novella than a novel.

 

I'm also working on a new project related to As Winter Came and Went. But I'll make a proper announcement soon.

 

So publishing my novel was just the beginning... And a whole new adventure has started!

"Launching my book into the world"

I already posted this cartoon a few months ago, but it felt appropriate to share it again on the week of the publication of my debut novel... 

The people who made it happen...

And As Winter Came and Went will be published tomorrow!!!

Though I decided to self-publish, it does not mean that I did everything alone. Far from it: I would never have been able to go this far without the help of many wonderful people. And I would like to thank them all: you are the ones who made it happen.

First of all, I want to thank my family, and especially my parents, who supported and encouraged me every step of the way, who shared my hopes and did their best to allay my doubts. Special thanks to my father who proof-read the novel (so if there are any typos left, it's not my fault)!

Then I would like to thank all the friends who agreed to read the first versions of the manuscript, and who not only gave invaluable feedback and advice but were patient enough to point out the (too many) mistakes and inconsistencies.

My thanks also go to the friends who did not read the novel, but followed my journey to publication and encouraged me all the way.

My decision to self-publish led me to connect through social media with a number of fellow-writers, some of whom also gave me great advice. My thanks go to them too: I did not expect the online writing community to be welcoming and helpful, but it is, and I'm grateful for that.

So thank you again to all of you. This book is yours as well: it would not have existed without you!