Resolved


I think writers are especially fond of making New Year's resolutions that pertain to the creative life. I'm working on my list, which includes:

Reading more poetry books
Going to more readings
Giving more readings
Never failing to open when an idea knocks on the door

Diane Lockward at Blogalicious has a great list.

About.com has a good list for fiction writers. I really like the one, "Be easier on yourself," advising writers to focus on what they have done, not what they failed to do. That's one I should add to my list.

One year I made a resolution that was really a wish. It was just because someone asked me at a party what my New Year's resolution was and I hadn't even thought about it. I said, "Get a book contract by the end of the year." Call if prescience, serendipity, coincidence, or whatever, but I did! That was my first poetry book, Earth Lessons.

I'm keeping that resolution on my list for 2010: get a book under contract. Hey, it can't hurt.

And I can always go easy on myself about things as yet unfinished on December 31.