I'm keeping it simple. Three goals. They involve a lot more work, but I've got it down to three items:

1. Three Novel Query Campaigns - I have two first drafts done and another novel half written. They will all be seeking homes in 2010.

2. Writers of the Future - Finalist or Winner. I know, I know. That's not totally under my control, but I am going to try my darndest.

3. Work up so that I have ten shorts in the submission process at all times by the end of the first quarter and carried through for the rest of the year.

That's it. Lot's of work, but easily measured.

Added:

4. A qualitative goal. I wrote 70 short stories (including flashes) last year. A lot of that is dross. I need to write a little less and a lot better. So I have to pick up my style, my plotting and my characterization in 2010.

What's yours?

• Get THE SHAMAN'S CURSE back out there, seeking an agent.
• Polish up BLOOD WILL TELL and get it out there, too, sometime this spring.
• Work on revisions/polishing on DREAMER'S ROSE. This one will need at least one chapter exchange after the first revisions. Have it out to agents by sometime this autumn.
• Keep trying to write short stories. If possible, get at least one published.
• Most important of all, keep writing
• Not directly writing related, but--exercise more and eat less
• Forgot to add. Start a website of some kind. I've been accumulating ideas.
  

Edited to add one more goal.

• One novel and its query package completed and mailed
• Four completed short stories, each submitted to pro markets
• My 2011 novel project in the planning phase

That said, the goal above all my others is to improve as a writer.

*Another goal: Learn how to enter UBB code without needing to edit posts.

1) Enter WotF every quarter.
2) Choose one of my novel WIPs to focus on, finish and send out for crits by November.
3) Complete a rough draft of my dissertation.

#1

Enter one more WOTF so I can win. I am utterly ashamed to say that I have not entered since my second entry a year ago when I got my HM. Which I recently had fun looking back upon. I read all my crits I received on it. One was particularly amusing. The Critter said something along the lines of "I hate to come across this way but well, your story is very amateur and it will never do well in the competition. The MC is a teenager and the story reads like YA which never does well in the WOTF". Another said" It is way too long and boring." I guess they didn't know longer(up to 10-12k) are more likely to succeed than a 2k story. Anyway, I had fun looking back on all those crits and then at the HM hanging on the wall after my second attempt. And to all those nay-sayers get ready because the next one I enter will be at least a finalist.

#2

Begin querying my novel I just put "The End" on yesterday, a expansion of my HM WOTF entry.

#3
This should be #1, but I never seem to have a problem. Read hundreds of short stories, at least forty novels, and study daily. As I said, I doubt I will have trouble with this as I read siwty something novels last year, countless shorts and maybe not everyday, but countless hours of research on related subjects to my writing, even with all the stress of opening a new restaurant in MAy.

#4
Write three novels. This should be feasible as I am semi-retiring again. By going back to consulting, I have made myself more time to write.

#5
Write a short story per week.

#6
Clean up and submit all my WIP's and get a better system for tracking my submissions.

Its largely pointless for me to try and say what I'm going to do beyond that.

So I will finish my current story, then write the next one in my mental queue.

This means finish what I write, and putting it out there in the hands of people who can pay me money for it.

I'm going to switch my focus to novels (I have 3 WIPs, have selected one to start with...hope to spend less than 3 weeks on it before starting the querying process.) I want to keep my short stories out there, and will continue to write new ones from time to time, but the money's out there in noveling, and I've got a niche I've targeted that nobody's writing much in (mid-grade and YA sci-fi.)

I also resolve to put some non-fiction book projects into the marketplace to see if they are any easier to sell.

Writing:

Write an entry (Short Story) for each quarter of the Writers of the Future Contest (WOTF).

Place (Top 3) in one of the WOTF quarters.

Submit one short story each quarter to IGMS, Asimov's, Analog, and F&SF until one is published.

Complete novel "Islands in the Sky" (Working Title).

Complete novel "Beta Moon" (Working Title).

Attend Uncle Orson's Writing Class and Literary Boot Camp.

Attend Hawaii Writers Conference.

Find fun co-writer to write and illustrate childrens book.

Begin writing Sci-Fi screenplay

Develop writing/acting website

In 2009 I wrote six short stories for a total of 30,000 words. But again, 80% of my writing was in the last three months.

So in 2010 I want to beat the negativity that seems to counter any attempt to improve my writing and achieve some type of regular output. My goals are simply:

* Write a short story a month, and improve on the wordcount from 2009.

* Submit one story to a competition and one to a publication.

* Read, read, read. I read 36 novels in 2009. I wonder if I can hit 52 in 2010? And I now have a subscription to Analog - so there's some short fiction in there too. I might have to turn the tv and computer off a bit more.

2009 was a challenging year in my non-writing life. There's no reason to think 2010 must be easier - but I can find ways to write regularly, I know it.

1) I am going to enter WotF for the first time. Realistically this will be a second quarter entry as I am just starting the story now.

2) I am going to revamp my first novel on a level that may be considered a total rewrite. The bones and the characters will stay but I have a huge amount of world building to do and I am shifting the timeline and that will certainly affect the story.

3) I am going to set aside a little time most days to scribble down new story concepts even if I'm not ready to write them. I got a cool little notebook for this.

4) Amidst the bigger projects I am going to continue writing short stories. If I had to put a number I'd put six to eight as a realistic goal.

5) At some point I want to rework some of my older stuff and bring the quality up so they are better submissions. But right now I'm feeling a need to start fresh so I'm not sure when this will happen.

6) I want to work on being a better writer, to focus on my weakest points and try to create more complete, rounded stories.

7) I want to clean my bedroom, which is also where I write, so I won't have this 'other thing I should be doing' looming over me when I want to work on a story.

Good luck to everyone in accomplishing your goals.

One goal accomplished, many more to go. Let's rock!

Enter WOTF each quarter until I am no longer eligible.

Be no longer eligible (but be eligible for full SFWA membership instead).

Sell 5 stories at pro rates.

This years goals:

1. Start running 5K at least once a week (not writing related, but still important to me)

2. Make writing a part of my schedule. I'm a creature of habit. I need to find a time that I can sit down and write every week, at the same time. I may have to cut down on the WOW raids...

3. Finish a short story and submit to WOTF. This will be my first submission anywhere, so no expectations as far as placing.

Write a few short stories and polish one enough to submit or enter WOTF.