Happy New Year 2012

Two years ago, my new year's resolution was to write a book about my new experiences every week for a year. I finished my first complete draft on December 31, 2010. The plan seemed simple: spend 2009 living the book, 2010 writing the book, and 2011 publishing the book. It seemed logical to me. After all, I gave myself three years!

So now that 2011 is over, did I accomplish that goal? Not even close. And I'm glad, because after about three months of sending queries for my manuscript, enough time passed to realize my sitting manuscript was in no means ready for publication.

I've done a lot of writing in my life, but this is the first time I've written something past two hundred pages. I've had over a dozen book ideas, but I usually don't even make it past the first few chapters, or even the first few pages. What I realized as a first timer is that a book should be like a good landscape painting: there are dramatic rises and falls, as well as some even ground, but there must always be a clear path to follow. Some of my new experinces are irrelevant and probably boring to the reader, so I'm finding ways to consolidate them with the better ones while focusing on the key points that build the story.

I don't know when I'm going to be done revising; it could be ten months or ten years. I know what I need to do, but it's easier said than written well.

Furthermore, that year of new experiences truly changed me, and now I'm in my second semester back as a full-time college student. Through some of my new experiences I decided I wanted to be an art professor, but I still have a long way to go on that, as well. So I'm hesitant to make any 2012 new year's resolutions about the book, other than to revise. I scheduled an hour every day to work on my book, but that's only if I've finished all of my homework, so it will be hit or miss.

Regardless of the rate of progress, I still believe in my book as much as I ever did, if not more. I know that sounds cliched, but it is true. It made such a difference in my life, I can't help but think it will make a difference in someone else's life. All that change is very scary, but so liberating! Life is so much better with new experiences. Even today, I cooked salmon for the first time in my life (and it was delicious). I never knew it was as easy as a little seasoning and butter, preheating the oven to 350 degrees, and coming back in fifteen minutes!

So here's to a happy new year of focusing on school, revising my manuscript in my spare time, and eating salmon!