WRITING GOALS FOR 2011

My dayjob ran me ragged for two weeks. I believe Santa outsources his deliveries to us. But the busy, bad times are WAY back there. I've been noodling around with my goals for the upcoming year. Last years goals were ephemeral so this year specificity is needed.

2011 WRITING GOALS

DAILY

Write one hour minimum every morning.

Spend one hour minimum every night on writing related work-editing, rewriting, market search, submission tracking/issues, organization, etc…

WEEKLY

Track word counts and evaluate writing progress.

Update social media. Tweak when necessary.

MONTHLY

Every three weeks have a rough draft done and have a finished draft by the fourth week.

Have finished stories in continuous submission rotation.

YEARLY

Three short stories published in paying markets.

Akron Zips are number one!

Enjoy this Cathi.  The Akron Zips are the best college soccer team in the nation. They beat the University of Louisville today. Barely. And really who cares about a communist sport like soccer. Right? So huzzah for now Akron. Your time will come.

FAVORITE BOOKS OF 2010

In no particular order.

Victor Gischler has written the hard-boiled slacker novel.   And what is the worst thing you can do to a slacker? Never give him time to slack.  Part-time, or should we say half-ass, deputy Toby Sawyer gets plopped down into the middle of the worst night of his young life in an isolated Oklahoma town.  Victor also writes comics or as he calls them “funnybooks”.

http://www.victorgischler.blogspot.com/

Ian Tregellis wrote of British warlocks versus Nazi supermen. Who wouldn't love that?  Set in the World War 2, Tregellis spins a complex and well-paced story. There are two more books in this series. Next up the Cold War.

http://www.iantregillis.com/

Paul Tremblay plugs his narcoleptic detective, Mark Genevich, into a place wrought with peril-companionship.  He sucks at his job, his mom slash landlord is at his heels and he's lonely.  Enter his new BFF or is that Best Enemy Forever. 
http://www.paulgtremblay.com/paulgtremblay/



Walter Mosley has hung up the Easy Rawlin crime tales for now but that doesn't mean he's given up on the iconic leading man.  Leonid McGill may not stand out in a crowd but you won't be able to forget this powerful but conflicted husband, father, boyfriend and finally man. Mosley does an outstanding job writing about acts that may not be legal but sure are moral.
http://www.waltermosley.com/books/


Steve Hamilton departs from his detective series to write a stand alone crime novel about a young Boxman or safe cracker.  A childhood tragedy has led Michael to not utter a word for 10 years. That's right the 1st POV character is mute. And it works seamlessly. Almost as seamless as Michaels ability to open locks of all kinds. This special ability comes to the attention of some ne'er do wells. This interferes with Michael's pursuit of the only lock he wants to open-the lock to a girl's heart.  Good stuff, yo.

I could go on forever but I'll leave my favorite books at a reasonable five for now.  Next up will be my favorite comic book writers of 2010.