Facing a new year, I have taken a moment to look back at the past year. Last January, I decided to take the plunge and taking my writing to a new level, take it more seriously. Though I have always loved to write, I now have time to dedicate to my craft. So, I set some lofty goals for myself and I'm proud to say that I have followed through on every one, probably for the first time in my life! (He, he, a little pat on the back!)

I attended several conferences, joined a critique group, joined a couple of writer groups, joined Twitter, subscribed to two writer magazines, submitted some of my work, and dedicated more hours to writing, revising, and seeking advice. And because of all my effort, I have learned more in the past year than I have in the last seven years (all put together). But I must say, it wasn't easy putting myself out there. As a matter of fact it was actually quite scary! A bit on the shy side, I had to swallow down several hard knots lodged in my throat, take a deep breath, extend a shaky hand, all the while feeling my face growing redder by the minute because of nerves, and say, "Hi."

I was pleasantly surprised to find out how gracious and friendly other writers are, and how willing editors and agents are to help--- thank you to all! It's not such a scary place anymore. Though I was turned down, and rightfully so, I might add, I received wonderful critique and so many encouraged me to continue, that they liked my writing, but that I needed a bit more work to get my story up to snuff.

I hope by writing this in my blog, it will give others the courage to also try. I know how frightening it can be to put what you have created out there for others to judge, something that is so near and dear to your heart. You can do it!

So, now, taking a huge gulp of air, I'm preparing myself for the new challenges ahead, fixing my manuscript, perfecting my query letters, and taking the plunge again, submitting.

I'm anxious to get started, anxious for new adventures, both inside my head to be written on the blank page and finding new friends and work in the writing world!

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year too!

What is your favorite Christmas story? Are you going to share it with loved ones this holiday season? I would love to know what it is. Please share.

Do you have a favorite Christmas memory? Write it down, expound, and turn it into a wonderful story for all of us to read.

Yup, I'm finally going to do it. I'm going shopping for Christmas. I put it off as long as I could, but it's getting down to the wire now. So here goes! Check in with you later.

One of the keys to good writing is read, read, and read some more. If I'm not reading in the genre that I'm tackling at present, I'm reading about writing to improve my writing skills, and reading and revising my manuscript to make sure the story is the best it can be.

There are so many wonderful books, websites, and blogs to help educate, inspire, and guide. I'm constantly amazed at the information available and the willingness of others to share their knowledge. It's awesome!

On the right side of this blog, I have included several websites and blogs that I have found most helpful. Check them out. I think you will too.

This week has been great. I took advantage of the weather and put my fingers to the keyboard uninterrupted. I do believe things are finally coming together. A little more tweaking and I can finally grind the story changes out. I'm really excited to have such large blocks of time to myself. What a luxury!

Some days it is so hard to write, too many interruptions, juices not flowing, discouragement. That's when I have to slog through it, push the work, motivate myself. Sometimes, these kinds of days are the most rewarding even if I only come up with a few paragraphs or ideas. Sometimes, this is when my greatest work is achieved because I just kept at it, just kept telling myself not to quit.