Author's Resolutions, 2013

Ahh, it's that time of year again. The time where everyone tries to better themselves with a list of things they hope to accomplish in the upcoming new year. I did this last year, and I believe I stuck with them throughout 2012.

Here's my list of resolutions for 2013, in no particular order:

I will continue to take better care of myself in 2013.

I lost a few pounds this year, about 20. I had stepped on a scale around Christmas 2011, and it had said 232 pounds. I cried. I stomped my feet in anger. I even threw the scale. I managed to eat better, exercised, do some walking (that lasted a few months), and drink less soda and coffee (up until the last few weeks or so). I got down to 209. I'm now at 211. I'd like to get down to 190 within a year. Yep, another 20 pounds and I'll be a happy, healthy author.

I didn't consult with a physician this year, though. I have to do that, or else Jen will hurt me. She has promised this.

I will publish three books in 2013.

I've set my writing goals for the upcoming year: Publish three books, and write 200,000 words. One of the books is already finished and just needs cover art. I'm waiting to see if I can get a better picture of it before I slip it through the uploader. I'm currently writing REDEEMED, which is halfway done, story-wise, at 83,550 words. I figure it'll take me at least another 70K-85K to finish the story. I also need to plot, write, and publish the fifth AGENT novel. I'm actually jotting notes down about it now. I'd like to write about 130,000 words in that one. Anything outside of those two books will be gravy for me.

I wrote somewhere between 260K-275K words for fiction this year. A fourth book would be difficult, but I probably could do it.

I will not rush my writing in 2013.

This one goes alongside the last resolution. I don't want to rush my story. I want the story to come out at its own pace. I want the details to come out. I don't want to rush and miss anything. It'll make my stories that much more readable.

I hope.

I will spend less time promoting and let my work speak for itself in 2013.

Tough one. I'm always on Facebook and Twitter trying to drum up sales when I'm supposed to be writing. I have 15 novels out, plus short stories and novellas. I hope to have 18 out within a year's time. My work has improved, as far as I know, so that I shouldn't have to do excessive amounts of promotion. At least that's what I hope. That could be my ego talking. Check back with me and see if we get into a fistfight.

I will blog more in 2013.

Kind of tied into the one above. In 2009, I wrote 19 blogs. In 2010, I wrote 69. In 2011, I wrote 15 blogs on Blogger, 24 on LiveJournal. In 2012, I wrote 33 blogs (this is No. 34). My peak, as you can easily tell, was 2010. But most of my blogs were about me and my writing. Sometimes they were about my observations in the publishing world, talking up Kindle and all that. I hope to do more blogs about people in the industry -- in other words, more author interviews. I want to sell books, yes... but I also want to introduce you to authors you may not have heard of before, authors whose books you should read.

Happy New Year, everyone. Keep reading.

www.seansweeneyauthor.com