Speculative Poetry and Fiction
Google on how to learn more about SOPA and PIPA and why these bills are a problem.
John Scalzi also presents a great and detailed explanation.
Seanan McGuire preaches to the choir on why SOPA is bad for us.
The Oatmeal presents a koala and jet-ski filled explanation on SOPA (also Oprah and a goat).
One of the ways I’m planning to keep motivated on my massive list of goals is to check in once a month and assess where I’m at. I know it hasn’t been a full month yet, but for some reason I like the idea of doing my check in during the middle of the month. *grin*
I’m off to a good start at the races. Three poems (including two newly written ones) have been sent off to a for-the-love market and I’ve written about 3,860 words of fiction, including work on Untitled Werewolf Novel, a section of the Fay Fairburn story for ![[info]](https://i0.wp.com/l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif?resize=16%2C16){kind=small}
therealljidol, and the start of a new short story for the Awesome Anthology. So, I’m feeling good on the writing front.
In terms of physical endeavors, I’ve been pretty good about keeping up with the yoga every morning. I’ve only missed a few days. I also got a walk in there and an ill-fated attempt at ice skating (no falls, but the skates temporarily screwed up my feet in a rather painful way). Already my body is feeling better from the little I’ve been doing, which equals awesomesauce.
Thinks to do in the coming month:
How are you doing in approaching your goals for the new year?
Total Books Read – 92
Fiction – 60
General – 11
Classics – 8
SF/Fantasy/Horror* – 41
*Grouped together because it’s too much of a headache to mentally debate which book falls into which category.
Young Adult** – 20
**This number does not contribute to overall total as they also fall into the above categories.
Comics/Graphic Novels – 10
Nonfiction – 1
Literary – 2
SF/Fantasy – 7
Poetry – 9
Nonfiction – 13
Writing How-To/Literary & Art Criticism – 7
History/Biography – 3
Memoir – 2
Travel Guidebook – 1
My Favorite 10 Books of 2011
(not in any particular order)
1. Fated, by S.G. Browne
2. Happy All The Time, by Laurie Colwin
3. A Room with a View, by E.M. Forester
4. Locke & Key (series), written by Joe Hill, art by Gabriel Rodriguez
5. Machine of Death: A Collection of Stories About People Who Know How They Will Die, edited by Ryan North, Matthew Bennardo, and David Malki
6. Peeps, by Scott Westerfeild
7. Push of the Sky, by Camille Alexa
8. Ceremony for the Choking Ghost (poetry), by Karen Finneyfrock
9. Looking for Alaska, by John Green
10. Zombies vs Unicorns, edited by Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier
11. Shine, by Lauren Myracle
12. Heart-Shaped Box, by Joe Hill (a reread and I still love it)
13. The Stepsister Scheme, by Jim C Hines
14. Boy Meets Boy (audio book), by David Levithan
15. The Door to Lost Pages, by Claude Lalumiere
16. Dreadnought, by Cherie Priest
17. A Book of Tongues, by Gemma Files
18. Blindness, by Jose Saramago
19. The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins
20. Sharp Teeth, a novel in poems by Toby Barlow
1. Fast, Cheap, & Written That Way: Top Screenwriters on Writing for Low-Budget Movies, by John Gaspard
2. Siddhartha (audio book), by Hermann Hesse
3. Sharp Teeth, a novel in poems by Toby Barlow
4. Nellie Bly: Daredevil, Reporter, Feminist, by Brooke Kroeger
5. Mockingjay, by Suzanne Collins
6. Screencraft: Screenwriting, edited by Declan McGrath
7. At the Mountains of Madness and Other Tales of Terror, by H.P. Lovecraft
8. The Mermaid’s Madness, by Jim C. Hines
9. Sons and Lovers (audio book), D.H. Lawrence
2011 Round Up – Highlight of the year was definitely my trip to Australia. Travel is one of the great bonuses of my job and that trip was amazing.
In general I feel pretty good about my level of creative productivity. I wrote a lot at the beginning of the year, slowed a bit in the middle, but picked up some nice word counts over the last four months or so. I wrote oodles of poems (mostly for my blog), one novlette, a handful of stories, and got a good chunk going on a novel. Considering I work full time with a commute, I’d say that’s pretty darn good.
I think I made about 10 (or so) submissions to magazines and journals this year, of which 3 were accepted and 6 rejected, with one response still pending. Not bad at all.
My personal everyday goals are the ones that collapsed a bit. After I quit on my plans for participating in the half marathon in July/August, pretty much all my exercise stopped. No running, no yoga, etc.
Any meditation, affirmations, or breath work was also almost nil. That said, I give you
The Masive List of 2012 Goals!
I always vacillate on how I feel about New Year resolutions and goals. I think they’re good to a degree, and I enjoy making them, because I love lists and I love the idea of scratching off the to-dos as they are completed. The past couple of years, I’ve been more in favor of loose, short lists, which allow for flexibility.
This year, however, I’m going back to the detailed style list. There are things I want done damnit (mostly career-wise), so I’m announcing them. The plan is to check back in once a month and update the list (i.e., strike out what’s completed or change as necessary).
Fiction
– edit stories that have completed drafts — i.e., “The Witch of the Little Wood,” “White Noise,” etc. — and submit them for publication
– finish draft of Untitled Werewolf Novel by mid-year; begin rewriting process
– write a short story to submit to Awesome Anthology; edit it; submit it on time (I already have ideas)
– write and edit one new short story or flash fictions a month, or complete 12 new pieces for the year
– submit one short story or flash fiction for publication each month, or a total of 12 submitions for the year.
– continue to write one Fay Fairburn stories for until the season is complete (without sacrificing my other work)
Poetry
– re-institute morning poetry ritual (read one poem, write one poem)
– finish stillunfinished-after-a-year 30 Day Letter challenge
– compile a chapbook/book of completed work and submit to a published
– start kickstart chapbook that I’ve had planned for almost a year (optional)
– submit for publication one set of 3-5 poems a month, or a total of 12 submitions for the year
– go through previous morning poem journals to see if anything sparks a new poem
Exercise
– begin a modified Couch-to-5k with my own modifications with the ultimate goal is to be able to run three miles straight through (this would require that I hit the track 3 days per week
– restart 28 Day Yoga Plan with the goal of doing yoga every morning, five days a week or more
– take a hike (with hills) every Saturday (optional, but hoped for)
– participate in Wharf-to-Wharf run (optional)
Website/Blogging
– write a minimum of three posts per week — one writing related, one life related, one whatever related
– post a new youtube video each month
– add to website “Shaking Hands” story with a drawing of some sort (perhaps a lizard on the wastes)
– add to website scans of “The First Kiss and Other Poems” chapbook
– add to website “Barbie’s Wonderful Life” screenplay (if I can find it)
Art (optional)
– attempt to sketch something – anything – once a week
– attempt to paint a larger piece – anything – once a month
Film (optional)
– write spec-script
– participate in 48 hour film project
Events
– attend and participate in 10 readings and poetry slams
– would really like to get my ass to some conferences this year (local SF suggestions welcome), so look up the list, mark it on my calendar in advance, and buy my ticket
Personal
– make an effort to call family/friends via phone or skype who live out of state. I am not comfortable with phone calls, so this is a challenge for me.
-Â make an effort to visit family/friends who live in-state, but not in my immediate vecinty.
– meditate for at least ten minutes every morning after yoga & every night before sleep
– do a new set of affirmations every month (optional)
– go to monthly women’s circles (optional)
– do some breathwork (optional)
* * *
Some closing thoughts:
“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.“
— Neil Gaiman