One sure thing, I worked hard in 2010. I might not have worked smart and focused, but I got some work done and paid some dues. I published many articles, both on the web and in print and I even got paid for it. I'm still very new at journalism, so it's good to get some publications on my resume and get my name out there. The smartest move I made was to go in sports journalism. It turns out I have somewhat of an expertise in mixed martial arts and people like to read about my opinions. It sure feels good to get a little bit of recognition.
Another thing I'm proud I did was to finish a 92 000 words draft of Solace. It's clunky, it sucks and I have only myself to blame for this, but I got over this mental barrier. I can write a novel. I have a great beginning and a great ending, and right now, I'm working on creating an in-between that makes sense and it worth reading. So far so good, three chapters into draft two.
The main this I have learn about writing this year is patience. You can learn as much as you want about the mechanics of the craft, but there are intangible factors that you can't completely control. Nothing is doable in a first draft and it's futile to get angry at critics. There are countless efforts put in an original draft, but the very purpose of it is to show your weaknesses and to get demolished. Readers that try a writer for the first time don't exactly care about his feelings. They want to be grabbed by the throat and entertained. Better have people critiquing your work and pointing your shortcomings than have your book being picked up by indulgent people and not sell.
Writing is a long term activity. Jonathan Franzen wrote two (very good) novels in eighteen years. Fitzgerald took nine years to write Tender Is The Night, who was the last book he wrote after The Great Gatsby. The quality of Chuck Palahniuk's novels plummeted after he started to produce them on an annual plan. It takes great time and courage to write good novels. Writing, reading and doing neither of that for a certain period of time is a balance that's very hard to establish. Try that, being productive and thoughtful about your work at the same time.
What's on the program in 2011? Finishing the novel and starting to query for once. Preferably before the summer, but I don't want to rush anything. Also, I want to start selling more work. I started writing an essay and when I'll be done, I'm going to go balls out and try and offer it to the biggest magazines. We never know who's going to pick it up. Working smarter and taking more chances are on the program for me.
