So, from my clock, 2012 has a mere 13 hours and change left to it. 2013 is coming, so its high time to set some unrealistic goals for the year:
1. Book deals for Thorn of Dentonhill, Holver Alley Crew, and Maradaine Constabulary. If we’re really aiming pie-in-the-sky, this deal will involve the same publisher and all three at once. That would be very nice, indeed, Universe. But in the case of all three, I think I’ve really done what I can do, and it’s past time to be focused on the Next Project.
2. Finish Rough Draft of Way of the Shield. I should have finished this last year, but between various rewrites of the other three, a hectic summer and a few other things on my plate, it didn’t come together. Part of that was due to a flawed outline, which I think I’ve got a handle on now. I understand why it wasn’t working, which is a big hurdle to clear. Time to drive it forward.
3. Finish Rough Draft of Banshee. This is a project that’s gone through significant conceptual changes over the years (you may notice that it’s no longer USS Banshee, which is one major shift), but I’ve finally found an angle that combines character, plot and worldbuilding in a way that works pretty well, at least so far.
4. Attend my first Worldcon. It’s in San Antonio, it’s literally taking the place of ArmadilloCon this year, so it’s what I’m doing. Hopefully I’ll have something good to do there. (See point 1)
5. Have a good reason to start second books of Thorn, Holver Alley or Constabulary. See point 1.
6. Hash out some of these random ideas into usable outlines. Because if I accomplish 2 & 3 before I accomplish 1, I’ll have no good reason to do 5. So I’ll need a new “new project”, as it were.
7. Never give up. But this one’s a given.