Happy New Year!
I thought I would use my first post of 2012 to set myself some goals.
1. I want to write more.
I have a novel to finish, a script to tweak and several short stories that are at various stages of completion. My aim is to complete them and send them off.
The first half of 2011 was taken up by studying, but I didn’t do enough writing the rest of the year.
I aim to improve that this year. I recently sent off my first short story for 18 months, Adventures and I want to continue to get my work out there. Two of my stories will be appearing in an e-book coming soon and I want more!
2. I want to read more.
Everyone says, “You’re a writer. You need to read.”
I agree with that sentiment and acknowledge that I don’t read enough.
In 2011, I read more books in a calendar year than ever before – a grand total of 15. Nowhere near the number I wanted to read.
I’ve set myself two targets this year. One was signing up to The Eclectic Reader Challenge 2012, which will see me reading more genres than I would usually do including some genres I’ve never read.
Please feel free to suggest books you think I should read to meet that challenge, I’ve already had a few comments with books to consider and it should be fun!
The second target is to read two books a month. 24 books for 2012 is the plan.
3. Stay the same weight.
I spent a large part of 2011 dieting. I achieved my target weight and I want to keep it that way. I think this goals is key to helping me achieve the other two. Eating healthily does make me feel better about myself. If I can keep at it then the other two goals should be easier to meet.
Whatever goals and resolutions you’ve set for 2012, I hope you have a great start to the New Year.
Thanks for reading.
Pete Denton 
Excellent goals! I posted my reading list from last year on my blog this morning. Maybe you’ll find some titles on there that will inspire you to check them out. Happy New Year! 🙂
Thanks, Olivia. I’m impressed with the 38 books. I’ll have a closer look at them. I haven’t read any agatha christie for years but they were always good reads.
Fab goals! I need to write more and read more too 🙂 if only there were a few more hours in the day! Congrats on the weight loss, I am a terrible winter eater and could do with losing about….2…well actually no more like 3 stone 😦
There does need to be more hours doesn’t there! Best of luck with achieving your goals.
I see what you mean Pete, if I had posted at the same time that would have been very spooky. Good luck, I will keep popping back to track your progress, now I know someone is trying the same.
Thank you. Good luck with your goals.
Hi Pete,
Thanks for ‘liking’ my last post. I see that you have kept your goals for the coming year very simple, giving you a much better chance of achieving them. I recommend the historical romance ‘Immortali’ by Anne Lewington for your Eclectic writing challenge. Good Luck!
Thanks for dropping by. I’ll add your book suggestion to my list. Loads of suggestions already, which is great.
I read 64 books last year. I started off slowly and gave up on several until I read Room by Emma Donaghue – definitely one of the highlights. Another was a Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry – one of the world book night choices and quite thick so not for the faint hearted. I don’t know how things work in Sheffield, but over the border here in Derbyshre the libraries run something called Book Chain. The idea is that you are given a random book and you have to read it and then write a short crit and hand it back to the library who then pass it on to someone else. There is no time limit to this (although you do get a nudge after a couple of months) and it makes you read something you perhaps wouldn’t have chosen yourself. Another way is to join a book club – We started one up out here as there weren’t any to join. Some take it more seriously than others. I know one where they discuss the same book for several meetings and all come armed with copious notes! Or there’s ours which consists of several bottles of wine and the book may be mentioned if we are lucky!
As for dieting – how come it takes you 8 weeks to lose weight and then you put the same weight back on in 3! But boy – what a good 3 weeks!
64 is a bit down for you isn’t it?
I’m not sure about the library scheme here. I did join the main library last year so I might check it out.
I don’t think a book club is for me. Someone from my writing group has suggested we do something about reading so that might pan out at some stage. I’ve joined the Eclectic Reading challenge for 2012 so will read more genres than ever before. I’m getting there.
As for dieting I have NO CLUE. Sometimes I seem to eat nothing and gain weight other times I eat like Homer Simpson and lose a pound.
Thanks for stopping by and I’ll see you soon.
Actually it’s a bit up since I started work. It doesn’t really matter what works for you as long as you are reading more, and more varied – out here in the sticks we have a library bus and that was a great way to start reading new material although the stock isn’t rotated all that often so you soon run out of new stuff.
As for the diet – I’ve lost 2 lb this week don’t ask me how and I’m not hopeful after this weekend that I’ll have lost any next week
Happy Reading
Thanks. I’ve nearly finished the first book of 2012 so I’m still on schedule!
Congrats on losing 2 lb keep up the good work.