Now and then

With all the christmas rush behind me, I'm hoping to become organised again. Organised enough to get some lists going and to stick to them. I think the only lists I managed in the last month involved shopping and/or finishing up any christmas related things I had to do. (And I almost finished all of them. Almost.)

Like everyone else, I've been reflecting on 2008 lately. It's hard to judge whether it's been a successful year or not, but I think I'll go with believing it was.

While I didn't get a lot of new writing done, I did manage a few stories and poems. Most still need redrafting, but one story will be appearing in the April issue of Island. And of course, my story collection 'Svetlana or otherwise' (Mockingbird) was launched way back in February.

I am looking forward to 2009 and have already planned to 'buddy up' with a writing friend, L. The aim is to keep each other motivated and to work together to set (and reach) monthly goals. We each plan to write a novel, although not sure yet whether the plan will be to start and finish all in one year. We're actually starting early, tomorrow, when we meet to start on our first set of goals. I have an idea now what my first month's goal/s might be, but I might hold those thoughts until after tomorrow, when I have committed it/them to ink.

I am also running a workshop with Vicki Thornton at the Victorian Writers' Centre on Sat 14 February. The workshop, Overcoming Writer's Block, offers a great way to start the new writing year. I might have to sneak in a few moments of my own to jot down ideas.

Other than that, 2009 is pretty much open for plenty of surprises. I'll be looking forward to them, and I hope you get some too. Good ones, of course.