My Dream Lives Into the New Year

I have self-diagnosed myself with mailbox-induced palpitations. Every time I check the mail, my heart thuds painfully in my chest. This is because I have two full submissions out--both sent through snail mail with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. I don't want to see that envelope. Not now. Not ever.

And now that it's the new year, my dream lives. I know I won't get one more rejection in 2008. Now, 2009, that's another story. I'm planning to get rejected over and over this year. But at least my dream for the novel I have out is not dead--yet.

Inspired by a friend's post, I decided to write down some goals for myself this year.

1. Finish my NaNo novel. I have about 75,000 words, but no ending. I'm going to devote my writing time to this project in February. January's already full up.

2. Query for a new project beginning in March. That is, if my novel dreams aren't shattered by the mailbox before then.

3. Sign up for the tennis tournament this summer. (Easy)

4. Be ready to play in the tennis tournament this summer. (Slightly harder)

5. Believe in myself and persevere through whatever 2009 brings.

I could put that I'm going to get an agent this year, but the fact is, that may or may not happen. It's something I don't really have ultimate control over--and believe me that's the most frustrating thing on the planet for a complete control-freak like me. I can only set goals that I can work on. I can query my project, thus, that's one of my goals. I can't force someone to like the project, request the project or offer representation on it. Thus, that's not one of my goals. I've learned to be realistic about this whole publishing thing. And realisticly, it takes time. And patience. I will do everything I can to write the best book I know how, then I'll throw myself to the query wolves.