Now, I’m not one for starting resolutions right away on the first of January. I prefer to make them year-long goals. A few years ago one of my resolutions was to quit smoking. And on February 2nd of that year, I did (and haven’t touched a cigarette since). Had I tried to do that on the first of January, I probably would have failed miserably. So don’t force yourself to start your new goals on the first. Give yourself the time to ease into them, to get used to them, and to reach them successfully, in your own time.

So, without further ado, here are my ten New Years resolutions for 2010.

1. Write at Least 1,000 Words of Fiction Each Day.

This is one that I used to do almost religiously, but have become very lax about in recent months. Part of this has to do with increased work obligations. But in any case, I want to start writing at least a thousand words every day. I have two novels currently in the works, so lack of material isn’t an issue. And I can do a thousand words in less than an hour usually, so finding the time shouldn’t be too difficult. It’s just a matter of developing the habit. It’s something I know I can do once I find my motivation.

2. Do Less.

I have a tendency to commit to things without fully thinking them through. I’ve gotten better about this, but it’s still something I have to be careful of. So this year, I want to do less. I want to take the time to do whatever it is I’m doing as well as it can be done, which means devoting more time to individual projects. And since I have yet to find that elusive 25th hour in the day, the only option is to take on fewer projects. Which is tough considering I get ideas for brilliant new projects approximately every two minutes and forty seven seconds.

3. Drink More Water & Tea, Less Coffee and Soda.

This one should be easy. Theoretically. Of course, I’m saying this as I sit here drinking a double espresso…

4. Eat Healthier in General and Get More Exercise.

I’ve been struggling with my weight for a few years now. I’ve managed to lose around thirty pounds and have kept it off, but I still need to lose more. And with my ten year high school reunion looming on the horizon, now’s as good a time as any! And if anyone decides the class of 2000 needs to have their reunion in March, I’ll kill them (October fits in much better with my weight loss plans). The best way I’ve found to lose weight is to eat healthy and exercise. I know, that’s like rocket science, isn’t it?

5. Finally Set Up My Etsy Store.

I’ve been wanting to get involved with Etsy for awhile now. I lurk on their forums, read the blog, follow them on Twitter, and obsess over the products found there. And there are a few things I’d like to start selling on Etsy, I just haven’t found the time. Of course, this may contradict resolution #2…

6. Finish a Novel.

As in, finished, no more work to be done. I’ve finished first drafts of five novels, second drafts of three of those, and third drafts of one. But I have yet to get a novel into what I would consider anything close to “publishable” quality. I’m very close on one of those, so my goal is to finish it this year, to get it to the best quality I can possibly make it.

7. Apply to Bread Loaf.

I considered making this one “Get Accepted to Bread Loaf”, but considering they accept less than 20% of applicants and I still have no idea what I’m even going to apply with, I thought just managing the application would be ambitious enough. Bread Loaf is one of the oldest and most prestigious writers’ conferences in the country, and is conveniently located less than three hours from my house. If I get in, then that’ll be like icing on the cake.

8. Have More Experiences.

We all get so wrapped up in the idea of “stuff”. Our lives begin to revolve around things and possessions rather than the experiences and people who surround us. I want to have more experiences, make more memories, and stop focusing so much on the “stuff” we all accumulate. In fifty years, I won’t look back fondly on the things I owned, but rather the things I did and the people I did them with.

9. Be a Better Friend.

I’m horrible about staying in touch with people. It’s just in my nature. If it’s easy to keep in contact with someone, then I’ll do it. But if it requires a lot of effort, I’m not so good at it. Which has nothing to do with how much I care about a person or how important they are to me. I’m just easily distracted and have a hard time with following through on the whole “picking up the phone” thing or “writing a letter”. No more! This year, I’m going to make more of an effort to stay in touch with the people who matter to me.

10. Get Out of the Northeast Kingdom.

The area where I live is beautiful. It’s a nature-lovers’ paradise. It’s one of the few places left in the Northeast that’s really rural. It’s also almost entirely devoid of opportunity and cultural anything. Sure, there are bright spots within the Kingdom in terms of those things, but they’re few and far between. I love Vermont, and think I’ll always call it home, but I’m thinking it might feel more like “home” in other parts of the state. So I’m hoping to relocate this year, somewhere a bit closer to “civilization” and with a bit more to do. The house we currently live in was supposed to be temporary, something we could fix up and sell within a couple years, but it’s been our home now for more than six years. It’s definitely time for a change.

So there they are: ten resolutions for 2010. Not all of them are writing related, though some of them are. Feel free to share your resolutions in the comments below.

Photo by zilupe, via Flickr

Over the years I’ve built up plenty of strategies for keeping my motivation level high. Here are a few:

• Set yourself reachable daily goals. Whether a reachable goal for you is 200 words or 2,000 words, set a goal and stick to it. But, if for some reason you don’t make your goal one day, it’s not the end of the world. Don’t beat yourself up over it. Just get back on track the next day.
• Celebrate small successes. When you finish a chapter, or a page, or even a paragraph, celebrate. Have some chocolate. Listen to your favorite song. Watch a movie. For the bigger successes, treat yourself to dinner or a movie. And when you finish the first draft, take a few days off!
• Keep a to do list. Listing each step to reaching your goal is a good idea. Checking things off a list is a nice little boost to your motivation and keeps you moving in the right direction. Breaking things down into the smallest steps possible might look daunting at first, but you’ll check them off much quicker.
• Take a break. Sometimes, you just need a day off to let your batteries recharge. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’ve found that when I get writer’s block, forcing myself to take a weekend off can do wonders for opening the creative flood gates.
• Set deadlines. With so many writing projects, there are no deadlines. No one really cares if you finish something this week or a month from now or never at all. So set deadlines for yourself and stick to them. On my current project, because I’m self publishing, there’s no editor hanging over my head telling me to have the book done by a certain date. So I’ve set up a schedule for myself. I’ve vowed to have the first draft done by the end of April, and so far I’m on track for meeting that goal.
• Converse with others who have similar goals. Finding other people who are working on the same kinds of projects makes it easier to keep working. Consider setting goals and deadlines with each other and holding each other accountable. Sometimes the idea of disappointing another person is enough to keep you going.

If you have any other tips for keeping motivation high, please share them in the comments below.