Historical and Contemporary Romance Author

The New (Slightly Less Social) Me

If you’ve known me for a while, then you know I don’t make New Year’s Resolutions. I figure anything that’s good enough to resolve to do in a new year is good enough to resolve to do before that year gets here. But in this case, I’m making a slight exception. And this isn’t so much a resolution as it is a necessity now that the holidays are officially over.

With the release of THE LESSON PLAN, I resolved–irony intended–to take a brief vacation from writing until after the new year, and it’s a good thing I did because we had some unexpected company last week that would’ve really thrown me off my game if I hadn’t already expected to have the time off. But starting tomorrow, my vacation is over.

So, the deal is, I have a full writing schedule ahead of me this year. I’m planning to release the next Lords of Lancashire novella in late April or early May. Wrong Side of the Grave and Incarnate should follow over the summer/early fall, with the final LoL (I love that acronym!) novella out by December. I also have a contemporary category romance that’s about 2/3rds finished that I’d like to complete and submit to Harlequin by March or April, and a few other side projects to wrap up.

This is far more ambitious than anything I’ve ever accomplished in the past. I think the year I wrote the most, I only completed four novellas/short stories. (And it’s probably no coincidence that this was before Twitter was even invented, lol.) This means there’s a real chance I’m going to muff it and not finish everything I’ve promised, but I also know it’s completely doable if (and this is the big IF) I put my head down and write when I have the time. And by “write”, I mean writing actual words in stories, not 140-character witticisms on Twitter or comments on blog posts or even blog posts of my own. This isn’t to say I’ll be completely dark on Twitter or the internet, but I do plan to be a LOT less active than I have in 2011. It’s the only way I can possibly fulfill my goals, especially given my hectic day job/mom job schedule going forward.

Staying off Twitter is not going to be easy for me. I’m pretty much a confirmed addict. But I’m going to try. And if you’re reading this blog and you see me on Twitter as much as ever, please remind me that I’m SUPPOSED to be writing. I’d appreciate the help.

2 Comments

  • Stephanie Draven January 4, 2012 at 1:05 pm

    Well, I’ll miss you. But I will be happy to read your books. One of which is sitting on my Nook flirting with me as I speak.

    Reply
    • Jackie Barbosa January 4, 2012 at 2:47 pm

      I won’t be completely gone; I’m just trying to moderate myself and absolutely, 100% stay on OFF Twitter/blogs/etc. during my writing hours, which are too few and precious to waste. (Notice I have not yet succeeded at this, but I have only been trying for one day. Today, I shall do better. Yes, yes, I shall!)

      Reply

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