2010...it's a wrap

2010 was an amazing year for me. I became published for one, realizing a dream, even if it was a fairly new one :). I gained a tremendous amount of experience with the craft of writing as well as understanding how the publishing industry works. Sort of LOL. And I made wonderful friends, some I've never even met in person!

So...2010, what did you teach me?

• Writers are just so friendly & supportive towards other writers. It really is an amazing community to be a part of.
• I really can tell people that I write hot & steamy romance and the sky won't fall in. Really :).
• I'm a bit lazy. Yep, I can term it being a perfectionist, I can call it procrastinating, but I have a tendency to be lazy if I can get away with it. There. I said it. The first step is recognizing the problem, right LOL?
• I actually like blogging and social networking. Who would ever have guessed that?
• Publishing is a changing and evolving industry and it doesn't look like that's going to stop anytime soon.
• Marketing and promotion is a bit of a crap shoot. You never really know what works or doesn't. You kinda make the best educated choices you can and hope for the best!
• Sadly, the romance genre is still looked down on by people in the 'literary world' and the public in general, despite the incredible sales figures.
• Writing is hard and it's work and it's solitary. Even though I love it and intellectually I knew it was hard, I think you have to live it to really get that on an emotional and spiritual level. It's not for everyone.
• Being published feels just as amazing as I thought it would.

I haven't firmed up all of my goals for 2011 yet, but thought I'd share the highlights of my thinking for the coming year:

• Read more! My reading has really dropped off lately and I feel like it could have an impact longer term. I'd like to get back to my favorite authors. I've missed them. The good news is that there is a huge backlog waiting for me.
• Attend the RWA Nationals conference in NY, possibly RT and probably RomantiCon. There's nothing quite like networking (aka partying) with other romance authors.
• Turn in 4 - 5 ebooks - hot & steamy contemporaries!!
• Finish 2 category length manuscripts that are in progress.
• Flesh out the outline for my first paranormal series and draft the first book. This story just won't give me any peace, so I have no choice.
• Revamp the look & feel of my website and blog. It's long overdue, right?
• Add new segments on my blog. Stay tuned!
• Query agents.
• Stop dicking around so much on the Internet :).
• Become Twitter Queen. Well, perhaps not queen, but at least use it more effectively. See point above ;).

Happy New Year to everyone!! Wishing you a year filled with good health and happiness and much reading--romance, of course!