Two posts so close together? And over the holidays when no one is posting? Might spoil you guys.

I was reading some articles about literary resolutions for the New Year. Literary, as opposed to the usual LOSE 1,000! POUNDS and DRINK FAR LESS stuff most of us usually churn out.

I always do resolutions. Despite a less-than-100-percent success rate, I sometimes pull out some wins.

Like last year, when I said that I wanted to finish the first draft of my novel.

Well, I did that. Maybe it shouldn’t surprise me that I can pull off something like that, but I do have a rather rigorous day job.

I wrote that resolution back at the end of 2010, when I hadn’t yet reached 50,000 words (about halfway). The year before, my resolutions didn’t even mention this manuscript, because I was still working on the other one (now safely in the metaphorical drawer) and had barely anything at all started on The Black Hour. It’s kind of amazing how a little bit of work several times a week can add up.

I may need to be reminded of this mathematical theorem occasionally this year as I try to tackle a few more projects.

My literary resolutions:
-To finish an agent-ready draft of The Black Hour.
-To submit to agents. (Not to GET an agent; that’s not up to me. But to try, which I really haven’t done. Slush pile ahoy.)
-Write some crime/mystery short pieces for submission.
-Engage more fully with the Chicago mystery writing community.
-Present at AWP in March. (gulp)
-Start a new novel. (gulp again)

OK, now someone remind me what I just said about a little work several times a week.