Reaching into the future

2010. What will it bring? Many things none of us can predict or control, but there are others we can influence.

I'm wary of New Year's resolutions or wishes, because they can undermine confidence if we set them vaguely or too far out of reach or dependent on someone else. Scottish author Nicola Morgan wrote a smart post on this.

So I've decided to set goals that I could achieve if I work at it. One of my favorite quotes comes from Thomas Edison: "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."

I've printed my plan and will hang it near my desk. Under a big, fancy font reading Goals 2010, I've written these items:

Write at least 1,000 words a day on Sea Daughters. Write at least half of those words before blogging, reading email or other business.

Start revising as soon as it is complete, which should be end of January or beginning of February. Use cool tips from other writers to ease this process, such as Laurie Halse Anderson's fun advice to chart the scenes on huge artist paper, using colored pens to make notes on emotional arcs and plot elements.

By March, write short and long pitches and a query letter. Put letter on Public Query Slushpile, or if I'm feeling insanely confident chum it to the Query Shark.

Research agents for best fit and start sending queries in spring.

Now that I've shouted this plan out to the world I'm more likely to stick to it. I think that's why NaNoWriMo worked for me. I said I would, so I did. Then when it was over I let other things distract me from finishing. I'm putting my overalls back on. How about you?

P.S. Almost forgot!!! A big thank you to Wendy Prior at On Words and Upwards for the Kreativ Blogger Award. As I have been honored with it before, I shall add her name in the sidebar of awards. If you aren't already, you must read her blog. She is so talented and funny.

My muse is in the witness protection program

My muse has gone into hiding. Pouting, no doubt, that I think she led me down a dubious path, left me faced with a big, ol' honkin' revision.

Why do I illustrate this with a picture of bark? Because sometimes it really is true: You can't see the forest for the trees.

The novel in question is a YA fantasy more than 300 pages in length with suspenseful scenes and captivating chapter hooks--at least according to my fabulous crit group. I know there is a lot of good stuff there--wonderful old-growth giants and tender new saplings, but I'm not sure about the forest as a whole entity.

So for two months, I've been letting it "rest." I created this blog, rewrote a short story I'm going to submit and started a contemporary YA novel. So I haven't been idle, but I know it's time to face that revision.

I recently picked up some tips at a SCBWI "schmooze." I am going to rework key changes that should occur in the main characters at the beginning, middle and end of the book, thus strengthening the character development and relationships. I am also interviewing each of my main characters, letting them tell me who they are in their own voices. It's something that should perhaps be done at the start of a novel or part way into it, but I'm finding it eye-opening even now. And I am scrutinizing my world-building to find where it is weak or hackneyed.

But my muse, who makes occasional visits before retreating again, would rather have fun with the new toy she brought me--that other story where I can go for a wonderful romp and not have to face revision for a very long time.

My question and call for help is: What advice can you give me on tackling revision as a process? Do you have checklists, tips, lessons learned?