Ending One Year and Moving into the New Year

Photo copyright 2009 Beverly Seng

The sun is setting on 2009. As 2010 looms many people are thinking about what they hope and dream will come in the new year. New year’s resolutions are made and goals are verbalized.


I have recently read a couple of blog posts that laid out clearly and concisely what the posters want to achieve this year. Their readers know exactly what these folks are working towards this coming year.

I am still in the process of finalizing my goals. A few years ago I made a goal to try something new every month. You can read more about my adventures by reading any of my Year of Living Adventurously posts. This year I have toyed with making 12 goals in 12 months. I am still waffling on what exactly I want to do.

However, I do have one firm goal in mind. Every year the Christian Writer’s Guild hosts Operation First Novel. This contest is open to any unpublished author. The grand prize is $20,000 and a contract with Tyndale House to publish their novel. I have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with 2008 and 2009 winners Jennifer Erin Valent and CJ Darlington. I have experienced how this contest has changed their life.

So, this year one goal I have already set for myself is to have my novel ready to submit to the contest. The deadline for submissions is October 15, 2010. This gives me 288 days to work on finishing the manuscript and then editing, revising, and polishing. It’s a big project. 288 days sounds like a lot of time, but the only way I will succeed in finishing is if I break my goal into smaller chunks and set deadlines for myself. The other thing I have learned about goals is to tell them to my friends and family so that there will be accountability. Now that I have published it for the entire world (theoretically) to read I have more to lose if I drop the ball as I have in years past.

My hope is that this time next year the sun will be setting on a year of hard work and success at this goal.