A Mid-Year Resolution Check-In

Hey look, Louise kept all her resolutions. Rah, rah, Louise. (I’m sorry, did that sound sarcastic? Because it was TOTALLY SUPPOSED TO!)

Since this is a new year’s resolution check-in, it’s going to be really short. Because the answer to the question “Have you achieved your goals?” is swift and easy: No.

Okay? End of post.

[What do you mean 56 words isn’t long enough for a post? You want more? Should I pull a Jack Torrance and just write over and over “no no no no no no no no”? How do you like it?]

Sigh. Okay. I’ll elaborate a bit. At the beginning of the year, I resolved to:
1. Write.
2. Eat more fiber.
3. Write some more.

Where do I stand on this?

Let’s start with the fiber. Because that one’s easy. I thought maybe I had achieved this one as I’ve upped my intake of gummy bears, but a quick check tells me that, contrary to common sense, that has done nothing to help my fiber count. Although I realize the nutrition label is clearly wrong, as it marks a serving size as 17 pieces, when clearly everyone knows a serving size is the amount you eat that makes you physically ill plus another 27 pieces. So a 5lb bag will give you approximately two servings. Okay, one and a half. (So shoot me! We all know it’s one serving, but let me try and retain a shred of dignity here, please!) And if they got that wrong, then perhaps they got the fiber wrong as well, and I’m sure I’m doing just fine.

Then there’s the writing. A resolution so nice I had to say it twice. Okay, to be honest, I haven’t actually failed at this. If we judge it by the action, I’ve succeeded: I am writing. But if we judge it by outcome, it’s a bit slower. I have written the first third of my next novel. I’ve written that first third four different times. And given that I will probably write that first third about twelve more times, it doesn’t feel like so much of an accomplishment, but given that I can’t produce a decent final draft without thirty zillion drafts, it’s a necessary evil. So yes I’m writing. But it doesn’t really feel like I’m making forward momentum, even though objectively speaking, I am. Plus I’ve been writing other things: blog posts (for here, as a guest blogger on other sites), a few articles and essays, and I’m really trying to master the op-ed.

But here’s the deal: I’m okay with this. True, my belly would be happier with more oat bran and fewer Peeps. But I’m writing the best I can as I balance it with the kids (they’ve been out of school just a week), promoting MODERN GIRLS, and being present in the moment. If I need to quantify the writing, then no, I haven’t done much. But if I look at it as a whole—I’ve got some solid thoughts and a rough start to novel two, I have a few articles I’m psyched to try and submit, and pages and pages of free writing brainstorming ideas. I have been doing the writing even if I haven’t achieved the writing. Writing is a resolution-in-progress as it should be now, and should be always.

We can check in on our resolutions. But the year is only half done. I don’t need to have them all resolved. My writing is a work in progress. As it should be.

And the fiber? Well, perhaps I’ll try with that again one next year.