Thursday, January 5, 2023

Keep on keepin' on, by Catriona

Q: Do you have any New Year's resolutions as a writer, and what are your plans for 2023?

I'm a sucker for New Year's resolutions. I make them every year and don't usually keep more than half of one of them. But that's okay. It gives me a boost in the receipt-logging, vegetable-eating, exhibition-attending, rose-pruning stakes.

(It helps that I stick to the 12 days of Christmas and none of this starts until Jan 6th. The tree comes down, the shortbread tin goes away and the alarm is set for you're kidding me o'clock again.)

But when it comes to writing . . . I don't think I've ever made a NYR. Every bit of this job is still such a joy and feels like such good fortune that there's nothing for me to grit my teeth and make myself do.

Hang on, wait. I probably *should* make a resolution to do with promotion and publicity. That's the area - not dreaming, drafting, researching, editing, proofing, blogging, reading, "networking" (it feels a lot like talking to pals about stuff we love), blurbing, teaching, or learning - where I suck like a Hoover. 

So.

This year, I will think about promotion months in advance and set stuff up in good time. I will ask people for blurbs (brrrrrrr hate doing that). I will pitch articles and lay in swag.

Except I probably won't lay in swag. No point starting a new year lying about who I am, right? Happy 12th Night of Christmas,

Cx


 

4 comments:

Dietrich Kalteis said...

Great post, Catriona. You always make me laugh. All the best with the resolutions and writing.

Brenda Chapman said...

I hear you on the publicity/promotion resolution! (Although I'd say you're doing mighty well as it is.) Happy New Year, Catriona.

Catriona McPherson said...

Thank you, Dietrich and Brenda. My husband was just talking about his NYRs and said "I'm going to think about maybe stopping procrastinating so much. Starting 2025." I *think* he was joking.

Josh Stallings said...

Thank you for a great post, i love your honesty. Now I have to stop putting off the post i need to write...