Clamouring to become visible...

Here we go with April's update on my writing goals for 2009, and my general New Year resolutions.

Writing Goals

Write every day, aiming for a minimum of two pages each day.
Getting a little better. I fell off the wagon with the morning pages for a long time, but I'm starting to get back up there. And starting in May, if I have any hope of getting two books finished this year, then I pretty much need to be writing 1500 words a day.
Compile an electronic anthology of my best short stories from 2008.
Yeaaaaah... about that... that may turn into a private project, but I'm keen to do it still.
Launch the Chinese Whispers anthology.
And we're off!!! The ball is rolling on this as we speak.
Enter six writing contests.
One entered. Writer's Digest short story contest is next (closes mid-May) then there is also the Bridport Prize and the BBC Short Story contest to come, as well as the Writing Magazine new subscriber's contest. If I also enter one of their monthly contests, that will be my six for the year.
Complete two manuscripts to a publishable standard.
Ongoing. As hinted above, I have an aggressive writing schedule planned.
Participate in, and complete, NaNoWriMo 2009.
6 months to go.

New Year Resolutions

Read at least one book per month.
Books read this month - Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, The Prestige by Christopher Priest, What Canst Thou Say? Towards a Quaker Theology by Jane Scott, The Kraken Wakes by John Wyndham, Twelve Quakers and Evil by Quaker Quest.
Get my 5k time down to 18 minutes.
It's about 26 minutes at the moment. Enough to get me to my race time last year, but not great.
Run the BUPA London 10,000 in 45 minutes.
One month to go. I will probably get roughly the same time as I got last year.
Take part in a half-marathon in late summer.
All being well, I might be doing two in autumn, but this will all depend on staying injury free. The physiotherapist isn't too concerned about the recently discovered slipped vertebrae my x-rays revealed in terms of my ability to run, and she's given me exercises to strengthen the problem areas.
Take part in a full-marathon at the end of the year.
I can't qualify for Boston or New York, I'm not fit enough for Edinburgh, Dublin, Sydney or Auckland. Hastings, maybe? December marathon, not my idea of fun...