Back in Paris at last. Where the sun will basically be non-existent for at least the next three months. I am sitting here trying to recall the feeling of the warm sunshine on my face; was it only yesterday I felt it? Seems already too long ago.
But still, this is Paris, and no matter how dreary and grey the actual weather may be, I still love coming back here after an absence. I have no travel plans at all for the forseeable future, so now is the time to get back in touch with the city and what I enjoy about it.
On the train to Paris yesterday, I spent some time editing my manuscript and was suddenly happy to realize I only have about 30 pages left to go! Which means I ought to finish in the upcoming week, and will once again start farming around for a good literary agent. It's embarrassing to realize it was a year ago that I sent out the first two query letters and that it's taken me a whole other year to get back to the point where I'm ready to try again. Note to self: work on your work ethic.
Still, being so close to finishing means I can not only think about working towards publication, but working on the NEXT book, which will be a novel, although based on some real-life events. I started a rough outline and played around with an opening for the book back in November, but I really need to focus on it more exclusively to get anything significant accomplished. I also have a third book idea, another novel based on some real events, that I'd like to get outlined as well. The idea is that when I start dialogues with any agents or editors, I want to be able to show them that I'm not a one-hit wonder as an author, that I would be worth the investment of their time and money over the long haul.
January is normally such a dull, lifeless time of year in so many ways, but knowing I have my writing projects laid out in this way gives me more rays of sunshine to keep me smiling until the weather improves. I'm not bothering with any resolutions or intentions but my theme for this year is "Successfully published in 2013!"
Et voila!
Hope all of your holidays were warm, happy and lovely, and that you're also off to a good start in this new year. What are some of YOUR big projects for the year ahead?
