Comments on: The New Year with Jennifer Colgan http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/ Adventures of a writer living in New Zealand Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:06:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: Karin http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8179 Karin Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:07:50 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8179 Jennifer, I really like your approach for the next year in just exceeding this year by rediscovering the enjoyment of what you do. Basically, the approach of the new year is a time for me to look ahead and recognize that the new year presents a number of possibilities for me. I like to think that it will be better than the last but, like Jennifer, not better in a necessarily quantitative but more a qualititative way. Jennifer, I really like your approach for the next year in just exceeding this year by rediscovering the enjoyment of what you do.

Basically, the approach of the new year is a time for me to look ahead and recognize that the new year presents a number of possibilities for me. I like to think that it will be better than the last but, like Jennifer, not better in a necessarily quantitative but more a qualititative way.

]]> By: Deidre http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8175 Deidre Tue, 30 Dec 2008 19:39:09 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8175 I'm approaching the new year with trepidation but also with new hope. I would like to see a lot of change in my life, budget and financial wise, but also on the health front. The future is a scary place. Deidre I’m approaching the new year with trepidation but also with new hope. I would like to see a lot of change in my life, budget and financial wise, but also on the health front. The future is a scary place.

Deidre

]]> By: Jen http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8149 Jen Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:47:32 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8149 Great post! I think a lot of people can relate to having "lost the joy". Here's hoping you find it again soon! Great post! I think a lot of people can relate to having “lost the joy”. Here’s hoping you find it again soon!

]]> By: Shelley Munro http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8141 Shelley Munro Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:51:20 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8141 Hi Sandra :grin: Happy New Year! Hi Sandra Happy New Year!

]]> By: Sandra Cox http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8139 Sandra Cox Sun, 28 Dec 2008 21:31:24 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8139 Excellent 2009 goal, Jennifer. Hey, Shel:) Excellent 2009 goal, Jennifer.
Hey, Shel:)

]]> By: Jennifer Colgan http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8137 Jennifer Colgan Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:28:52 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8137 Hi Fedora! Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your goals in the New Year. Amy, That’s a great way to look at the New Year. I’m also thinking more about what I can do for others. I think it can actually relieve stress to put our minds on helping others more so than helping ourselves. Thanks for stopping by, Julie! I agree that productivity can go down the more you try to reach a quota. When doing what you love becomes a chore it’s time to reassess what you want and how to go about getting it. I hope I’m able to do that this year. Hi Lucinda! Your Grandma would be right. Too many irons in the fire in exactly how I felt. Sometimes I have enough trouble handling one iron. LOL. I’d like to concentrate this year on doing one or two things well, instead of ten things just adequately. Hi Jory! I definitely know I’m not alone in my fear of burning out. I know a number of authors who have expressed the same feelings...and I suppose it’s something we all deal with at one point or another. I’m hoping it will be easier for me to step back now and get myself back on track, than later when I might be in the middle of several contracts. Thanks again to Shelley for inviting me to her blog and thank you all for dropping by and commenting! Hi Fedora! Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your goals in the New Year.

Amy, That’s a great way to look at the New Year. I’m also thinking more about what I can do for others. I think it can actually relieve stress to put our minds on helping others more so than helping ourselves.

Thanks for stopping by, Julie! I agree that productivity can go down the more you try to reach a quota. When doing what you love becomes a chore it’s time to reassess what you want and how to go about getting it. I hope I’m able to do that this year.

Hi Lucinda! Your Grandma would be right. Too many irons in the fire in exactly how I felt. Sometimes I have enough trouble handling one iron. LOL. I’d like to concentrate this year on doing one or two things well, instead of ten things just adequately.

Hi Jory! I definitely know I’m not alone in my fear of burning out. I know a number of authors who have expressed the same feelings…and I suppose it’s something we all deal with at one point or another. I’m hoping it will be easier for me to step back now and get myself back on track, than later when I might be in the middle of several contracts.

Thanks again to Shelley for inviting me to her blog and thank you all for dropping by and commenting!

]]> By: Jory Strong http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8134 Jory Strong Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:10:21 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8134 I've been exactly where Jennifer and probably most published authors get to at some point in their careers, where pressure to produce (be it complete projects or simply high daily word counts) eradicates the joy of writing and seems to consume the day. I agree with Julie, when authors get to that place and stay there, quality of work suffers. There are any number of prolific authors I no longer read for just this reason. The fear of becoming one of them made it easy for me to take a step back, cut my daily word counts, and return to a place where I enjoy writing and have time for other things as well, including reading and riding my horses. Like Lucinda, I don't take stock at year-end or make resolutions, but I am very aware of the value of living each day to the fullest. I’ve been exactly where Jennifer and probably most published authors get to at some point in their careers, where pressure to produce (be it complete projects or simply high daily word counts) eradicates the joy of writing and seems to consume the day.

I agree with Julie, when authors get to that place and stay there, quality of work suffers. There are any number of prolific authors I no longer read for just this reason. The fear of becoming one of them made it easy for me to take a step back, cut my daily word counts, and return to a place where I enjoy writing and have time for other things as well, including reading and riding my horses.

Like Lucinda, I don’t take stock at year-end or make resolutions, but I am very aware of the value of living each day to the fullest.

]]> By: Lucinda http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8130 Lucinda Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:36:11 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8130 It does seem that maybe you had "too many irons in the fire" this year (as my Grandma would say). There is such a thing as doing too much, because it can take the joy out of what we're doing. I'm not one for taking stock. I live one day at a time. Right now, that's the only way I can stay sane. Happy New Year!! It does seem that maybe you had “too many irons in the fire” this year (as my Grandma would say). There is such a thing as doing too much, because it can take the joy out of what we’re doing.
I’m not one for taking stock. I live one day at a time. Right now, that’s the only way I can stay sane. Happy New Year!!

]]> By: Shelley Munro http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8129 Shelley Munro Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:31:26 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8129 Great post, Jennifer. It really spoke to me. :grin: 2008 was a year of head down and writing hard. I've taken it easier during December but I'm ready to start work again. I'd like to strike a happy balance where I can write for the joy of it without stressing about all the other pressures that come with wanting success. We'll see how I go... Great post, Jennifer. It really spoke to me.

2008 was a year of head down and writing hard. I’ve taken it easier during December but I’m ready to start work again. I’d like to strike a happy balance where I can write for the joy of it without stressing about all the other pressures that come with wanting success. We’ll see how I go…

]]> By: Julie Robinson http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/2008/12/28/the-new-year-with-jennifer-colgan/comment-page-1/#comment-8128 Julie Robinson Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:06:38 +0000 http://www.shelleymunro.com/blog/?p=1070#comment-8128 Hi Jennifer, I always start fretting about how unorganized my life seems at the end of the year and draw up plans to get it in order and thus make it more productive. In that respect, I am a quota girl because I'm taking stock of what I've done and what I want to do. It seems to me if you lose the joy in what you are doing, though, you actually become less productive in the long run. So measuring success on a quota level may be satisfactory for a limited time. Quantity may be good; quality may suffer. I hope you find your joie de vive in writing again, though if Blood Moon is any indication, I don't think you've lost any of it. Thanks Shelley for having Jennifer to get us on track and reassess our goals. Julie Hi Jennifer,

I always start fretting about how unorganized my life seems at the end of the year and draw up plans to get it in order and thus make it more productive. In that respect, I am a quota girl because I’m taking stock of what I’ve done and what I want to do.

It seems to me if you lose the joy in what you are doing, though, you actually become less productive in the long run. So measuring success on a quota level may be satisfactory for a limited time. Quantity may be good; quality may suffer.

I hope you find your joie de vive in writing again, though if Blood Moon is any indication, I don’t think you’ve lost any of it.

Thanks Shelley for having Jennifer to get us on track and reassess our goals.

Julie

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