A List of 5 Things for 2017

Sweetcakes here. I've been up to changing things - on the site, in my life - to make more room to do very specifically one thing.

1. WRITE THAT NOVEL.

That in itself should occupy all of the top five thingsI'm going to accomplish in 2017. And it pretty much does, when I break it down.

2.  MANAGE MY NEW BUSINESS.

I started a marketing consulting business late in 2016 so that I could have the freedom and flexibility to work on #1 above. Part of that was giving up a full-time job I was still actively in love with. I did that in 2016. And now I'm working with a small set of clients to do marketing, content marketing, and marketing strategy to help pay the bills. I spent the last couple of months of the year just focusing on that so that I'd be ready to...work on #1 above.

3. DO LOCATION-SPECIFIC RESEARCH for MY NOVEL.

Part of my novel is set in my very own Salt Lake City. Another part? Paris. So there's that. 

4. KEEP THE CREATIVE ENERGY HIGH EVERY DAY.

I love the advice from Jonathon Evison, who actively works on writing a novel, editing a different novel, and researching still another, so that every day he comes to the table with something to do, regardless of the mood he's in.

My approach? That, as well as bringing in other small creative projects to keep my brain in acrobatics mode.  

The Big W writing - the novel. Writing the blog. Doing exercises that focus of the novel. Writing other things just for fun. Other miscellaneous creative projects just for fun. 

And, as always, staying physically active doing things I love and avoiding the gym at all costs. Tennis, snowshoeing, hiking, yes.

5. CONNECTING

That's about social media, of course. (Watch my novel progress on Instagram, for example.). It's also about - getting a book proposal out in the world, connecting at conferences, or writing retreats, or similar as opportunities come up. Staying in touch with Poppycakes and our friend ______cakes who is starting fresh on a novel this year, too. Staying in touch with my dear friend Chili sauce.

Three days in, 2017 holds a lot of promise. Thank the stars for that.