Resolutions (Part 5)

We wrap up our discussion of New Year’s Resolutions:

How do you celebrate success? What happens when you fail to achieve the goal?

The satisfaction of doing it is usually enough for me! Though of course, I don’t need much of an excuse to have chocolate, a hard cider, or Framboise. If I don’t make a goal, I just reschedule a new target completion date. (As has been said, life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.)—Joni Sensel, author of THE FARWALKER’S QUEST and its sequel THE TIMEKEEPER’S MOON.

I shout it out online to writing friends and fans on my LiveJournal and Facebook pages. If I get a new book cover, it goes up on www.LindaJoySingleton.com. A new sale is always so exciting. I get on the phone to call special friends and family. Then I get to work, because a new sale usually means lots of writing/editing ahead. Mostly, I feel a huge weight of relief because now I can relax to writing for a while without focusing on submissions or promotions.—Linda Joy Singleton, author of the DEAD GIRL and THE SEER series.

Low-key celebrations are best for me. I have a collection of champagne corks but I haven’t popped one for Galaxy Games yet.—Greg R. Fishbone, author of the upcoming GALAXY GAMES series.

I celebrate success normally with a special treat, whether it’s a nice dinner, a massage, or something I’ve been wanting to get for a while. But I think it’s important to remember to live life like everything is a success, not just the achievement of goals.—P. J. Hoover, author of The Forgotten Worlds trilogy, which includes THE EMERALD TABLET, THE NAVEL OF THE WORLD, and THE NECROPOLIS.

I rarely “fail” at goals—though sometimes I may have to revise the deadline, and sometimes I may choose to drop the goal altogether because other things have changed. I guess I don’t usually celebrate reaching goals, either, except maybe to take the afternoon off, make popcorn and read a book, if it’s a big goal like finishing a manuscript. I do like to celebrate successes like selling manuscripts, or even getting good news about potential interest. This happens so rarely that it’s good to celebrate and remind yourself that it can happen. Celebrating can often get lost in the busyness of day-to-day life, though, and even a “celebration” like a book launch party can feel like marketing work rather than fun. I guess I need to celebrate more!—Chris Eboch, author of the middle grade HAUNTED series, which includes THE GHOST ON THE STAIRS, THE RIVERBOAT PHANTOM and THE KNIGHT IN THE SHADOWS.

I think Chris is right—lots of us probably need to celebrate more, to really recognize the value of what we accomplish (even if nobody else does).—Joni Sensel, author of THE HUMMING OF NUMBERS, about a 10th century would-be monk and a young wood-witch on the run.

Sounds like you all are pretty low-key. At my day job, I get a bonus every time I finish a project. I think we should make that a practice for ourselves in our writing—you all need to give yourselves some better bonuses for finishing your work. Parker Peevyhouse, author of science fiction.

Readers, how do you celebrate successes? Any tips for us on giving ourselves better bonuses?

That wraps up our Resolutions roundtable. Thanks for stopping by!

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