Resolving to Write in 2013

Is anyone else trying to figure out where 2012 has gone? This year has zipped by like an Air Force jet breaking the sound barrier. I realize that I was consumed by releasing two books, 7 Easy Steps to Memoir Writing and Never Say Perfect and speaking to groups on the topic of memoir writing, plus moving my mom from North Carolina to Pawleys Island, SC, but I feel as though I just went to sleep in January and woke up at the end of December and am facing 2013 with a long “To Do” list and much to accomplish!

January always brings thoughts of new beginnings, fresh ideas, and a resolve to do some things differently, raising the bar slightly higher to set even loftier goals. What do I hope to achieve in 2013?

•  Releasing a book that features my 2011 tour of Italy with three friends (as chronicled in my blog at http://www.4womenwholove2travel.blogspot.com) in print format and as an e-book for Kindle and Nook. The title is From Italy With Love and Limoncello, and I expect a release date of late January or early February if I can devote a few uninterrupted days to final editing and formatting!

•  Continued progress on the ghost writing of the life story of a dear friend, whose experiences rival a Lifetime TV movie. Some of the obstacles she overcame are truly amazing, and throughout the darkest days and most difficult times, she remained enthusiastic and appreciates every single day of life. This story is a work-in-progress, but I would like to see this book reach publication some time in 2013. I know it will be an inspiration.

• Continued progress on writing Never Say Hopeless, the sequel to Never Say Perfect. In this next saga, Laina accepts a challenge that is way beyond her comfort zone. The family adventure continues. Will she and Connor ever have a serious, committed relationship? Will Susan marry Dr. Scott Beck, the renowned plastic surgeon? Will Jason continue to live in Milan and marry Allegria? Stay tuned! This one’s going to glue you to the pages.

• Two more “How To” books for writing life stories—one for your pets and one for your spiritual life.

• On a personal note, I want to try to connect more frequently with beloved family members and friends in spite of a crazy schedule and one that requires blocks of time in isolation in order to concentrate on the above projects. I also want to make sure I remain active with my church and Life Group, a special collection of ladies, and to attempt to carve a little time for my golfing friends. I think we’re already at the point of needing far more hours in the day than exist.

I hope you’ll contemplate your 2013 goals and resolutions, and try to include making this the year that you take active steps to preserve your life stories for future generations. There are amazing memoirs and autobiographies out there to read, which will help you gain some insight into how this genre is successfully written. Four examples that I have recently read are The Man of Passage by Ian Mathie, Days of a Wounded Heart by Barbara Flowers Jacobs, The Outhouse at the End of the Earth by Sherry Day, and The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. In these non-airbrushed stories, the authors reveal events that represented the good, the bad, and the ugly in life. Jeannette Walls describes a childhood that makes Honey Boo Boo appear to be living a luxurious life!

If you want to discover an uncomplicated, logical method of writing about the events of your lifetime, 7 Easy Steps to Memoir Writing: Build a Priceless Legacy One Story at a Time! will gently guide you through the process. It was written to remove the “overwhelmed” feeling from an otherwise daunting memoir writing project.

My next blog post will feature an interview with Stuart Gustafson, a dynamo who shares my passion for memoir writing, creating fiction, and travel. Please watch for that post in mid-January.

May 2013 bring you joy, hope, good books to devour, excellent health, many blessings, and much love!

Mary Anne