Revision? Yes! Maggie 2.0

Are you like me? Does negativity hover in some dark corner of your mind? Do you hear that insidious whisper when you mess up, that mean voice that says,"You don't have what it takes"?

In 2009, I want to tune that voice out. I want to reach my goals without feeling like an impostor. I want to be genuinely happy with my accomplishments.

Why is that so hard?

I can't speak for anyone but myself. In my case, sheer determination got me this far. I don't believe, by any stretch of the imagination, that I am the most talented writer on the face of the planet. I'm met some amazing writers, made some terrific friends in the publishing industry. I've also seen people get kicked in the teeth when the market changes, when an agent or editor loses favor, when sales tank.

There's so much you can't control in publishing, and if you do have some success, there is pressure to top what you did last time. It's enough to scare anyone straight into a serious case of writer's block. And if you think about all that can go wrong, or even stop to worry about one thing going wrong, you feed that negativity corner, and dilute your energy for moving forward.

That's my plan for 2009. To focus on positive thinking, to spend less time stressing over things I can't change, and to work toward my publishing goals. This holiday season I was blessed to be surrounded by family and friends. I drew strength from their belief in me. That was real, not fiction, not a worry. I want to keep that spark in my heart and use it to sustain me through the icy patches of 2009.

Another thing I learned in 2008 was that it was nerve wracking to have three small press books come out in three months. I met myself coming and going with promotional efforts. Marketing heavily diluted time from writing, and I'd rather be writing. My goal for 2009 is to contract more books, but to space out the release dates better, to spend more time writing, less time marketing.

There you have it. The new and improved Maggie 2.0.

TREAT YOURSELF: READ A BOOK TODAY.

Maggie
www.maggietoussaint.com
www.facebook.com/maggietoussaint/
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