Back to Writing in the New Year

Well, friends, it's been awhile since I've posted. Good thing we're in the new year--always a passable excuse for starting over, or starting again!

In 2010, I am making a commitment to myself to write more. I have reserved Fridays as my writing day ("Write Friday" is what I jokingly call this commitment). I've decided to post as bit about my own goals achieved and trials endured, possibly an exercise or two, as well as info about what's happening around town.

So, to start: last Friday, I revised an essay that I first started about nine months ago--and I sent it out! Hopefully I'll have some good news about it, down the line.

Today, I am starting two new systems for myself. In one journal, I am recording each Friday what I accomplish and listing what I didn't get to and/or what I plan to attend to the following Friday. That way, I always have somewhere to start, but I'll also be able to track where I get excited by a new option or idea and pursue it over what I "planned." I hope to learn more about my attention (and intention) patterns this way. In another smaller notebook, I have decided to record every book I read this year and the date I complete it. In this process, I hope to learn my average reading rate and what kinds of books I am reading, so that I can make intentional changes in the future.

Okay, now some EVENTS!

January 28: See past Tomales Bay Workshops faculty member Nick Flynn at 7:30 PM at the San Francisco Zen Center! Flynn's new book is about to come out. It's called The Ticking Is the Bomb. Flynn is a writer of poetry and nonfiction; this book is a memoir. Flynn's previous books include Some Ether (poetry) and Another Bullshit Night in Suck City (memoir), both of which I have read and enjoyed. For more info, visit http://nickflynn.org/.

January 29: Stories on Stage kicks off at the Sacramento Poetry Center! Come see short fiction by writers from Sacramento and surrounding areas at it is performed by local actors. The debut night features performances of the work of Jodi Angel and Naomi Williams (both UC Davis Extension instructors!). Be there! Show starts at 6:30 PM. For more info, visit http://valeriefioravanti.com/SoS.aspx.

March 22: Head to San Francisco to see past Tomales Bay Workshops faculty member Robin Romm read. Romm is the author of The Mother Garden (stories) and last year's acclaimed The Mercy Papers. I've ready both and she's fantastic. Head on over! Reading is at 7pm at
San Francisco State University (Writers on Writing in the Humanities Building). For more info, go to http://www.robinromm.com.

Happy reading and writing!