First Pessimism of 2017

I could do many a thing with the first blog entry of 2017.

I could talk about goals. But we all know how well goals go.

I could talk about Doleful Creatures. But go back to that comment about goals.

Scott Adams talks about systems rather than goals.

Not that Scott Adams should be consulted on everything. Because, like all of us, he is an enormous wiener.

But goals for Doleful Creatures haven’t been working, as has been noted by my supporters/critics, one of whom has published two books in the time I’ve been tinkering with this one.

So what could be Doleful Creatures’ system?

Maybe the system should be to cut fluff from the story and to concentrate on moving the plot and characters along. But that’s what I’ve been doing already under the rubric of “goals,” which shows you can only take Scott Adams’ advice only so far. I’m sure he’d have something else to say about this, but he’s got his own cabbage to chew, and this is my plate.

I think the system is going to be to read it through at least once, without the pen in hand. Just read it. No markings. And then see how the story makes me feel at the end. Or wherever I give up reading it. And then take it from there to make the next reading, without pen in hand, more pleasant.

Well, that’s a system.

Or maybe I set it aside and use my poor editing skills on The Hermit of Iapetus instead? 

Nah.

One thing is for certain: Not skipping NaNoWriMo this year. Done that for the past couple of years, as I’ve “edited”. You can see where that’s got me.