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The most wonderful Pam Asberry posted her word for the year yesterday.  You can read about it HERE.  Life coach and old high school classmate of mine Leonie Dawson also gets people to do the same (if you aren't aware of who Leonie is and what she does, I highly recommend you check her out by clicking HERE) in her workbooks.

It is usually something I do, but until I read Pam's post, I had forgotten to do it.  Last year, my word was courage.  I felt I needed to be brave, step away from my computer and go out and meet people.  Attend conventions as a vendor, do a public reading for people other than my friends, that kind of thing.  And you know what?  I did it.  And it wasn't awful (but it was terrifying).  In fact, it was all kinds of wonderful.  And you people, yes you, made it so.  You're actually very awesome.

So... yeah.  Thanks for that.

This year, I decided (or rather, it was decided for me), that the word of the year for me will be tenacity.

There is something I want more than anything else in the world.  I want to have a successful career writing fiction.  Thus far, it hasn't been much of a success.  With few people reading and even fewer reviewing my books, and since I'm not yet desperate enough resort to sock-puppetry, there is no way I will get noticed in a crowd of authors who do get their stuff read and reviewed.  I can't afford the cost of traditional marketing techniques like advertising and so on.

So... how am I to get noticed?  How am I to get read?  How on earth am I to find that tribe of 1000 or so people who are willing to talk about, share and help me get word out about my books?

Not a frakkin' clue.

But that won't stop me from trying.

Ever been so sure of something, so weirdly, unabashedly sure, despite all evidence to the contrary of something?  Well, that's how I feel about my career.  I feel I will be successful, despite all evidence to suggest I really won't.  Every setback, every disappointment has only added fuel to my drive.

I don't know why, or how.  All I know is that I can't quit.  Not yet.  More to the point, I won't.  I can't let myself.

Thus, my word for the year is something that I barely even need reminding of.  It's just something that's happening, even though good sense and a slightly broken heart (and humbled ego) is telling it not to.

Tenacity.

It will happen.