I have several resolutions for 2006 related to reading and writing. #1 is to read all the new books in my house before I buy any more. I also want to finish a book project I am working on, pitch to Esquire and the New York Times magazine and work on a few pieces that I have put on the back burner. I wondered what other writers had going as their work-related resolutions for the new year, so I asked. Meanwhile, what are yours? Let me know and I'll add them.

Shel Zolkewich: "I just posted my goals for 2006 on my blog and one of them was to earn $10,000 as a travel writer. I never considered myself much of a travel writer until I won a national award in October (Travel Media Award, National Awards for Tourism Excellence, Canada, thank you very much). It would be a darn shame not to milk this designation for all it's worth. So the pitching has begun."

Whitney Pastorek: "I am hoping to learn that constant procrastination is no way to live; that good posture and good typing are not mutually exclusive; and that the television-- while shiny and blinky and always happy to oblige me with a sporting event or repeat showing of "Stepmom"-- is not my friend, and so I should turn it off and perhaps investigate one of the many, many books stacked on the shelves of the living room instead, if I need to kill time so very badly, but do I really need to kill that time? (see above, constant procrastination, etc.)"

Jami Attenberg: "Mostly I'm just looking forward to the publication of my first book, Instant Love, and trying to figure out new and interesting ways to promote it without making myself sick of the sound of my own voice. (Too late.) Lately I've been thinking I need to hire a modern dance troupe to do a dramatic interpretation of my book through the streets of the East Village. It's either that or hire a publicist. I think the dancers might be cheaper actually."

Rachel Kramer Bussel: "I am going to attempt to stay in for most of January so I can finish a book proposal I've been working on for well over six months. Inspired by all the successes and recent deals friends have had, I want to give it my all and see what I can do with it while also keeping up with my freelance duties and full-time editing job. I'm actually looking forward to having some time to myself and this way I won't feel guilty about saying "Sorry, I can't come to your show or reading" because I'm not going to anyone's events except my own this month! Hopefully by the end of 2006 I will have a book deal to show for it."

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Heather Dewar (Creative writing MA student, Northwestern University): "Mine's not very exciting, but it's to get a piece of fiction published somewhere, whether I get paid for it or not. I've got to get on the postage and just start sending things out."

Leonard Pierce: "I'm actually going to give full-time freelancing a try -- I plan on taking about three months off my day job this summer to see if I can make a regular income just off my writing. Scary!"

Annie Logue: "1) No working on Sundays. (As much as I'd like to say no work on weekends, that ain't happening; I'll settle for Sundays.)
2) Get a book proposal accepted.
3) Break into one new national market.

Oh, yeah, and lose weight and get in shape and be more patient with people - you know, the usual impossible resolutions."

MJ Rose: "As part of my New Year's resolution, in my effort to get more people hearing about more books, I'm going to post what I've been reading - as long as I liked the book. Hopefully I'll do a book a week. But certainly I'll manage two a month."