Chatty’s Goals for 2010

Happy new year people!  New year, new ‘decade’ (hush, pedants) and possibly new pants!

As is becoming a tradition on Musings, this is when I look over last year’s goals and set new ones.  I say goals and not resolutions because resolutions are all about ‘have to, and should, and ought to” and I have zero tolerance for that passive aggressive guilt-ridden crap. 🙂  Objectives are things you strive for, resolutions are things you hope to achieve, like  maybe, if I feel like it.

So onwards to the objectives.

RPG Writing and Online Presence

Looking over the 2009 list and given the state I was in when I wrote it, I’m impressed to see just how much was achieved.  Without rehashing yesterday’s post, I was able to recapture the fun of blogging and put Musings back on track.

It’s not as meaty as it used to be, I post less often but it sits exactly where I want it to be. It remains my little corner of this digital gamestore where I talk about my campaign, debate ideas, flirt with Indie games and describe my quest to become a better GM.

In 2009, I targeted a few up and coming writers and tried to give them a nudge here and there to get them to consider taking it to the next level (Submitting ideas for publication).  It might be weird for a guy who hasn’t actually published anything in 2009 to do that, but you have to understand I’m as much a teacher as a writer.

More specifically, my talent-senses have zeroed in on the guys who hide behind the aliases of Wyatt Salazar, Gamefiend and NewbieDM.  These guys ooze potential, quite possibly more than I do. I like to think that I helped them a bit over the last year and will continue doing so over the next one.  Be on the lookout for them.

I also did go to Gen Con but I never got around to publishing an e-book.  Missing just one Online objective isn’t bad.

I also officially started writing for RPG publishers, with one 4e adventure and 2 gaming magazine articles written, I overshoot last year’s objective. Yay!  The adventure and one article will see publication for sure.  Let’s hope the other one does too.

For 2010 things are going to be the logical progression of what was started in 2009.

• Maintain the blog , tackle and complete cool series like the ongoing one on creativity.
• Go to PAX east and Gen Con with the primary mission of playing and having fun (less working and schmoozing. Well… Some schmoozing)
• Build myself a name in the RPG industry outside of the online community (more gaming articles and pitches for magazines like Kobold Quarterly, Level Up and Dungeon).
• Make a pitch for one major D&D 4e product (like a 32+ page adventure or a guide)
• Publish at least 2 e-books of material based on my Blog.

Other Objectives

I’ve discussed my personal life too much in 2009 so I’ll spare you the review.  Suffice it to say that re-achieving balance and serenity was only the first part.

I’m also building myself a teaching, translating and non-RPG writing business.  I seriously doubt that it is viable to make a living as a freelance RPG writer and I want to expand my writing horizon further out. I will remain a Hobby-lancer because RPGs are one of my passions. Just don’t be surprised when you see my name pop in other types of blog.

(If you write such a blog, I’d love a guest post invite).

And who knows, maybe I’ll find a way to support my family without needing the ‘day job’ anymore?

So there you have it.  2010 will be about building a name outside of the Blog/online arena and implementing the changes that started in 2009.

What about your goals?  Any armchair designers getting ready to swim with the sharks yet?