How do you measure success? We all have our ways. For me success usually means either productivity or outside acknowledgement. This year, I'm achieving both. I've joined listserves to help keep me prolific: one in which I commit to writing 100 words a day for 100 days; one in which I commit to writing a new poem every day; one in which I commit to writing (and posting) 15 pages of work every week; and for my health a Daily Challenge that is related to health. I've belonged to the 15 pages/week for years, disappearing for months at a time, but have been active again now for several months again. So far in 2011, I have written over 60 new poems, which I will edit and polish next year, unless I decide to stop writing new work and start editing at some point this year.
Meanwhile, I continue to send out my edited work, and have had three poems accepted so far this year. One to Mom Egg, one to Stillwater Review, and one to be published in the book "paying attention: a river of stones."
On the days I have a migraine, I write migraine poems (3 so far this year). I've written with a temp of 102 when I had the flu. I wrote through the flu, an ear infection, beautiful days of sunshine when I could have been gardening, the weekends, and sheer laziness when I didn't "feel like it." Commitment is a powerful motivator. For me.
