Canadian Authors' Literary Resolutions for 2014 - Part Two

Writers have their own kinds of New Year's resolutions, so we asked some of Canada's favourite scribes in various genres to tell us about their goals for 2014. Read on to hear from these fine writers about their bookish resolutions — and don't miss our first round of authors' literary resolutions.

We wish them — and you — the best of luck!

Canadian Authors' Literary Resolutions for 2014

Catherine Bush

Resolution:
I'm starting a new novel in 2014. I've been researching for a while but now I'm walking towards the door that opens into writing, hand on the door knob, the voice on the other side already loud in my ear. She's almost impatient. Opening the door feels both joyous and terrifying.

Catherine Bush is the author most recently of the novel Accusation and Coordinator of the University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA.

Shawn Micallef

Resolutions:
1. To read fiction, sometimes. All I seem to do is read non-fiction.

2. To actually sit down and take the time to actually read a whole book. This activity is forever bounced out of the day, somehow, by other tasks and deadlines, or it's left to bed, when I fall asleep 1/2 way through a page.

Reading an actual whole book, not just looking up bits and parts in the course of research for writing I'm doing. Just reading and being with a whole book, from start to end.

I guess this is like committing to short term relationships. OK.

Shawn Micallef is a Toronto Star columnist, editor & co-owner of Spacing, and the author of Stroll: Psychogeographic Walking Tours of Toronto.

Sandy Pool

Resolution:
My literary resolution is to finish a draft of this novel-ish thing I'm trying to write. Also, I'd like to read more and watch less reality t.v. about giant snakes being found in people's toilets.

Sandy Pool is the author of two books of poetry, including her most recent book: Undark: An Oratorio with Nightwood Editions.

Vikki Vansickle

Resolution:
My 2014 writing resolution is to be more playful in my work. To hell with stakes and meaning, I want to embrace the irreverent and experimentation! Writing should be fun, why else would I dedicate so much of my time to it?

Vikki VanSickle is the author of four books, including the Clarissa series and was nominated for the 2011 Libris Award's Children's Book of the Year.

Natalie Zina Walschots

Resolution:
My primary literary resolution for 2014 is to diversify my reading, making a conscious and concerted effort to choose more books that don't necessarily reflect my identity and experience. In particular, I want to read more books by writers of colour, LGBTQ authors, and writers from different cultural, economic, and religious backgrounds. I want to embody #DiverseCanLit in the books I'm reading and reviewing in 2013.

I also want to read more for pleasure, rather than books that I think are somehow "good" for me. In my case, this means more science fiction and fantasy, more horror, more comics, and more collections of speculative fiction short stories.

Natalie Zina Walschots is a promiscuous wordsmith and cultural critic based in Toronto who writes about heavy metal, arts and culture, combat sports, comic books, video games, feminism and Canadian literature.

Sarah Liss

Resolution:
My literary resolution is to finally plow through the massive pile of novels (Salter! Tartt! Murakami! Semple!) I've put aside over the past few years because I haven't had enough time to properly focus on them. (Somehow there's always enough mental space to rewatch Gilmore Girls ...) I also plan to put up bookshelves and, at long last, unpack my entire library, which is currently stashed in boxes. And I would really, really, really love to follow through with the children's picture-book project that's been clattering around my head for ages — I'm hoping my impending kid (pub. date late May) will be a catalyst.

Sarah Liss is the music columnist and culture editor of The Grid and the author of Army of Lovers: A Community History of Will Munro.