This is the first day of a new year and of a GISH Personal Challenge. Anyone who has found this blog by accident may not be aware of the GISH Personal Challenge or of GISH at all. That's okay, I won't hold it against you.
Basically, GISH is the Greatest International Scavenger Hunt, a week-long hunt that is the largest of its type, founded by Misha Collins. Each year, thousands of players from around the globe play for fun or compete to win. Pre-pandemic, the prize was a life-changing trip to a bucket-list destination. Covid-era prizes have been less travel-centric and more about bragging rights, swag, virtual meetings and the all-important GISH points.
Along with the weekly hunt, GISH has a habit of springing mini-hunts and just-for-fun events on us throughout the year. One of these is the annual Gishmas hunt, which has no teams and no pressure. Some of us join in while others take the time off.
In 2020, a gisher suggested a personal challenge be added to the Gishmas list. Throughout the year, those of us who participated worked on something we had wanted to do for a very long time. I became a certified yoga teacher. Others took on health-related challenges, learned foreign languages, learned and/or honed new skills and so much more.
This year, my challenge is to write a novel that has been rolling around in my head for many, many years. My goal is to have it completed, including editing, no later than June. I can then start shopping it out to agents and publishers when I feel it is ready.
In the meantime, I am still working on getting my current novel published. I have had a couple of offers, but neither feels like the perfect fit for my work, but that's a blog for another day. In the meantime, while I'm writing this new novel, I'll still be looking for a good home for my existing one. Though that's not technically part of the GISH Personal Challenge, I'll keep that information updated here as well.
With today being the first day of the new year, it is also the first day of the challenge. My first step is right here - making the declaration and getting my mind in order. The coming weeks will surely be a mix of excitement and frustration, but that's for Future Me to know.
I'll see you next week!