Well, this is embarrassing. I thought I’d write a post about writing resolutions for a new year by reviewing my resolutions for 2017 and noting how I did.
But I can’t find my list of resolutions.
Anywhere.
So I either 1) put it somewhere I wouldn’t forget, and I’ll find it in another six months or so, or 2) the dog ate it, along with several grocery lists and the instructions for assembling my husband’s new bike, or 3) I never made a list in the first place.
I have a suspicion it’s door #3: I never made resolutions for 2017.
And here’s why:
- Years ago, I realized I didn’t have to wait for a new year to begin new habits or improve on old ones. Making resolutions is really procrastination, waiting for the right moment to begin a new project or make a change. Every writer I know has learned the truth – there is no ‘right’ moment to start writing. A new year is not going to magically make it happen. You just have to sit down and write. Now.
- Resolutions sugarcoat tough realities. Of course, a writer resolves to write a book every year. Some years, that actually happens. Yippee! Other years, that ambitious resolution gets buried by the nuts-and-bolts of marketing the last book you wrote, preventing you from even picking a topic or plot for the new book you wanted to write this year. Or you have a family crisis that demands all your attention and energy. Experienced writers know that life happens…and when it does, writing resolutions go out the window…until those same writers are ready to process what they’ve experienced and incorporate it into their next book, which may not be the next book they thought they’d be writing.
- Resolutions are limiting. Again, life is full of surprises, and when a writer feels tugged in a new direction, an old resolution can be inhibiting. Why keep hammering away on that novel you’ve worked over for years, when an unexpected opportunity to write (or co-write) a self-improvement book presents itself and you find yourself drawn to it? Good writers know they need to welcome growth opportunities, sometimes even before they finish old projects.
So you won’t find me writing resolutions for 2018 in the next week. Instead, I’m going to rejoice in all the satisfying things my writing life brought me in 2017: learning how to build my own website, hearing from a growing number of readers how much they enjoy my books, an unexpected nomination for a Christy Award from my publisher, invitations to speak to groups, returning to writing a blog, sharing my faith with published devotionals, and mentoring new writers.
Wait a minute. I am going to write one resolution after all. And here it is: Thank God every day for the gift of writing.
I know I can remember that. And I’ll never have to worry about the dog eating it, either…
Happy New Year, writers!
How about you? Do you make resolutions?
Has the date snuck up on you? Maybe you were hunkered down all of November to participate in this year’s NaNoWriMo challenge. Or perhaps you’ve got a book deadline, and the focus on your writing sphere has kept you from realizing what’s going on in the real world. Yikes!
The Story of Us: Write a condensed version of your special moments with the gift recipient, the traits or talents you especially appreciate in them, or a shared dream. How did you meet? Did you watch them enter the world?
‘Tis the season to be thankful! As every writer knows, the writing life is filled with ups and downs, yet it’s a blessing to claim writing as a career/passion. So while this is too long a list of items to share in a Thanksgiving prayer before digging into the holiday turkey, you might want to take a few minutes on your own to make these observations food for thought and thanks!
I tackled something for the first time this year — a ghostwriting project. I must admit, it feels odd to have penned an entire body of work that very few people will ever know I am associated with. The crazier part? I wrote the entire first draft in nine days. Nine. Days!
When I was starting out, I learned some of my expectations were myth instead of facts. For me, it’s another reminder that there are things in life I don’t know I don’t know, until I experience for myself. Can you relate? In hindsight, there are several things I would tell my younger writing self.
Book signings rarely spur big sales — they’re more hype than help. But good speaking events still consistently drive buyers to your book tables.
It’s often harder to sell books than to write them, until you publish enough titles. The more you write, the more your followers tell their friends, who tell their friends, and so on, and so on. Many writers don’t stick it out that long.
If you write for any length of time, you’re going to need encouragement somewhere along the journey, no matter how long you’ve been at it. If you’re like me, you may need a lot of motivating words, and you can’t wait around expecting someone else to provide them. Often, to keep the creative juices flowing, you need to get intentional about inspiring yourself — which is why I keep my favorite encouragement quotes for writers close by.
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” — Maya Angelou
“The best time for planning a book is while you’re doing the dishes.” — Agatha Christie
WordServe Water Cooler 