As we emerge from that weird stage between Christmas and New Year's Eve that feels like one long day and step forward into a new year, many of us are making goals and resolutions. It's funny, for my day job, I wrote a large collection of blog posts for a few client's sites all about the topic of resolutions, so why not do one for WOW?
I'm not one for setting too many goals for the year ahead. Too many things can change, and I'm often far more optimistic than how things really turn out for the year. However, that won't stop me from making some. And as I contemplate which resolution is right for me this year, I thought I'd share a few ideas with you. Just in case you need a resolution or two (I won't tell anyone if you borrow one of mine).
Resolve to Submit More.
I think this will be one of my top resolutions for the year. Yesterday, I got a boost in confidence because I received a *positive* rejection for a story I had brought back into the revision process. The person said that my story had made it to the "editorial table." That gave me hope. Much, much needed hope. So, I have now three stories I feel strongly about submitting out to the world, and my resolution is to submit them more often than I have been doing.
So, if you haven't done much submitting, keep it up! Make it your goal to submit regularly each month.
Write every day.
I know, I know, me and every other writer advises this as a great resolution. So stop rolling your eyes. Hey, I said stop it.
But if you've tried writing every day and it just doesn't work, try a different approach. I read once that someone wrote about 100 words a day and it ended up working out great for them. The logic was that you usually end up writing way more than you think. So start writing about 100 words a day.
If that straight up doesn't work for you - and you've tried - then take on another approach I've attempted: commit one act of writing per day. It could be revising, submitting, or fresh new writing.
Read more.
At the start of the pandemic, I realized I just wasn't reading like I used to. And it wasn't until this year that I really got back into reading again. Sometimes my approach with books is a little like Goldilocks and the Three Bears and that's okay. If you aren't reading as much, take that on as a resolution. It goes without saying that reading influences our writing, and this is a wonderful goal to have for the new year. You don't even need to commit to anything on GoodReads, your reading goal could be as simple as one book a month.
If you are having a hard time finding good books, keep trying, keep looking. It sounds weird but try reading at different times of the day. Pick up a book early in the morning instead of at night. Maybe try reading during your lunch break. I find that my mind frame with books changes according to the time of day (as weird as that sounds) and I seem to be more open to reading if I read during the day than at night.
Alright, that's all I have for you today! So, Happy New Year, and I hope and pray that all of you step forward into the new year with hope and joy. 2021 was so hard for many of us, myself included, but I am a huge believer in being as optimistic as I can manage. Here's to a new trip around the sun!
3 comments:
Nicole--I cleaned my bookcase of bags of books that were not my beloveds, or that I had not ever read, even though I had had the books for years. I took them to a used bookstore, so others could enjoy them. I am (still) left with a stack of books that I need to read.
Great resolutions--especially the "write every day" one. I am sure 2022 will be a wonderful year for the Butt-Kickers.
If reading print isn't working for you, try audio books. Sometimes I'd rather have someone tell me the story.
Great tips, Nicole! I don't have a problem writing every day, but I have fallen out of the habit of reading. I'm so behind on writing reviews it's embarrassing, too. I think I'm going to resolve to quit scrolling through my phone with my morning coffee and read for at least 20 minutes. I also have not ever listened to audio books but I like that idea, Sue. I'm out walking so much I can take a break from podcasts and try something new!
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