New Year’s Resolutions For Weird & Wonderful Writers

Today is the last day of the year and we shouldn’t spend too much time crying about all the failed resolutions we didn’t follow through with over the past 364 days. Tonight at midnight will mark the moment of a fresh opportunity. We will have a clean slate for 2019. So, what can we do to make our new year as weird and wonderful as the unique souls that live within us?

I made a list of achievable goals specifically for writers ranging from quite simple to complicated tasks. You decide. I’m challenging you to pick one or two things off this list to push yourselves into becoming a happier creative person.

New Year’s Resolutions For Weird & Wonderful Writers:

• Be kind. Even if people are ungrateful monsters.
• Be understanding of others. A reminder that some people may be going through some kind of hell you know nothing about, such as: early onset of dementia, breast cancer, a suicidal child, an abusive spouse, another miscarriage, job loss, bankruptcy, death of a loved one or pet, etc.
• Be easy on yourself. There is no need to criticize your own work, as there is already a long lineup of nasty people out there eager to do that for you.
• Network with others. Find people who share your drive, your passion and your outlook on life. Search for your tribe and spend time with the people who are enthusiastic about the same things as you are.
• Find a mentor. Discuss your fears and your successes. Ask for guidance.
• Be a mentor. Encourage, inspire or motivate someone else to follow their dreams.
• Dream dangerously. If you can dream it, you can do it. Write the thing that scares you. Deep emotions are the key to writing fast page-turners.
• Read. Read anything and everything. Buy books. Borrow books from the library. Listen to audiobooks while you walk the dog, cut the grass or shovel snow. By reading, you are researching how other writers master the skill of writing (or not).
• Participate. Take a writing course or workshop. Attend a writers’ conference or a writing retreat. These are all great things to help you improve your writing skills.
• Support an author. Buy their books. Attend their book launches. Write a review. Tell all your friends. Spread the news, because word of mouth is a kickass way to help an author… an author who could easily become a future personal friend.
• Learn something new. Research. Surprise yourself. Try doing something new. Write about it. (Did you know I ride a motorcycle? That was my Try-Something-New-In-2018 thing). You can do anything you want to do. It’s not too late. You’re not too old. Just do it. Age is only a number.
• Give yourself a deadline. Buy a calendar or an agenda. Pencil in due dates, daily word counts, weekly goals, to-do lists, reminders, contest deadlines, writing retreats, writing group meetings and coffee dates with other writers. This works great for visual writers who like to work to a deadline. Guaranteed to inspire and motivate you to produce more work. (I’m quite childish and use stickers to indicate when I have achieved a goal or submitted my work. It makes me smile knowing I have accomplished something.)
• Kiss your soulmate. Make love to them as if you won’t be here tomorrow. Unfortunately, there’s a chance this may come true, even if you don’t want it to. Shit happens. Tomorrow is not a guarantee for anyone.
• Be brave and fearless. Even if you are faking it. (Fake it until you make it. Pretend to be someone, until that someone turns into you. ~ Steven Tyler)
• Make art. Show the world, without worrying about what people will say. There will always be critics, but you need to remember there will always be people who will love what you create too.
• Submit your work. Try sending out your writing to a contest, a literary magazine or an agent.
• Get rejected. The more you are rejected, the more you’re trying and there will be a better chance of succeeding. When rejections start to pile up, find your tribe and share your failures… they’ll share theirs, and you’ll realize you’re not alone and that failure is a big part of succeeding. You can do this. Keep going. (Personal note: Milk Chocolate also helps ease the pain of rejection if all of your tribe is unreachable.)
• Limit your connection. Social media is great to keep in contact with other writers, but you can easily become Alice falling down the rabbit hole, losing hours of your life in a blink with nothing to show for it… or worse, you can be consumed by all the success your writing friends are having and decide you can’t do this. Everyone is leaving you behind. Writing a novel is hard, so you might want to give up. Quit writing. Don’t let this happen to you. Put down your cell phone and write something. I believe in you. YOU can do this.
• Take a break. Think about where you want to be, what you want to do, and plan on how to make it happen. If you want to talk to another struggling weird and wonderful person, I’m available for coffee dates throughout the year.
• Finish your shit! Butt in chair. *cough, cough* This is my personal New Year’s Resolution that takes primary spot over everything else. I struggle with my focus by jumping from project to project. When someone says concentrate on one thing until it is finished, I turn into stone and I can’t follow through with it. So, I’m going to try this thing called FOCUS for 365 days, meaning I’m going to be BADASS every single day. I’ll let you know how it turned out at the end of next December… either you’ll be invited to my book launch or my funeral. Wish me luck.

So, have you made any resolutions for 2019?

If so, I wish you all the best in making and creating the best damn piece of art possible.

In the meantime, STAY WEIRD & WONDERFUL!

Have a safe and happy New Year!