As 2015 begins, we as writers should take stock of our writing lives and make a few resolutions for our craft.

 

Not the sort we don’t intend to keep, however. Let’s make some resolutions that we can and will continue.

• Write when you don’t feel like it. I’m writing this post while I have the flu, so you can write something when you don’t feel like writing! Even a few words will be progress.
• Write your passion. Don’t try to guess the market or hop on the latest literary bandwagon. Write what you’re called to write – and there will be readers out there somewhere!
• Read for a variety of reasons. First, you want to see how the experts do it – how do professional writers handle dialogue and plot twists and setting and anything else you’re having trouble with? You want to study their techniques and learn how to create your own. And reading is just good for you – your mind absorbs what you read, your imagination is stimulated, and your brain gets a good workout. Plus, it’s fun, right?
• Don’t take this so seriously. Writing is supposed to be fun – well, most of the time. Sure, there will be times you feel like you’re slogging through knee-deep mud, but you should usually be enjoying yourself. If you’re not, lighten up. This doesn’t have to be the Great American Novel, you know. It can just be a fun little book that you wanted to write. Also, you can try the next step.
• Try a new genre. If you’re a fiction writer, try doing an article for your local newspaper or for a magazine. If you’re a nonfiction writer, try doing a short story. Try something totally different, like mystery if you usually write science fiction. Switch it up and give your brain a workout – and some fun, to boot.
• Back up your computer! This should be a given, but back up your work frequently. If you have an external hard drive, use it. If you don’t have one, at least store everything on a flash drive every few days.
• Write the truth. Be true to the world outside and inside. Don’t sugar-coat reality, even in a romance novel. And no matter how embarrassed you may feel about plumbing your emotional depths, don’t stint. Be truthful, even if it hurts.
• Stop comparing your achievements. So what if Writer X has a bestseller and your book isn’t doing as well? Stop grading yourself against others and just get your work out there. Instead, compare your ability – that’s something you can work on and improve!
• Do your research. This is probably a given, but do some homework before you write that setting you’ve never actually visited, or before you use that colorful old phrase in your historical piece.
• Listen up. Pay attention to what others are saying about your writing. Pay attention to what you’re reading from other authors. And pay attention to how your own work sounds as you write it.
• Complain less. Sure, writing can be hard – but so is any other job. If you find yourself griping about writer’s block yet again, or whining about having to rewrite that scene one more time – just stop and remind yourself of Resolution #4.
• Break a rule. Do something “they” say never to do. Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Who knows, it may turn out to be something great.
• Edit and rewrite. That first draft is supposed to be crap – it’s why they call it a first draft. Sure, nobody likes the editing/rewriting process. However, it’s an important part of writing, so just buckle down and do it.
• Build a skill. You know that area you “just aren’t good at”? Work on it. Learn to write better dialogue or exposition or sex scenes or whatever it is you feel you’re lacking. Study and practice and improve!
• Build a platform. If you don’t already have a website, start one. At least have a place readers can land and learn about the author and which books you have out there. A blog is a great thing if you have something to talk about, but a website is a must. If you don’t have a social media presence, get one. Facebook and Twitter are the biggest two, but YA authors should also cultivate Instagram and other sites where their readers congregate. Find something to post every day or two, even if it’s a just a snippet from your work that you’re having trouble with.
• Call yourself a writer. Start thinking of yourself as a professional writer, and you’ll soon be one in reality. Tell your friends and family that it’s not just a hobby any more. If someone asks what you do, say “I write.”
• Give something back. I mean to other writers. This can be as simple as writing some reviews on Amazon or Goodreads. Join a critique group and mentor another writer who’s a few steps behind you in the craft. Champion another writer in your genre by giving praise when you talk about the genre (both in public and in writing). There are many ways to give back to the writing community.

“Today is the first page of a 365-page book — write a good one.”

Didn’t get a source for that quote, but I saw it floating around the internet yesterday and thought it quite appropriate for us writers. It’s a new year: time for new beginnings, fresh starts, and clean slates.

Writing is a solitary craft. You tend to lose track of things like dates. It’s a good idea to come up for air once in a while, though, and reconnect with the world. New Year’s is a good time to do this. It’s the traditional sweeping out of the old, and a great opportunity to re-think your manuscript.

Instead of the more usual resolutions — weight loss and exercise goals, saving money or donating more to charity — I challenge you to create goals for yourself as a writer. Oh, all right, you can do that in addition to your other resolutions if you wish!

Here are some ideas for your writerly goals:

• Set a daily word or page count and keep to that goal
• Resist the editing urge – set a specific time to edit and stick to that (at the end of a chapter, for example, but no sooner)
• Track your progress – make a colorful chart or graph showing how far you’ve come
• Slow and steady wins the race – instead of beating yourself up for not writing as fast as your favorite author, pat yourself on the back whenever you finish a page or a chapter
• Work on your brand – if you haven’t done so already, set up that social media page and get your name out there
• Set up your website, too, and start blogging
• Read – spend some quality time analyzing how your favorite authors do it, or just getting some inspiration from enjoying a good story

And my favorite New Year’s goal? Write down every positive thing that happens to you over the next year, and tuck that scrap of paper into a jar or box. Next New Year’s — or anytime you happen to feel down — open up that package of happiness and refresh yourself.

What are your resolutions for the new year?