A pat on your back!
So, we’re nearly at the end of the year and it’s time to take stock of our writing over the past twelve months. Did you set goals back in January? If you did, how have you got on?
Just a word of caution – please don’t be too harsh on yourself, or too judgmental. We all have lives to lead and, as has been said in this column before now, life does have a habit of getting in the way from time to time! Writing goals, or New Year Resolutions, should be regarded as a motivational wish list, rather than set-in-stone targets.
I know many writers aim for a set number of words every day. A worthy goal, of course. And regular writing is very much recommended by established authors and tutors. The important thing to realise is that one or two days’ failure should only be regarded as a blip, not a full-stop. Have your free day from writing, but make sure you carry on. Nobody but yourself is counting!
Just feel guilty!
I was quite taken with the quote on this page which I found on Facebook:
You don’t have to write every day to be a writer; you just have to feel guilty every day that you don’t!
I like it – and it certainly applies to me! But, in mitigation, when I have days free from writing, I am inevitably thinking about writing on those days – planning, plotting, researching, observing, note-taking, and daydreaming about my characters. So really, that’s job done and it’s certainly not a wasted day.
Among my resolutions back in January were finishing, editing and publishing a historical novel that I started many years ago. My idea was to send it out to Beta-readers, which I did, and then to edit it, taking into account the feedback I received. Yes, ticked that box too. But I also needed to get a cover for the novel and that has proved more difficult than I thought it would be. Editing is nearly finished and I’m now aiming for April 2026 for publication.
For me, keeping the old grey matter in good order is another goal, so learning something new is always on my list. That includes learning more about writing, which I tend to do through articles, websites, books and talks. But also non-writing learning. This year I’ve attended workshops in pottery, bookbinding and glass fusion, been to several historical talks and visited seven museums. Why not make a list of your writing accomplishments and learning – and give yourself a really good pat on the back!
Depending on what happens on New Year’s Eve, I hope to be back with you on January 1st! Have your Resolutions ready, including one or two new writing ideas. You might like to try a different genre of writing, or some different competitions, or helping a writing buddy, or reading two books a month. I’m sure you can be more creative! I look forward to hearing from you.
Happy writing and wishing you a most enjoyable festive time.
Linda
Let's Get Writing 