Hi everyone!
Welcome to my first blog of 2018!
If you’ve visited my social media pages in the last few
weeks, you may have noticed that I made some changes. I have new banners on my
Facebook Author page, my Twitter feed will feature fun photos as well as book
news, free reads of all my books are available on the Manic Readers site, and
I’m now on Instagram. (Whew!)
It’s appropriate to think about changes at this time of
year. After all, we have brand new calendars hanging on our walls that are
filled with unexplored days yet to come. Every day is filled with hope,
possibilities, and opportunities to make this year really great.
As we head into the New Year, it seems that everyone’s
talking about changes and goals. What are your writing goals for 2018? Do you
want to finish the novel you started last year (or haven’t started yet)? Send
out a dozen short stories? Enter a contest? Now is the perfect time to sit down
and make a list of all you want to accomplish. Having a list of projects and
priorities will help keep your writing objectives on track.
For example, if you’re determined to start a new book, make
a timeline for research, character development, plotting, etc. Give yourself a
deadline for when you want to start writing and stick to it. Decide how many
pages or chapters you want to finish each day/week/month. Little by little,
your book will take shape, and you’ll be amazed at your progress. (Need help
getting started? Check out my non-fiction writing guide, You Can Write -
Really!)
No matter what your writing goals are, a little pre-planning
will help you focus and allow you to flow from one writing project to another.
Preparation also keeps you motivated and fends off writer’s block, because you
always have “the next thing” to work on.
Take ten or fifteen minutes to evaluate your writing career.
What did you accomplish last year that you’re most proud of? What would you
like to achieve this year? What markets did you crack that you’d like to write
for again? Which publications do you really want your work to appear in?
When you write down your goals, start off your sentences
with a positive statement, such as: “I will finish my novel by June 1” or “I
will submit six articles to magazines.” After you’ve made the list, note what
you need to do to get started. This could include setting aside specific times
to write each day, getting writer’s guidelines, or sending out query letters.
Then, pick one project (the most time-sensitive one, or your personal
favorite), and get to work. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way to
publication!
One of my goals was to get my latest historical romance
novel “done” by today. (It’s my birthday!) It’s “done” in the sense that the
latest draft is finished. I need to give it another proofread before I send it
out, but that’s one goal down so far. (Another goal is to find a title for the
book ‒ but that’s a whole other subject…)
This is also the perfect time of year to let go of things
that no longer serve you. Simplify as much as you can, and you’ll make room for
new opportunities and events in your life. (This applies to everything – not
just writing.)
For example, if certain social media sites or groups aren’t
working for you, or are taking away from your writing time, scale back on the
time you spend there. Everyone get 24 hours each day, so choose how you use
your time wisely.
What are your writing goals? Is there a topic you would like
to see me address on the blog this year? I welcome comments/feedback about the
blog, my books, and my newsletter. Sign in and leave a comment or email me via
the “Contact the Author” form on the News page of my website.
Until next time,
Kelli
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