I haven’t had the most productive writing year, for a variety of reasons (i.e., excuses). I’m determined to do better in 2013. It’s time, then, for some . . . resolutions.
My resolutions tend to be of the standard, non-writing variety: Lose Weight (I started my diet in October, so I got a jump start on that one); Exercise More (ditto); Drink Less (what, are you kidding me?). One I plan to work on between now and the end of the year is cleaning my office (not to mention the rest of the house) so I can start the new year with an uncluttered work space.
So my life is in pretty good shape . . . except when it comes to the writing. And here, thankfully, a friend just passed along some guidance from the Creative Nonfiction blog that I intend to take to heart: Keep Your Writing Resolutions This Year! Now, you should take the time to read the original, which goes into some detail, but here’s the basic list of tips for making effective resolutions:
- Get Specific (also realistic)
- Make Time (no excuses; for me, it helps to stick to a specific schedule every day, but that may not work for everyone)
- Get a Partner (the buddy system works)
- Move Past Doubt (“give yourself permission to do some bad writing” — Frank Conroy)
- Write it Down (But not just the main resolutions–see number 1–but make lists along the way with some specific milestones; I love lists, or, more accurately, I love crossing things off my list, so this is a good one for me.)
- Be Still (This is a biggie for me–basically it means find a way to disconnect from the internet, your phone, etc. It’s hard, but . . . find a way.)
That’s the short version. Be sure to read Anjali Sachdeva’s original for more detail.
