by Edie Melson
6 steps to help determine the direction yourwriting takes in 2014 – via @EdieMelson (Click to Tweet)
I can’t help it. The time between Christmas and New Years
is—at least in my mind—no man’s land. It’s a time filled with clean up, hurry
up and wait up. In many ways it’s the lull before the storm.
January is when I hit the ground running, determined to start
things off right. One of the reasons I’m able to do that is because I do some
re-evaluating during this week. I always ask myself one question. Where does your writing go from here?
The answer is tied to several things, the one word I choose
to define my year (look for that post soon). My past successes this year, and
where my passion is leading me.
Don’t get me wrong on the passion part. I can—and often
do—write for money. But even that feeds my passion. It may support the
conferences I want to attend, gives me the financial freedom to pursue my
dream, and even helps build my platform as a writer.
Today I want to concentrate on how I go about finding the
direction for my year.
Finish Well. Yes, I start with this. I begin by tying up the loose ends from the
year. I make plans to fulfill commitments and get things cleared out so I can
begin working toward this year’s goals.
Pinpoint my Passion. What ignites my writing fire? Is it
novels, non-fiction, blogging, a combination? I prayerfully consider all my
options and decide where I want to go in 2014.
Set Some Goals. I write down my goals and begin to look
at the timeline to achieve them. Then I make some plans.
Keep an Open Mind. I want to keep moving forward, but I
don’t want to develop tunnel vision. I will evaluate all the opportunities that
arise, but only take the ones that make sense.
Choose Joy. I have the power to choose my attitude.
Sometimes it’s a struggle, but I can choose joy over complaints.
Relish the Relationships. One thing I’ve learned is that
relationships are the most important things in my life. I’ll be making those a
priority, no matter what else I choose.
These are the things I do to start the year off right. What
are some of the things you do? Share your thoughts in the comments section
below.
Don’t forget to join the conversation!
Blessings,
Edie
Tweetables
Where Does Your Writing Go From Here – some ideas to helpyou start 2014 off strong. (Click to Tweet)
Setting goals is the biggest one. In 2014 I'd like to have 2 novels complete. Establish and stick with a writing routine. Focus on character development in my writing-craft continuing education. Blog regularly. And focus on about 5 blogs to follow and join in the conversation (including this one, of course). Oh, and stick with the exercise. It may not seem to have much to do with writing, but I've had such bad back pain that I stopped writing. The mind definitely functions better when you're healthy!
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