Three Simple 2010 Resolutions for Writers

“ Tis the season to make promises.

Fa La La La La, La, La La, La

Most of them will get broken.

Fa, La, La, La, La, La, La, La”

Ok enough singing. As the end of the year approaches and each of us begin to assess our successes and also our areas of improvement, we find ourselves making promises:  to be a better person, to work harder, to finish writing that novel, or to stop spending.

Most of our promises are fleeting with no backing.  Let us take this promise — “I promise to finish my novel” — as an example. If your novel is in the true development stage, where the author (you!) has written the title and possibly the first sentence of the epic tale, you many want to alter that resolution.

Here are three simple 2010 resolutions.

1. Be realistic

If your resolution is to complete your highly anticipated first novel, break that promise into a goal that is easier to achieve. Change up your thought process slightly. Say to yourself, “Self, I promise I will finish the first and the last chapter of my novel by mid February.”  Writers usually have a phenomenal beginning, which entices them to write, and a blockbuster ending, to set the world on fire.  The middle of the story, at times, tends to bog us down.  So for now, put it aside.  Here is the fun part.  Bribe yourself:

If I keep my promise/resolution, I will buy myself a new black, fine ink pen. (This is for those, like me, who have pen fetishes). Whatever may tickle your fancy, buy it, and reward yourself for creating an intelligent resolution and sticking to it!

2.  Read the Work of Others

For this resolution I will use the example of Fuel Your Writing. The amount of information embedded on this site is overwhelming.  There are hundreds of excellent websites, fantastic advice, and timely information that should be read by all.  So, to keep track of the knowledge that is vital to you and your first resolution, organize what you read.  Set up folders to store the stories that left an impression.  Instead of simply just book-marking the sites you found interesting, create a folder within your bookmarks for all of your FYW links.  Thus saving you energy and countless minutes searching for that one particular website that an author mentioned in their June 6^th post.

3. Write

The last resolution is quite easy to keep.

I, Giselle MacLean, want you to buy a journal at your local dollar store. While you are there, buy a pen or two.  Go home, open the journal, and put the pen in your hand.  Then write a paragraph on how some random girl who writes for FYW told you to do this. BOOM! You have the beginning of a great story.

No matter what you decide, make sure to have fun with your resolutions.  Trust me, by doing so, you will be more likely to keep them.