10 Resolutions for Writers

1.  Write a Writer’s To-Do List- 
In the same way that you organize other aspects of your life: 1.  Going to the dentist 2. Stop by grocery store to buy milk 3.  Call Grandma to see how she is feeling today.  What would your Writer’s To-Do List look like?  1. Rewriting a scene? 2.  Zapping out passive words/voice 3.  Sharpening dialogue?

2.  Pace yourself- 
As you know, Rome was not built in a day and neither was the great American novel.  Do you want to publish something for the sake of saying “I’m published!” Or do you want to be published with integrity and respect?  Anything worth achieving is never easy to obtain, including the patience you need to write your masterpiece.

3.  Soar with the eagles!-  
Get out of your comfort zone and push through your boundaries.  Find the experts in your niche and read as much as you can about how to excel.  Take a workshop on how to improve your writing and your reading skills.

4.  Make Time to Read Everything- 
That’s an exaggeration, but the point here is that you have to make time to read and accept the fact that it will help you be a better writer.  Does an omniscient narrator tell your story?  It might be a good idea to focus your reading on best sellers with an omniscient narrator.    Is your story told with a historical backdrop?  Then read books about that part of history.

5.  Make Writer Friends:  
The best editor to a writer is another writer.  Same goes for a reader.  The best beta reader is another good reader who is also a writer.  Writing can be an isolating profession, but it doesn’t have to be.  Make friends!

6.  Get Social:  
Building your social media platform can be an overwhelming task.  Just beginning?  Find 1 or 2 social media outlets like Face book and Twitter and build followers.  Already somewhat established?  Refine your platform with updated material and share it with your readership and other writers. 

7.  Take a Vacation:  
Consider something different this year.  Plan your vacation where a notable Literary Conference will be.  This is a great way to meet agents, publishers, and of course fellow writers.

8.  Create a writers group:  
This is vital to your success as a writer.  One can also save money in editing by getting the counsel from fellow writers.  This is a place that should also be nurturing to the writer’s soul.

9.  Be like Nike and Just Do It!:  
After you have revised and done your best work-Submit it somewhere!  To a publisher, beta-reader, or an agent.

10.  Find inspiration:  
Exposing yourself to performance and movies can jumpstart creativity.

What would you add to the list?