Welcome Back, Readers!
It's here. Finally, a new year! A clean slate. New possibilities. Endless opportunities. And I am encouraged and excited.Let's face it. 2020 unfolded like a horror novel: a global pandemic; race riots; political pandemonium; murder; mayhem; financial devastation and incidents that rivaled episodes of The Twilight Zone.
The only difference is that I couldn't cover or close my eyes through the scary parts this time. 2020 was certainly a wake up call for us all. Tomorrow is not promised. All reasons why we need to close this chapter in history, embark upon better times and forge forward.
Wouldn't you agree?
With this in mind, here are 5 must-have things each of us as writers should resolve to do in 2021.
(Feel free to add your own in the comments section).
1). PLAN
There's great validity to the adage: "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail." What would you like to accomplish in the next twelve months? How will you make your dreams a reality? What are your strategic goals? Your game plan? Your budget considerations? Make a plan then make a move! Planning involves taking inventory, writing down your aspirations, researching your options, then taking the needed steps for execution.
2). PUBLISH
With so much at stake, now is not the time for procrastination. Make this your "year of yes"!
Why not start that blog you've been considering? Or perhaps finish that novel that has been hidden away in a box under your bed? Remember? Publish before you perish.
It's a great legacy to leave the world.
3). PROMOTE
There's no getting around it: in order to share our work, build our writer's platform and get paid in the process, we must promote our books and services. This can be done through an array of activities. Things like guest posting at other blogs; article marketing; and asking people in our social media circles to include our links in their Tweets, etc.
Like it or not, it's a "necessary evil".
4). PARTNER
Last year, I had the opportunity to have some of my works published through participation in a few anthologies. What fun! It's something you should resolve to try as well. Collaborative projects allow writers to form creative alliances; share common interests; and potentially get their work in front of larger audiences. Here's a link to a previous post I covered on anthologies and related perks.
5). PERSEVERE
Contrary to popular opinion "professional" writing is not an easy task. Many of us writers must juggle competing demands; meet family obligations; overcome doubt; and contend with feast or famine cycles in the pursuit of our dreams. And did I mention maintain positive relationships with editors, work through countless computer glitches, and bounce back from rejection?
It's a tall order. Which is why it's crucial to stay focused and prepare to withstand the peaks and valleys that are a part of this way of life. For good measure, prayer helps too. :-)
Final Thoughts...
This year can be filled with great progress and great promise. If you "resolve" to put in the work and follow these key resolutions along the way.
Success is within your reach.
You. Got. This.
Thanks for reading. Have a great week ahead.
Your turn.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree?
Image credits: Pixabay.com
Thanks for the encouragement, Jen! Yes to all of the above. While dodging this week's interruptions, am working on a planning strategy. Wishing you all the best in 2021! :D
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for your loyal support--year after year, post after post. :-) Here's hoping that we both have an awesome 2021, Karen!
ReplyDeleteGlad to be an encouragement.
Thanks for your Must-Have Resolutions, for what Promoting is concerned, it took us some time to get noticed on Social Media.
ReplyDeleteNowaday's we do see more followers and some improvements, because at first on our Twitter we hardly ever had any Comments, Likes or Retweets....,
Also on our Pinterest we hardly ever had any PIN-savers, and now you can see - as I recently Tweeted about - we start to get much more PIN-savers.
In the recent Tweet with the - Helicopter - you can discover how we 'Easily' get more of them!
All the Best for 2021 !
Thanks so much, H.P.
ReplyDeleteWishing you much continued success!