New Year’s Resolutions for Writers

I don’t know about you, but I am one of those people who believes in the beauty of the new year and in making resolutions. I think there’s something about writing down your goals and giving yourself a deadline to achieve them that makes them especially powerful. This applies to writing, too. But there are other resolutions you can decide to tackle besides “write every day” or “read more.” If those goals don’t seem like something that would benefit you this year, consider trying some of these ideas to improve your writing life.

Find another creative outlet

Okay, it may seem weird that the first suggestion to help your writing is to do something other than writing. But I firmly believe that having a low-pressure way to be creative is crucial to keeping your creativity flowing, and therefore your writing unique. I like to paint with watercolors and take pretty pictures of books for my bookstagram. I’m not doing either of these to make money or anything like that—I don’t even show people my watercolor pictures! They’re just something that I truly enjoying doing for the sake of doing it. They’re both creative hobbies, but are more visual than writing so it challenges me to use my creativity in a new way. I think it’s especially important as writers to have a creative hobby that doesn’t require being on a screen at all, which is why I like painting. This year, take some time to try out new hobbies and find one that fits you best.

Read outside your genre

Of course reading is key to becoming a better writer. While it’s important to read books similar to the genre you write, it can also be beneficial (and fun!) to try some new genres. Never thought twice about reading a fantasy book? Why not give it a try? Do you turn up your nose at romance? Now is the time to give it a shot. Do some research to find books that people recommend as a good introduction to the genre, and then dive in. If you need some more ideas, check out my 2019 Reading Challenge to help broaden your horizons.

Embrace rejection

A common resolution that writers make is to get published. While this is a great goal to have, it often puts unnecessary pressure on you if you decide “I’m going to get published x number of times this year.” So much of querying an agent or submitting a piece for publication is out of your control (assuming you don’t self-publish), and may not even reflect your writing. Instead, setting a number of times you want to be rejected leaves all the power in your hands: you just have to submit. It also helps to quiet your inner perfectionist. Of course you want your work to be as good as it can be when you submit it, but there is something freeing in knowing that if it doesn’t get accepted, you can simply count it towards your rejections goal. It also encourages you to try things you never would have otherwise. Submit for that publication you don’t think you have a shot at, apply to present a paper at that top-tier conference—just go for it! The worst that happens is you get told no, and you’re one step closer to your rejection goal.

Create a productive routine

There is an assumption that routines kill creativity. In reality, routines can help boost your creativity, if used correctly. What works for other people may not work for you, and that’s okay! If you’ve never thought about the details about your writing process that help contribute to you being the most productive, now is a great time to experiment with those factors, like time of day, place, or ways to mentally prepare for writing. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn-out process; little things like clearing off your workspace, lighting a candle, or making yourself a cup of tea can, over time, become triggers to your brain that it’s time to work and help you skip over the “why am I even doing this” phase of a writing session.

Take pride in your work

As a creative person of any sort, it is all-too-easy to undervalue your work. You shy away from calling yourself a writer, or when people ask how the book is coming, you automatically go to self-deprecating humor. While it may seem harmless,  these habits chip away at your creative confidence, just like it would if anybody else said them about you. If you write, you’re a writer. That’s all there is to it. Especially if you’re going through slumps or some sort of block with your project! That means you care about what you’re working on, you’ve put enough time into it to actually hit a problem, and your sense of what good writing looks like is refined enough to recognize when you need to do better. That sounds like a writer to me! This year, decide to tell people that you’re a writer—not an aspiring, hopeful, or even unpublished writer, because regardless of all those things, you are still a writer. And be confident in your work when people ask about it. Have close writer friends you can vent to when you do legitimately have struggles in your writing life, but know that just by writing and wrestling with these problems, you are doing something of value and that you can take pride in when someone asks.

Do you make new year’s resolutions? What are your goals for your writing life this year? Let me know in the comments!

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Featured image by Brooke Lark