Happy new year (Photo credit: Amodiovalerio Verde)
Do you have big plans for 2013?
Is it the year you’re finally going to finish that novel? Submit to agents and editors,
or maybe you’re going to venture into the self publishing world.
It’s a clean slate and a brand new year – you can accomplish anything!
I love the New Year, it’s a time for dreaming, planning and anticipating big change. This year is going to be huge for me. I’m going back to school while balancing a full time writing career and a family. I thought my word for the year would be “Buckle Down” because of all the work I’m going to have to pay attention to – no procrastinating allowed. However, a better word might be “enthusiasm” because without it I certainly won’t get anything done and it’s certainly more fun and productive to be enthusiastic about goals and the steps that are required to get there.
I learned many things this year:
- I learned to be a little more fearless
- I learned the value of chipping away at a goal
- I learned to stop focusing on the all or nothing mindset – you know the one that says I have to get this book done this month or it’s doomed. Or the one that says, “If I don’t publish, I’ll die a sad and depressed person.”
I learned that the writing process is much more fun and fulfilling than the writing product. Once a book is finished and published, the fun isn’t in sitting back and enjoying the sales and feedback but rather it’s more fun to look forward and work on the next book. Who knew!
As you begin to look toward the next year, I urge you to take a few quiet moments for yourself. Maybe grab a pen and some paper and write down your thoughts:
- What did you learn last year?
- What are your goals for this coming year?
- How will your lessons learned affect your plans and goals?
- What things held you back last year that you can let go of this year?
What Do You Want from 2013?
Finally, what’s your word for the year? Christine Kane has a fabulous tool called her “Word of the Year Discovery Tool.” It’s a free download delivered via email and it can help you begin to think about what you want from 2013. You can find it here – http://christinekane.com/word/
Have a glorious weekend, a safe New Year’s Eve and Happy Writing!
