It's the end of the year and all around me writer friends and students are vowing to write more - more words, more pages, more often. There's a desperate tinge to their voices that worries me. 'Cause that's not what it's about. These resolutions will fall by the wayside, just like the ones about exercising, quitting smoking, and they will feel like crap about it and sink deeper into not doing what they most want to do. You know the name for it - self-sabotage.
Not to depress you - some people will make their resolutions stick, and that person may be you. It's just a lot of pressure to put on yourself. I'm an expert at doing this, so I know of what I speak.
What I want to say to you is this: TAKE YOUR TIME. Decide that's what you're going to do. Writing is not a race to finishing the most pieces or publication. There is a spot for you in the publishing world somewhere - it will be your turn at some point, so you don't need to compete or speed up or write about things you think people want to read, publish, etc., but that don't really interest you. All of these things will derail you, guaranteed. You will get there. You will find the right place and right time. Slow down.
Best thing to do is to sit down and make a list of your writing-related accomplishments this year. No matter how small. Even if you have two, or one, that's one more than you had last year, right? Good for you. That's movement. Then, make a list of 3 things (ONLY 3) you want to do this year with your writing. Notice I said want to do - not have to do or think you should do. WANT.
Maybe take a class, read certain books, try a form you haven't tried before, finish a writing project. Pick the thing that makes your heart leap (even if it leaps in fear, that's a good thing) when you think about attempting it.
That's what you're going to start with. You don't have to wait for January first, start it today and work on it UNTIL IT'S FINISHED. Work on it when you want to, but make sure you spend time on your goal every month. Even if it's just one day a month, that's something. For example, I've been so busy that I'm only able to write 2-3 days a month, just prior to the meeting of my peer workshop - so I have pages to turn in. But I sit down the weekend before and I write the entire time as I promised myself I would. The pages get written, I enjoy it (most of the time), and I feel great for sticking to my goal. My workshop meets every 3 weeks, and I'm already at page 200 in just 4 1/2 months. That's a novel in about 6-7 months. Pretty good.
Here's the biggest reason people quit - they expect their writing project to be perfect, or they themselves to be perfect (keeping to a schedule, for example) and if they don't write or read for a week or skip a class they tell themselves they've already failed so why bother continuing? That's just too easy and also lame. So stop it right now. :) You may write two books before you get a book right. You might write 100 poems or stories until that perfect one. You might go through some classes or books to read until you find one that connects with you.
It's all part of the process - learning, growing, exploring, experimenting, practicing. You don't go from zero to perfect without some sweat in between. That's the deal. So suck it up.
Work on one thing and take your time. When you finish it, move to the next thing on your list. Again - it's not a competition. It's not a race. You will get there if you take each day of the process as it comes, do what works for you, and congratulate yourself for keepin' on.
How much would you like to bet you get through that list this year?
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