New Year: New Direction

The new year brings with it the possibilities, and, quite frankly, probably more goals and far-reaches than you really want to think about.

But perhaps your new direction isn't in the abundance of goals that you may or may not follow through with, but a change of heart and focus when it comes to your writing direction.

Allow me to explain what I mean.

Perhaps you want to publish your first novel this year, just as you wanted to publish your first novel last year. And maybe you're thinking, "I could have this goal every year and nothing may happen." 

Maybe your repeated goal is to write every day, but you find yourself wishing for more time, or you're working a full-time job to pay the bills and you hope to be able to let it go and write full-time; a goal you've had for the past five years.

A change of heart in the first goal might look something like: "I am going to work toward publishing my first novel this year, and I'm going to do it by writing every day, taking criticism and making changes when necessary, and looking into self-publishing." 

A positive attitude works!!

If you're in the second goal thought processes, you may decide to write: "I am going to write when I can and I'm going to do this by eliminating or decreasing my television watching by _____%."

If you've decided that your job is no longer working for you and you'd like to quit it to write full-time, do a bit of studying to see how this can be accomplished. Frankly, most writers have to work outside the home, even if it's a part-time job, so perhaps the answer isn't in leaving your current 'away' job, but finding ways and means to write while you're off.

Concrete goals are wiser thinking because you are specific in your requests to follow and complete your goals. Your heart is saying, "I am going to accomplish my goal because I am going to do this and this to make it so," rather than, "I am going to publish a book this year," and leave it at that.

A new direction in writing is best accomplished with positive thinking and specific ways you are choosing to direct your life.

For example, one of my writing goals this year is to get my name out through booth set-ups at conferences and craft fairs. This is best accomplished by scheduling these events early (I have already scheduled 3 of the 7 planned for this year).

Because I have found that person to person selling creates greater interest in my books, I have decided to make it a priority. Yes, I will continue with my blog and social networking, but I will be adding interest to my books by increasing the amount of times I share my books one-on-one during the year in a real life setting.

What is your new direction as a writer for this year? I would love to hear it.

Kathryn

Goals For the New Year



What do you want to accomplish in the next year?

Setting some writing goals yet?

Probably not.

But I can assure you the time is nearing to write a few down.



Photo by: BazaarBizaarSF, courtesy of Flickr

Do you want to publish your first book?

Get that fifth draft ready to send to the publisher?

Take a trip to Fiji, where you can write to your heart's content?

You've probably heard the saying, "A dream unwritten is just a wish," so I'm going to put it out today that you write down at least one writing goal and that you place that goal somewhere where you can see it.

Got it?

Good.

No?

I will be publishing two books next year. The first is the updated version of Marketing Your Book on a Budget, coming out in January of 2014. The second, book two of the Susan Cramer mystery series: Sunny-Side Up by the summer. I may even get the third parable ready; The Gift: A Parable of the Ring by November.

And now that I've told you, and my dreams are written down, you can bug me to high heaven if I don't follow through.

So what do you resolve to do?

Writing For Beginners

Are you a beginning writer?

Many years ago I categorized myself as a beginner, and in many ways I still am.

Just 10 years ago I learned about marketing for the first time.

Photo by: Scinern, courtesy of Flickr

And just last year I managed to publish 4 books in one year and open a book publishing service company.

I am still learning. And I hope if you're a beginning writer like I am you'll also take a look at what you've accomplished and what is still to come. Setting goals is vital, but working on them daily is necessary to success.

Being a beginner is not a bad thing. It just means your eyes are wide open to learning new skills.

Have you never taught a class before? I taught my first writing class some 10 years ago, took a break while going to school, and then had to get up on the bicycle again. Tough.

I remember the first writer's group I went to. I was scared...spitless. But I went and shared my work. It was published work but I was still mortified. And I got through it.

Photo by Ned Richards, courtesy of Flickr

Your first book signing (if you haven't had one yet will be thrilling and scary) but after you do it once, it will be that much easier the next time. Your interview on the radio will be difficult, but you will find that after it's over that it was easier than you thought.

Are you a beginning writer?

I hope so.

Writing as a Career

For years we (my husband and I) have struggled to put food on the table, and while he has always been the mainstay, I have also tried to have something going on the sidelines.

For the most part I worked retail and that included the retail hours at the local home improvement store. I hated that job. Or maybe I didn't hate it exactly, it was just hard for me to enjoy it. I was attending school at the time (in my 40s) for my degree in Mass Communication, and I found myself studying for tests in between customers and letting my heart wander into overgrown writing paths.

Since starting school and having a job too, I'd done little writing for myself. The writing I did came from assignments that had to be done and often brought me little joy.

I have since discovered that writing as a career is an interesting thing. To really make it work you must be well known and the writing you do must be satisfactory or better. And in order to be well known and to have good writing, you must not only make time to write but you must know how to market or know someone who knows how to market for you--more money.

Photo by: Beat Machine, courtesy of Flickr

Though I can say now that the majority of my time is delegated to writing and marketing, this has not always been the case. Still, in my minds eye I could see myself living out my writing career dream.

My writing career really began that moment years ago when I was sick and pregnant and needed something to take my mind off of it. It continued as I raised my children, went back to school, and began my own writing services company.

The moment I began to take my writing seriously, the seed called "writing" planted itself in the ground and began to grow. I had some time in the beginning to pursue it, less time later to grow it, but as the plant has grown and I have been more focused on this dream, I have been given more opportunities to pursue it as a career.
You may have experienced this yourself or maybe you're struggling with kids, those dangling participles that keep hanging on your legs every time you sit down to write.



Photo by: eekoliteW, courtesy of Flickr

Believe me, I know how you feel. But don't give up. Continue to see your career in writing as a reality; work your way to it, sort of like climbing that mountain, eager to see the top. When you get there, call out to me, I am still working my way through the trees.