2018 Writing Decisions

Start the year off with some solid decisions!

Did you start off January 2018 with a list of resolutions? Writing goals for the upcoming year? Well, me too! Just like I do every year. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with setting yourself goals and aspirations for the following year – I find it inspirational and vaguely cathartic; it’s the time I forgive myself for not reaching those same goals the previous year. “It’s OK,” I tell myself, “you have another chance!”

But while that’s all well and good in the shiny new month of January, by the time May rolls around and you realise you’re no way near finishing that second book; haven’t landed your dream job; your gym membership card is gathering dust; that healthy-eating cookbook is less dog-eared than the epic classic book your friend leant you that really isn’t your thing but you promised you’d read… (not that any of this is personal to me, of course…), well, those January goals can seem a little defeating.

So, this year I’m concentrating on decisions, rather than resolutions or goals. My writing decisions are crafted so that the end result will be more projects get finished, but I’m not judging my success with anything solid enough to feel deflating when I haven’t reached my goal.

To give you an example, they go a little like this:

A)   

   Dedicate more time to writing by creating a routine that works around my other commitments and sticking to it.

B)      Being more selfish with my writing time. I’m guilty of treating writing time as something that can be side-lined for other things, like phone calls/emails/texts or just about anything else that seems like a priority at the time. I need to start seeing writing as a priority; then others will value my writing time, too.

C)      If a project isn’t working, take a break; go onto something else and return to it at a later date when I can give it the enthusiasm and positivity it deserves.

How about you? Have you got any writing decisions for the upcoming year? If so, share them in the comments below! And celebrate any goals or resolutions you met in 2017!