31 Dec Don’t Make Writing Resolutions

With 2018 leaving us and 2019 ready to greet us with open arms, it is natural for many people to make New Year’s Resolutions. As writers, we are no different, except ours tend to include our preferred craft. We resolve to make daily word counts, meet publishing deadlines, or even just to read and study our craft more. Sounds reasonable, doesn’t it? But please, don’t.

Don’t make New Year’s Writing Resolutions.

Resolutions are inherently useless. According to Doctor Luciani (international best selling author), 80 percent of New Year’s Resolutions (NYRs) fail by the second week in February. The problem? Not to put too fine a point on it: NYRs are made under duress, stressed to make some sort of change with everyone else. Once the stress is gone, the NYR leaves right behind.

But don’t worry: there’s a better way!

Instead of making New Year’s Resolutions, start better habits.

Want to work on word counts? Don’t start with some arbitrary number like 1200 words a day. Start with making time to write anything every day. One word or one thousand, it doesn’t matter. Get something on paper.

Do you want to get published? Don’t make some vague declaration like “I’m going to get published in 2019.” Sit down and plan it out. Create a timeline. Find prospective publishers, research query letters, set dates on when you are going to send them out and to where. Have a plan of action, not a vague direction!

Do you want to hone your craft? Don’t just say that you will read more or study more. Get the craft books you want to read. Label them “January” or whatever month, and then read them! Take them with you everywhere.

Look, making an NYR is a great idea that lacks any follow-through. It seems like everyone makes one, but makes the same one every year. Don’t be like everyone else. Be better. Be wiser. Take the first few days of 2019 and write out a plan of action. Give yourself instructions and then follow them in order.

New Year’s Resolutions are for ordinary people. Don’t be ordinary, be extraordinary.