Everyone is more than ready to leave 2020 far behind and preferably never visit it again. This holiday time is vastly different for many of us and for many reasons.
Perhaps, there’s going to be an empty chair at the table for the first time, with someone’s absence so palpable it’s hard to breathe. Or maybe, instead of seeing family and friends, you’ll be staying at home, and instead of sharing a meal, or a drink, in person, you’ll be sharing one over facetime? You might choose to forgo the traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations, hoping that next year will be more joyous.
There’s something about December—perhaps the long evenings or the time away from work—that always makes us more prone to reflection. Everyone always keeps making plans for the brand new year. These may include picking up a new hobby, going to the gym more regularly, or starting a new work-related project.
Or, they could have something to do with writing.
Here are some of our suggestions:
Set up a realistic goal. Yes, you can tell yourself that starting from next year, you’ll write five pages a day. However, if you were struggling to write at all this year, it’s probably better to start smaller. Instead of planning to write two books, perhaps writing a blog post a month would work better?
Write every day. On some days, you’ll quickly notice words flow easily, while on others, they simply don’t come at all. It’s okay. Be proud of yourself if you write just a sentence or two on such days because you still made an effort.
Forgo your inner editor. Let yourself write badly. There’ll be time to edit everything later.
Try something new. Perhaps try out a new genre? Branch out? Try being creative in what you do; even if you fail spectacularly, you’ll likely learn a thing or two in the process.
Read. There’s nothing more important than reading when you’re writing. News articles, research, poetry, non-fiction, and fiction. Every piece of writing you read teaches you something and broadens your mind. Read the good and the bad, and you’ll quickly find out you can learn from absolutely anything.
What are your resolutions? We love hearing from you, and we’d be delighted to share some of the entries in our next newsletter. Maybe your ideas will inspire others.
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