Dec 6, 2021
“Failing is a crucial part of success. Every time you fail and get back up, you practice perseverance, which is the key to life. Your strength comes in your ability to recover.” ~Michelle Obama, Former FLOTUS
Dear Writers,
It’s December, the month of reflection and goal setting.
Last year, I didn’t set goals. There were too many questions, too many fears. I was happy enough to feel creative. I wanted to give myself a break.
But this year, hope IS in the air. Travel is on my calendar. I have goals–goals that feel like dreams–and even better, goals that feel like a reach and a stretch.
It feels good.
Over the next few weeks, I will reflect about my year and set goals for 2022. I will look back and forward. I will make a plan. Obviously, surprises happen. No one can predict what might happen. But I like having something to strive for. It’s an easy way to welcome inspiration.
So, today, let’s take the first step. Let’s look back. And celebrate. Let’s forget all those feelings of being stuck or falling behind. Let’s not measure ourselves against others. Instead, let’s find the glimmers in our year. Let’s celebrate all the things we got done–all the things we tried–and all the chances we took.
Are you with me?
Let’s do this.
Are you ready to stretch? Reach? Groan? Embrace the power of play?
Take out your notebook. Write down at least ten things you did this year.
Did you write a draft?
Did you query agents?
Did you get a rejection?
Did you take care of kids/parents/friends?
Remember a day when you felt joy.
A day when you wrote something profound!
A day when you figured out a plot turn.
A nice day.
A day you got a compliment.
This year, we all experienced angst, frustration and rage. But we also helped each other. We achieved new goals–even if they weren’t set in stone. We accomplished A LOT.
When you have your “highlights reel,” take the whole week to celebrate all you did for your family, friends, creativity, and career.
Dec 13, 2021
Know yourself to improve yourself.
-August Comte
Dear Writers,
Last week, I invited you to make a list of achievements. I hope you found this activity both humbling, gratifying, and maybe you are even a little impressed with yourself.
Here’s my rundown:
I taught a lot. And I loved it!
I drafted an adult novel and a chapter book. I revised a bunch of picture books.
I visited family.
My husband and I made a real effort to slow down. We were also so happy to be able to see and hug the kids and grands.
We helped our son move into his first apartment.
I took a few classes. I read a lot. I queried new agents. I wrote something for Parents.
I cooked new vegetarian dishes. I learned new recipes that didn’t have a lot of sugar in them.
I didn’t miss a Monday!
I reached out to new and old friends.
Notice: all my achievements were things I could control! My goals never have anything to do with luck! (I work very hard to treat LUCK like a special surprise!)
So now, next step, let’s look at HOW we did this. How did we get all this great work done?
Today, make a list of your best practices, the things you do when you are “feeling it.”
When do you like to write? And when are you most productive?
Do you like assignments?
Or do you do best when you keep your schedule flexible?
What do you need to get started? (Besides coffee!) Do you like your routine? Or do you need a new one? (If you are looking for a new one, let’s talk!!!) Are you into Morning Pages? Or do you exercise first? What works for you?
How long do you need to feel accomplished? Or do you get motivated by reaching a daily word count? Is it the year to try new methods?
When do you read? Rest? Replenish?
What else can you do to support your writing life?
Are you feeling good about your writing? If not, why not?
Do you have support?
Are you getting regular feedback?
Are you ready to stretch? Reach? Groan? Embrace the power of play?
Once you identify your best practices, look ahead. To the calendar. I bet it’s not empty.
Good stuff first: What are you looking forward to?
Travel?
A book release to plan for?
Family events you will be attending?
Do you have a deadline you must meet?
A class you MUST take?
Virtual commitments count!
Also: obligations.
Sometimes, stuff happens that takes you away from your writing. And that is not a bad thing. We all need time to fill the well, but how often do we think about this with intention? How often do we schedule time off? Or time with friends? Or family?
Today, let’s come up with a response for good days and the ones where we can’t get anything done.
A mantra that reminds yourself that YOU are a writer.
You have so much to say.
You are doing great work.
Every day is not the same.
The writing year will offer ups and downs, surprises, and rewards. We will have our epiphanies. We will find stories in surprising places. Sometimes we need down time. Sometimes, we will be productive. I like to think of my year in terms of gathering and producing. The gathering happens when I try new things. The producing happens when I am not busy–when I can put my creativity first.
So last, make a list of all the ways you can validate your work–before sale. What is your definition of support? Do you have someone to push you? To talk with? This is the time to reach out. Thank your community. And look ahead to how we can support each other. This is how we will maintain confidence in ourselves and our stories–no matter what we face this year.
Next week, we do it! We set short and long term goals.
Dec 20, 2021
When the best leader’s work is done the people say, ‘We did it ourselves.’
Lao Tzu
Dear Writers,
We have looked at our accomplishments.
We have thought about how we get things done–our best practices.
We have looked forward to the events already on the calendar for the year ahead.
Now, we do it.
We set some goals.
Remember: This is the work you do for yourself.
(My job is easy: suggest stuff that might work. And cheer you on.)
Let’s start with short term goals:
Short term goals will vary from week to week. So no need to plan too far into the future.
Instead, let’s make a commitment to make play and creativity a priority. Process is the goal.
Each week, set a goal to stay excited about writing. Acknowledge other commitments.
ADD FUN to your schedule.
And of course, don’t ignore your other priorities that inspire you and bring you joy.
Know yourself. If writing every day is the way YOU get things done, set a small goal that you can accomplish.
If you are a morning writer, keep your mornings open.
If you need deadlines to make it work, find a class that will foster accountability and community.
Let’s set a goal not to judge ourselves, okay?
Each week will be different.
Sometimes, we reach.
Sometimes, we have to be happy with modest goals.
The one thing we don’t do: say SHOULD.
If you meet your short term goals, great! Give yourself a prize.
If you find it difficult to process, have a contingency plan in place.
What will you do if you experience writer’s block? Or get a tough rejection? Or feel confused? Or overwhelmed?
Don’t blame yourself!
Procrastination isn’t laziness. It’s avoiding a task that seemes unpleasant. To interrupt that pattern, focus less on the dread of starting the task today—and more on the joy of finishing it tomorrow. -Adam Grant
Today, write down three things you can do to get unstuck,
Also: know yourself. There are probably things you do when you are stuck that don’t help. (Like twitter.)
You know your habits. You know all the ways a day can go right…and wrong. So…if there is something you do when you are feeling stuck, acknowledge it. And find a strategy for avoiding that thing (for me: socials) that wreck your day. Instead, make a plan that promotes creativity.
Like: drawing. Or walking. Or side writing. Or cooking. Whatever works FOR YOU.
Remember: This is the work you do for yourself.
By creating short term goals, you validate the process. You gain confidence. You learn about yourself. You help yourself deal with fear and other obstacles.
Moderate sized goals next:
Instead of asking what you SHOULD do, ask: what will bring me back to the desk?
What project is making me happy–right now?
Are you someone who can work on two things at once? Or not?
Dig deep.
What do you want to say in your story?
What sparks your imagination?
Is there something you are afraid of–that triggers self doubt?
Even when we are excited about an idea, the work can get difficult. So divide your goals into the things you like to do…and the things that are going to make you feel very vulnerable. Anticipate breaks you may need.
Make a plan for the things that are most important: like your family and friends.
Remember: there are many things about the writing life that are difficult.
There is marketing.
There is asking for help.
There is the doubt that comes at many different moments.
So prepare for all of it.
Can you set a goal to put yourself first…at least some of the time?
Again, create a contingency plan. (Just like writing a book, my first goals are usually way too ambitious. But my revised goals often work great!)
Resilience is the key to setting goals that work. We all know that surprises happen.
SIDE BAR: How do I prepare for disappointment/change of plans/new goals?
I practice optimism.
I journal about times when I overcame adversity.
I don’t take it personally.
I remind myself: writing is a process! The process is the point. The goals I set now are arbitrary. If I need more time, I will take it. That doesn’t make me a failure.
Remember: This is the work you do for yourself.
This is your permission slip–to reach as far as you can. Product is NOT the only way to measure your progress.
And if 2022 offers us surprises?
We will face them together.
Ask yourself: What do you want?
What stories are calling you?
What will make you happy?
If you change your mind, it’s okay.
If you work on more than one thing, it’s okay.
If you need to stop writing and read for three months…guess what….
That
Is
Okay.
Are you ready to stretch? Reach? Groan? Embrace the power of play?
Last, let’s think about what you want to say you’ve accomplished by the end of 2022.
Go ahead….THINK BIG. Like REALLY BIG. Like Big Dreams big.
(As long as it doesn’t depend on luck.)
What do you want to have accomplished? What do you want to have done for YOURSELF.
Last week, in a school visit, my sister (the teacher) asked me to divide up my process into three categories:
The listening phase
The independent phase
The work together phase
It made me think about goals. And how we can divide up the process into these phases as a means of staying excited about the work.
Last words for 2021, a year of many challenges:
Believe in yourself.
Believe in your abilities.
Believe in your capacity for growth and change and love of story.
This week, get a notebook. Set your goals.
Write a mantra on a card.
We don’t know what surprises the world will offer, but we do know we have stories to share.
This is the gift you give yourself.
This is the work we will do.
This is a new year.