The end of the year approaches. Time for reflection and setting goals for the coming year. I have learned a lot of valuable things this year about being a writer and adjusting my mindset to improve my productivity. I hope you can learn from them as well.
Insights gained from 2017:
On pride and confidence
I am proud of what I have accomplished at the start of my writing career. There is still a ways to go, but I am going to take this moment to be happy about how far I have come and not on how far I still have to go. I think many writers focus too much on how far behind they are from others instead of what they have accomplished. Celebrate your progress and any little victory you come across. This year I finished my first novella, which was a huge confidence booster once I allowed myself to be proud of this small achievement. My novel is still very much a work in progress, but I am going to celebrate the progress I have made so far. Every little step keeps you moving in the right direction and doubts only slow you down.
On guilt
I’ve realized that I should not feel guilty for taking the time to build up my writing skills and platform so that I can be proud of myself and the quality of content I put out. Excellence takes time and patience. Your story suffers when you rush. Writing well takes longer than you think, and that’s ok. The important thing is that you are happy with what you are writing and feel that readers will enjoy it as well. Also, it is never a good thing to compare your progress to that of other writers, especially when it comes to time. Just because others make writing look effortless and fast does not mean it actually was. Remind yourself that everyone starts off in a place of messy ideas and then takes the time to evolve their writing. This will always take time to accomplish.
Though it seems counterintuitive, breaks can be very helpful towards your progress. Sometimes all you need is a fresh mind to fix whatever writing block you can’t find your way around. Stepping away from your computer to experience the world can either give you ideas or just allow your mind to relax and get out of that frustrated state. I have found that as a writer, a reading break is the best one to take. And I’ve realized I should not feel guilty for taking breaks to read. Reading is a source of pleasure, but it is also an avenue for learning. Immersing yourself in the world of books and learning is the best way to gather ideas and be inspired.
This brings me right into my goals for 2018:
Read more. In 2017, I took off some time from reading to focus on writing and blogging. It got so bad that I felt guilty taking time away from my writing to read. I forgot that I am a writer because I’m a reader. I can only benefit from expanding my horizons. Every book I read gives me new ideas and inspiration to create my own. Therefore, I will read more in 2018 and refuse to let myself feel guilty about it.
Stop the comparison. I will belief in myself more in the coming year. Sometimes it is easy to read the works of others and feel like yours will never measure up. I’ve realized that it never will with that attitude. If I put my mind to writing great, then I will get there eventually. End of story.
Here’s the big one: I will publish my novel. I am still in the editing stage of my novel. I have learned so much from the start of my writing journey, and so much still needs polishing and revising. Choosing to become a fantasy writer has been the greatest challenge I have set for myself yet, but I am determined to see it through. I’m giving myself the challenge that it will be published before 2018 is over.
Your turn! What have you learned in 2017? What would you do better in 2018? Any of your goals similar to mine?
