Finish That Book: A New Year’s Resolution
Let’s face it, you probably have a library of book ideas stored in your hippocampus waiting for the perfect time to write.
“I’ll start my book once my children are old enough to care for themselves.”
“I’ll finish the book once I get settled into my job.”
“I’ll commit to starting & finishing my book next year.”
How long have you been telling yourself a variation of these excuses? Are you happy with your current results? If you aren’t, I challenge you to set better intentions for yourself and your book goals this upcoming year.
The best way to be more intentional is to talk less and write more.
Many often forget that writing is a big part of writing. Read that again…
Please don’t get me wrong, writing is a process that can be a challenge, stressful, and even dreadful, but aren’t your readers worth it? There are hundreds of thousands of eyeballs willing and ready to experience your work: waiting to be inspired, humored, shocked, and entertained by your words, plot twists, and mystique. To get your book in the hands of excited readers, it starts with you writing!
Some authors finish a book in a month while others take a decade, but the deadline is irrelevant. It’s the effort, the time, the journey that holds the most relevance.
Most New Year’s resolutions don’t last because we try to make massive change immediately. We set goals that are drastically different from our current reality that we snap back into old behaviors after 3 months.
To force yourself to write is to prolong the writing journey even more, ultimately resulting in subpar performance and creating a disequilibrium between you and your inner creative. The goal is to make writing a natural part of your life.
I simple suggest starting by writing once a day, just to create the habit. It could be a sentence, a poem, a blog, a chapter for your book. Write it in the notes section on your phone, scribble it on a sheet of paper, type is out on Google Docs.
You can also try breaking your book into smaller sections by focusing on 1 page a day or 10 pages a month. These small wins will reinforce and establish your writing behaviors.
This minor adjustment can give you the momentum needed to finish that book idea from cover to cover. Or it can show you that writing isn’t for you at this time. Which can steer you in a different direction to podcasting, graphic design, or public speaking.
Another reason why many New Year’s resolutions don’t last is due to self-doubt. We don't believe we are worthy, we're afraid of the unknown, fear cripples us, we disqualify ourselves and minimize our experiences and gifts, forcing us back into our monotonous and familiar life. Everything we desire is on the other side of comfort. In addition, writing itself is very exposing.
Writing is a very intimate practice that spotlights the writers' vulnerabilities to the world. It makes sense to be hesitant about sharing your work with others, but if you had the idea, you have strength and ability to fulfill that vision.
This upcoming year, set miniature goals that will lead to your ultimate goal of completing your book. This can look like many things.
Example for children's books:
Goal 1: Create a title
Goal 2: Find character names (use Google, Pinterest, Tik Tok)
Goal 3: Write the first 4 pages of your book in a week
Goal 4: Read 3 children's books for inspiration
Goal 5: Find an illustrator on fiverr.com
Goal 6: Draft the back cover summary
Goal 7: Complete book in 30 days
Goal 8: Hire an editor from fiverr.com
Example for chapter books:
Goal 1: Create a title
Goal 2: Find character names (use Google, Pinterest, Tik Tok)
Goal 3: Write the first chapter in 30 days
Goal 4: Draft a book summary
Goal 5: Sig up for a writing class/program
Goal 6: Invite someone to read your story
Goal 7: Write two chapters in a month
Goal 8: Join 2 writing groups on Facebook
Year 2023 if for you, if you want it to be! Take your time, be patient with yourself, and write as often as you can. The world needs your creativity!
Enjoy our free New Year's resolution workbook pdf!
https://www.publacklibrary.org/product-page/i-m-calling-you-out-self-help-workbook
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Happy holidays and happy writing,
Publack Library Publishing