Even if you don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions, the New Year is a good time to assess your writing and think about ways you can achieve your goals.
If you are just starting to write, or even just thinking about beginning to write, the easiest thing to do is start with the very basics.
So to keep it simple for you here is a short list of three basic things you can do to kick-start your new writing year:
1. PLACE
First of all find a place to write.
It doesn’t need to be a designated office or room, it can be a corner somewhere, or even a desk in your living room.
Only you can decide this so look carefully around your home. Is there somewhere you can use for writing?
Ideally you need a place that is for you and you alone. You don’t need interruptions or people moving your stuff around.
If there is no space in your home, or if you know that you will have to share a place with others (especially budding musicians) then it might just be time to look outside your own front door.
Check out the local library.
Is it a reasonable distance from your home?
Remember you want to be free from disturbance and noise.
So next you should check out the dates and times on the library’s list of activities.
They’re not as silent as they used to be.You don’t want to turn up to write during children’s story hour or the local poetry society’s weekly readings.
2. SPACE
By space I am referring to the mental freedom you need to be able to sit down and write.
If you are weighed down by problems and worries you might find it difficult to find the head space you need to start writing.
If you are unable to focus, remind yourself that this time and place is for writing and that there is plenty of other time for worrying.
Some people find it helpful to literally allocate some time to worrying i.e. they block off a chunk of time, say from 7-8pm on Wednesday night as worry time. If it works for you…
3. TIME
Talking about time, it is worth thinking about and deciding the minimum time you can devote to writing.
Be realistic and practical.
Getting up an hour earlier to write for an hour before starting work at her day job certainly helped turn the late Maeve Binchy into a bestselling millionaire author but would it work for you?
Maybe you are a night owl and find your ideas and motivation seem to increase when the sun goes down.
It’s not the amount of time you spend writing or the time of day you write that matters most.
You have to ‘make a commitment’ to write and you need to write regularly.
At the end of the day what really matters is regularity.
To make a good start resolve to simply show up at the desk and the rest will follow.
If you need help finding time to write just click here for some great tips.
Another great thing to do to start your new writing year with a bang is to try some creative writing exercises.
Best of luck with your writing in the New Year.
Grace
No comments yet.