10 Ways to Turn Your Writing Resolutions into Realities

Yeah, I believe in resolutions.

When I became an ATI certified personal trainer, I and thought my knowledge about diet and exercise was going to help everyone I worked with to achieve their goals. I was wrong. I ran a personal training studio for almost three years, and what I learned during that time is that every fitness goal depends on a person's mentality, will, ability to sacrifice, and how bad they want it. Without the mental aspect under control, diet and exercise plans usually fail. The same goes for writing. In order to get shit done, you have to put in the work. Here are some tips to get you where you want to be. And some of them sound like tough love, but I'm not here to argue with you about how you can watch seventeen episodes of your favorite show every weekend but never have time to write or how you have a job and thus can’t write. In fact, let’s start right there…

Accept no one has time to write

You’re busy. We know. We’re all busy. I haven’t watched Nosferatu yet. I have books written by friends last year that I haven’t had a chance to read yet. I know what you’re thinking: “Well, authors like Stephen King, Danielle Steele, Riley Sager, and Lisa Jewell have time to write!” Yeah, they do. I’m not on that level and you’re probably not on that level because only a few authors are. That doesn’t matter. Normal folks like us don’t have time to write; we make time to write. This leads us to…

There will be (blood) sacrifices

In order to make time to write, you have to stop doing other things. Don’t yell at me, I don’t make the rules. Let’s say the day is over. It’s 10:00 p.m. or whatever. You can watch an hour of TV or you can write. The choice is yours. Or the excuses.

Manifest that fucking destiny

Make plans. Dream big. Work hard. Expect nothing, but if it happens, know you earned it. Manifest that fucking destiny.

Going about life with a defeatist attitude won't get you anything. What you need is a positive/realist combo: hustle as if hustle will get you results and don't cry if it doesn't; just hustle harder and try again.

Stop it with the excuses

Resolutions without work are just bullshit promises whispered into an empty room.

I don't have time. I have writers block. Writing is hard. I'm so tired by the time I come home from work. No one cares anyway. I keep getting rejections. I don't have an agent. No one wants to publish me anyway. We heard them all daily. Yeah, writing is hard, but if it only brings you pain, quit. I'm serious. Don't get angry. I'm not saying you're not allowed to complain once in a while, but if all you can find are excuses and complaints, then this gig isn't for you. Why? Because all of those are part of the game, just like awful reviews and cruel editors and little money and editing pains and hateful emails from time to time. If writing brings you pain and anguish and no pleasure at all, go do something else. If it makes you happy, then fuck excuses. Find the time. Write on your phone in the toilet. Write when you watch television. Write when you should be sleeping. Write at work (I used to keep my email open and send myself stuff daily while working the phones at an insurance company). Write while eating. Ignore that editor that said no and send that story elsewhere. Forget the hundred agents that said "Pass!" and keep sending those query letters until one says “I love this!” No one should care about your writing more than you, so treat it like a priority in your life.

Say no to negativity

See what I did there? Hah. Anyway, fuck negativity. The world is a dark place and it’s gonna get darker soon. A lot of people are assholes, racist, bigots, trolls. Ignore them. Focus on you. Don't engage with those who don't deserve your time and attention. Block frequently on social media. Why waste a thousand words arguing with someone online when you know you won't change their mind about things? Just move on. It's hard. Trust me, I know, but you can do it.

Read like your life depended on it

Reading inspires you. Reading challenges you. Reading gets the creative juices flowing. Reading helps you escape reality. Reading gives you tools and shows you new ways of approaching themes. Reading allows you to support others who are in the same boat as you. Read and then read some more and you'll see how great reading usually leads to better writing.

Set smalls goals and tackle them one at a time

Tell someone they need to lose a hundred pounds and they will freak out. Tell them they have to drop two pounds and they will do it without a problem. Then say three and watch them do it again. That's the beauty of small goals: they add up. Can't produce 5k words a day? Hell, I sure can't. Well, try fifty. Maybe you get them and maybe you don't, but it's an attainable goal. Then say sixty. Then...you get the point. The novel is killing you? Write a flash piece. The novel is done and editing is a pain? Start the next thing. Little accomplishments add up to big things.

Accept that self-sabotage is all on you

Yeah, self kinda implies that, but people tend to forget. You control at least some of your time. You control your mood at least some of the time. You control what you focus on, how you handle the everyday grind, and how you let others affect your emotional and psychological state. Take care of yourself. Remember that you don't have to write every day, but if you say that every day for a year, then you end up accomplishing nothing. Find a balance between self-care and kicking your own ass when you need to.

Be kind and support others

This isn't about karma or anything. Nah, what I'm saying is this: writing is a tough gig, so be a positive influence in it whenever you can. Support others. Celebrate the accomplishments of your peers. Help others out when you can. It'll make you feel better about life in general. Maybe I'm wrong, but it has worked for me.

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Resolutions without work are just bullshit promises whispered into an empty room. The amount of work you put in will make the difference between resolutions and a plan of action. I think you got this. Go do the thing.