The New Year’s Resolution every writer will keep

It’s that time of year again, isn’t it? We set a New Year’s resolution – this year we are going to write the novel, write every day, submit ten short stories a month to magazines. Will we keep them? Well, some of us will. But not many. Why not?

Perhaps because we are already over committed? Perhaps we don’t have time – however much we’d like to have it – to write that much. If you set yourself a ‘big’ resolution and you start to fail. Chances are you’ll give up, and feel guilty too.

Here is a resolution you will keep. No, it’s not eat more cake – although that is one of mine actually!

It is to begin a piece of writing. That is all. Just begin.

If you have time to read this blog, you have time to do this. Right now. Or maybe that should be write now! ย There are three simple steps. They require seven minutes of your time.

Step one: Look at the prompts below.

Step two: Set the timer on your watch/phone/ or clock for six minutes.

Step three: Write an opening paragraph for ONE of the prompts.

Prompt one

Incorporate the following three words into a first paragraph. Rain, cupcake, crash.

Prompt two

Use this picture to inspire your first paragraph.ย Stop reading and do it now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everyone done that? Congratulations. You have kept a New Year Resolution. It was that simple.

You have begun. You are a writer. What you do next is up to you. Do you continue to write or go and do the housework/play on Social Media/watch a television program? Maybe you could write a bit more instead of doing one of these things. Housework is overrated anyway. It doesn’t matter what you do next. You have completed a New Year resolution. You have begun.

Maybe you’ll finish the piece you started. Of course you’ll finish. You are a writer, aren’t you?

NB My weekly classes are held on Thursday Evenings, 7-9 and Friday Mornings, 10-12 at Kinson Community Centre, Millhams Road, Kinson. Email me if you’d like more details, or leave a message on this post.

If you would like to know more about writing, two of my writing books, The Short Story Writer’s Toolshed and The Novel Writer’s Toolshed are currently 99p on Amazon if you have a kindle or a kindle app.

Happy New Year. And Happy Writing.

 

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6 Responses to The New Year’s Resolution every writer will keep

  1. Patsy says:

    Over anbitious resolutions and goals can be counter productive, can’t they? I like your idea of just making a start, rather than having to feel like failures if we don’t get lots of things finished.

  2. Nicola says:

    Mission accomplished and feeling gooood. Thank you for being so BOSSY!! I really enjoyed your task and look forward to meeting you in April at the Woman’s Weekly Twist in the Tale workshop. Until then, I will continued the story I started 5 minutes ago. But I must admit the 3 words sent me off on a Vera Stanthorpe escapade – the words fit perfectly and Anne Cleeves would have been proud ๐Ÿ™‚ All the best for 2015 and I wish you continued success.

  3. Sharon langford says:

    Sad I don’t live close enough to come to your weekly workshops. Great resolution; so simple.

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