Posts by Rachel:
Writing Resolutions
Happy New Year!!
With a new year comes New Years resolutions! Beginnings offer fresh starts, new pages, and clean slates. People tend to focus on dieting or working out at this time, but if you ask me, there are far more important resolutions to make: Doing what makes you happy, saying “no” more, ignoring the haters, stepping outside your comfort zone, embracing positivity and so on. Along these lines of personal resolutions, I thought it might be fun to talk about writing specific resolutions.
As a people, we writers are notoriously filled with self-doubt and second-guessing — we really are our own worst critic. These self-imposed pressures can lead to little writing, less confidence in allowing others to read, and sometimes (sadly) giving up. That’s where these writing resolutions come in. I’m going to focus on what my resolutions are, but I’d love to hear from all you lovely people, too! I hope together we can make 2016 a word-filled year of success!
Finish Drafting
I have an unfinished MS from NaNoWriMo and I would like to complete it by the summer. It’s a little over halfway written but a total and utter mess. Instead of focusing on how much editing it will need, I want to finish without letting the impending work ahead stop me.
Complete!
Embrace New Betas
I adore my betas. They are my rocks. Reliable, informative, thoughtful, keen-eyed and all around awesome people. For some new projects, however, I need readers with identities my current betas do not have. The idea of insulting someone or hurting their feelings terrifies me, but I will resolve to tough it out in favor of a better reviewed MS.
In progress
Stop Comparing
I am a constant over-thinker. Every book I read makes me second-guess my own abilities and has me wondering “Am I really a good writer?” “Am I worthy of this profession?” which is nothing but detrimental to my success. I know myself enough to know I will always over-think, but I can at least try to stop comparing myself to other writers/books. Every author’s style is different and every story is different as well.
Doing better 🙂
Revisit Old MS
I wrote a story nearly four years ago that had SO much potential, but I was afraid at the time of going the distance to make the words on paper live up to the hype. Impostor Syndrome to the max. This year I will rectify that and edit the story to be the best it can be.
TBD
Keep Blogging
Blogging allows me to get out of book-writing brain and practice my creativity and craft in short spurts. I intend to write more writer’s sketches/flash fiction this year in order to keep pushing myself and continue to grow.
Making it happen!
Make Small Goals
The publishing journey is made up of several dozen smaller goals. Instead of getting down on myself for not achieving the BIG goal yet, I will spend my time achieving smaller goals. I can begin the year by checking this one off as I have set these goals for myself above!
What are some of your writing resolutions for 2016?
Korra One Year Later (Why Representation Matters)
Typically I don’t get this personal on my blog, but here it goes. I’ve been out to my friends and family for quite some time now, but even still, I’ve never been the type of person who has felt the need to announce my sexuality over a loudspeaker. Granted, my twitter is pretty rainbow-tastic. Regardless […]
Not a NaNo Winner
NaNoWriMo is over and the verdict is in. I am not a winner! I’ve won two years before when it was incredibly effortless to write 50k for a variety of reasons but this year the story just did not come as easily as it has before. Maybe I didn’t have enough time. Or maybe I […]
Flash Fiction: Rainy Day
Everything looks different now. The sun has found a hiding place between pewter clouds and the birds forget how to sing. I can barely see through the sheet of mist coming over the hill, it’s shroud darkening the world as far as the eye can see. I am not prepared for this. I am not […]
Pitch Wars Mentee 2014
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