Writing Resolutions 2018
A new year has come around, so it’s time for new writing resolutions!
I think these goals will be a bit more realistic than my last year’s goals. My intentions to complete previous resolutions were honest and true, but sometimes life gets in the way. This year, I hope, is different. As a result, some of my resolutions will be the same as years prior.
Keep Reading: Life and work got a little intense last year so my weekly reading disappeared. I really need to get back into it and in doing so, I want to stay true to my goal to read primarily stories from ownvoices writers and WoC. I have a good amount backlogged from last year, but any suggestions are welcome!
Send New Story to Betas: Steps in drafting my WIP have gone smoothly, so I’d like to start the beta process soon. Seeing what others think about the story and how to improve it will really get me closer to the finish line there.
Set Smaller Goals: My biggest issue has been setting lofty goals I want to work toward, but sometime aren’t attainable in the given time frame. When I don’t succeed in the time expected, it feels like failure. In remembering some goals take time, I will set and appreciate smaller ones to keep me on track to larger ones.
Stay Positive: The last few years have been a test in my ability to stay optimistic despite crushing reality. So, this year I hope to keep looking for the silver linings in things, the positive outcomes from even the hardest events.
Keep Moving Forward: Above all, I want to continually work towards whatever my next goal is. This connects with the two resolutions above. No matter what happens, I want to be sure I keep moving forward to the next thing. Whatever that may be. This last year I felt overwhelmed with not seeing a way forward, so my hope is to find that this year no matter what.
Do you have any resolutions to help with your writing (or life) this year? Share them if you’d like!
2017 Fall TV Round-Up
It’s that time of year again! Lots of new shows have graced the airwaves and I’ve watched a bunch hoping for that elusive yet impressive gem. Some were hits, some were misses, but there is no doubt that there’s certainly a lot of interesting new television for people to consume.
Star Trek: Discovery
I was really pumped for this reboot (which is a surprise considering my feelings on reboots tend to be sour) and the premiere episode definitely delivered. The cast’s diversity and complexity created depth and intrigue right away. I had no idea this was only going to be available on CBS Access so I admittedly haven’t seen another episode yet. However, I hope to get to it soon!
Young Sheldon
This concept didn’t really attract me, but since I’m a Big Bang viewer, I got suckered into catching it’s first episode. For a fan of the original show, the little nods and voice over by adult Sheldon create a sense of nostalgia but I’m not sure it really holds up on its own. For a wholesome family comedy it is a good choice, though.
The Mayor
As far as sitcoms go, The Mayor is created with that extra special ingredient: relevance. It also doesn’t hurt that the lead and his friends blend really well together as a team and the comedic situations are believable not forced. By focusing on important topics in a funny manner, this show definitely shines.
The Gifted
An X-Men spin-off TV show? YES PLEASE! The variety of mutants was a delight to see. Some are from the comics, others are original to the show, but the mix is spectacular. The twist on the sentinels is another cool nod to the comics so the show succeeds in the concept department. It’s delivery is a bit clunky due to a lack of cast chemistry but I think given some time and development this could be something special.
Kevin Probably Saves the World
Jason Ritter is a highly undervalued actor and I’m so glad to see him back in something where he can flex his talent. This role feels hand-created for Ritter (which it may very well have been) and he thrives in all the best ways. It’s emotional, funny, deep, light-hearted, familiar, but also unique. To me, this speculative-ish story is the winner of the season.
Netflix Pick
American Vandal:
While this may not be a network TV newbie, it’s a fall released series that is definitely worth the watch. For anyone who liked Serial and is remotely interested in YA stories (which I assume you are if you’re on my blog) this is constructed exactly like a YA version of that. It really should be a novel! Or be used as inspiration for one. All you need to know is the tagline: Who Drew The Dicks?
A Little (Bi)t of Reflection
You bis, I’ve been thinking. (Ha, see what I did there?)
See, I have a lot of thoughts and I’ve been thinking these thoughts throughout the days, especially now that it’s Bi Week. I have read so many bi stories and there are many more I have yet to read (curses, you endless TBR!) but something I have gleefully noticed is how not all of these bi stories speak to me. Meaning that they don’t all reflect my experience. And that’s awesome!
I love that there are enough stories out there to get a varied spectrum of what it means and feels to be bi. I’m glad that this selection exists and I’m even more delighted by how this demonstrates the fact that belonging to one label or group or community does not mean those stories should be identical. In fact, it means quite the opposite.
There is no one way to be bi. That’s a wonderful fact and luckily it’s now available for readers to see. However, there are still a lot of people who struggle to understand or accept this. Reviews for books about this ID tend to get judged upon a monolithic experience of what being bi must mean. People outside the bi-party especially seem to rely too much on a limited definition of what bisexuality actually means in their reading and reviewing of our content. Which can be discouraging, but I hope that the continued variety reinforces to them and others how even under the queer umbrella there are multitudes of experiences.
Sometimes our shared label means different things to each of us. Sometimes our romantic attractions are the same but our sexual attractions are different. Or vice versa. Sometimes we are more than just one minority, sometimes we are many. The span of potential new bi stories is so exciting!
What’s more is how everything I’ve said applies to many other minority experiences and in some cases, exponentially more so. As readers we need to take a step back and reflect on each written experience as an individual story – exactly how it is meant to be seen – not as a representation of a group or people as a whole. These gems, that show us the uniqueness of life and how special we all are, play an integral role in advancing societies beliefs about accepting differences. Those are our strengths, after all.
Hopefully more stories from varied perspectives are published for other communities as they have been for the bi community. I hope for people of all walks of life to be able to surf through different stories, see themselves on a larger scale, and more importantly on a smaller, more personalized one. In order to get there, it is up to us as writers, as readers, and as members of these better represented communities to help support the spread of variety as we have experienced.
As more bi stories are told, from new and interesting perspectives, across genres and categories, let’s be the ally we needed for others. Support other stories as we have so ardently supported our own.
Self-care for Writers
This writing thing is hard, folks. Although it can be great fun and rewarding, it can also be stressful and draining. No matter how you’re feeling about the process at this time, be sure you’re practicing self-care to get you through the ups and downs.
Not sure why this is important? Sometimes self-care means giving yourself a break and not expecting so much to be accomplished by just you. Sometimes it means pushing yourself to do what’s not comfortable by digging into the difficulties of life. Giving yourself time and space as well as an extra push forward can be greatly beneficial.
Here’s a few practices I’ve found helpful over the years whether you’re experiencing an up or down:
- Write a list of reasons you love about your writing
- Create a pin-up board of all your goals
- Finish or start the day with affirmations
- Watch some booktube
- Write a list of reasons you love your CPs/Betas
- Write another new / short project
- Read something (Be it a published or beta book)
- Take a break for a week or month or how ever long you need
- Set a deadline and complete your next goal
- Buy some new accessories (maybe a bullet journal, ipad, etc.)
- Focus on another activity (ex: kitting, drawing, running)
- Spend your time helping a friend
- Start or keep up with your blog
- Reduce social media time if need be
- Research / outline another project
- Partake in word sprints with friends
- Print out and shred the documents you don’t like
- Frame your favorite lines
- Give yourself gold star stickers for achievements
- Email or text a writer friend for support
No matter what you’re going through–joy, frustration, sadness, confusion, bliss, excitement, worry–take the time to care for your needs and focus on your mental well-being. By resting or jumping into exactly what you need to do, hopefully you’ll find yourself recharged, refocused, and ready to write.
What self-care methods do you find helpful?
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