5 Steps to Achieving Your Writing Dreams by Steph Beth Nickel

A little note before we dig in … I use the singular they. Since some writers and editors don’t care for it, I felt a heads-up was a good idea. No need to make readers unnecessarily twitchy.

Hitting the bestsellers list. Earning a fulltime living as a writer. Getting that blog post written.

What are your writing dreams?

Whatever your dreams, there are steps you can take on the journey to making those dreams come true.

Here are five suggestions to point you in the right direction:

Determine your personal definition of success.

Fluid. Changing. As unique as the individual writer.

One writer may not feel that sense of satisfaction until their work is picked up by a traditional publisher. Another may choose the indie route.

One blogger may post new content regularly. Another may post only when they have something pressing on their mind.

One author may be overjoyed to see their first (and only) book in print. Another may throw a celebration when they’re able to resign from their 9-5 job.

What is your definition of success?

Determine to celebrate the small (and not so small) wins.

Did you post in your Facebook group each day this week? Excellent!

Did you finally get that promised guest post fired off to your friend? Good for you!

Did you just sign a publishing contract or upload your first book? Party time!

How and when do you celebrate?

Determine to make a plan.

Kudos to each of you who make a detailed plan and, for the most part, stick with it! Scheduled posts? Check. Write x number of words per day? Double check. Set short- and long-term goals? Triple check.

Some writers can only stay on track if they have a dated game plan culminating in the finished product. Others prefer fewer constrictions but still need a rough idea of where they’re headed and how to get there.

What does your planning look like?

Determine to be flexible.

Make a plan. Be flexible. Make up your mind.

As we all know, Robert Burns was correct when he said, “The best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” If COVID has taught us nothing else …

Still, there are many things beyond the writer’s control, but they press on and take responsibility for what they can control.

Do you “go with the flow” or does a change to your plan give you hives?

Determine to persevere.

During the last five months or so, some have buckled down and achieved long-unrealized dreams. For others, victory has entailed getting out of bed in the morning. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re among the latter group.

Lao Tzu said, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” I have also heard it said that a better translation would be, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with the ground beneath your feet.”

So, whether you’re making steady progress or simply standing up is progress, determine today to persevere. Take one more step on the journey to achieving your writing goals.

How will you persevere today?

Share in the comments what steps you’re taking to achieve your writing dreams.

 

Celebration Time by Susan Barclay

One of the questions in this month's writing prompt asks, "How can you celebrate your [writing] progress and how God has led/is leading you?" This begged another question, namely "What does the verb celebrate actually mean?" 

celebrate [ sel-uh-breyt ]

verb (used without object), cel·e·brat·ed, cel·e·brat·ing

to observe a day or commemorate an event with ceremonies or festivities

to perform a religious ceremony, especially Mass or the Lord's Supper

In the case of  one's writing, the occasion to celebrate might be the completion of an oeuvre, the receipt of an offer to publish, a writing award or contest win, being hired for a freelance job, or achieving some other accomplishment. The definition of success will look different for each writer. For some it might be as simple (or challenging!) as maintaining a writing streak of 500 words a day for 21 or 40 days. 

How do we celebrate such things? With a party, a break for self-care, a glass of champagne? If it's going to be a fete, there's much to consider: guests, venue, food, table arrangements, decorations and activities, to name several.

But I'm getting ahead of myself, at least when it comes to thinking about a book launch or other big shindig. So far there are no major book deals, the unfinished novel is still unfinished, and though I've entered several contests this year, I haven't won any (or even placed second or third). My successes have been relatively small, and that's okay. I'm beyond thrilled to have had a column in FellowScript and I enjoy writing posts here most months. While I may not have won or placed in any contests, I have been writing, so that's a plus. I also made the decision to work with a writing mentor this fall, and hopefully that means I'll finally finish the novel I've been working on for far too long. Oohrah!

For the most part the journey God's been leading me on this last year-and-a-half hasn't been about writing - at least not on the surface. It's been about trusting Him even when the going gets tough, even when things don't make sense, even when the chickens counted on didn't hatch in the way expected. Can I still celebrate?

I've probably shared this verse before, but it never gets stale: 

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. ~James 1:2-4, NLT

"Consider it an opportunity for great joy." Doesn't that sound like a celebration to you?

God is developing my endurance, perfecting and making me complete. And that's a story that'll be worth writing when the time is right.

I feel a party coming on.

_________________________
You can find out more about Susan Barclay's writing at www.susan-barclay.blogspot.com

A Writer's Thoughts - Sulo Moorthy

"Writing to make a living in this generation is like walking on the moon,” wrote an author. Landing on the moon was once thought to be inconceivable. But it became not only achievable, but applaudable when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969.  Likewise, even though the thought of making a living by writing seems unattainable these days, some brave to dream and make it happen with sweat and determination. I’m not one of them. On the other hand, some live to write. They could write physically or mentally at all positions-sitting, standing, driving, walking, shopping and even in sleeping. They do not know how to stop writing and they won’t allow anyone or anything to stop them from writing. I’m not one of them either. So, what am I? That’s what I’m still trying to figure out.

Reading and writing are like the right and left eye for the writer. If one becomes weak, the vision gets dimmer and the walk begins to stagger. Without much reading, writing becomes stale. It starts to stagnate and loses its essence. On the other hand, all reading with little or no writing rarely ends up in a publication. Equal importance need to be given to both reading and writing in order to have 20/20 vision and great outcome.

Inspiration without perspiration produces poor writers. In our day and age, promotion needs to be tagged on to perspiration to make the sell. Without the accompaniment of a sale pitch, the writer’s voice is rarely heard beyond the four walls these days. Those of us who do not know how to text, tweet, interact with social network or give an interview cannot blame anyone, but ourselves for not earning a cent from our writing.

Talent draws attention, admiration and applauds. Talent taken for granted, but put to little use produces no winners. But a little talent fueled by great commitment yields great rewards.

“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from successful one is a lot of hard work.” ~ Stephen King

“ I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” ~ Albert Einstein

Engaging the readers in your story and educating them in an interesting and entertaining manner is a marvelous skill. Still more marvelous is to enlighten them with the truth and impact them to embrace the One, who called Himself the Truth.

Road to success is never short and straight. It does loops through rejections and discouragement. Yet the lessons learned along the way help to build courage and character. Let not the world define what success means to you. Success may produce celebrities, but it doesn’t always guarantee happiness. To hear the words, “ Well done, my faithful servant!” at the end of the journey is truly the success worthy to seek after.