I have a number of resolutions for this new year. Last year flew by and with it, a myriad of intentions and plans that snuck away in the middle of the daily grind. I imagined happy writing places in great detail to ensure I was mentally prepared to conquer any obstacle that wiggled its way into my ability to write regularly. My work spaces were set up with all the necessary tools within reach. I prepped my coffees, teas, and treats for missions accomplished. I was even blessed to have a number of planners and journals to keep me motivated and aware of my writing goals. The preparations were foolproof.
And even so, I failed miserably.
I wasn’t able to keep up a regular writing cycle. I mused and fell asleep. I wrote in my head and let the thoughts drift away before my fingers hit a keyboard. The bubbling soups, dinging laundry machines, and alarms signaling pick ups and drop offs were the roadblocks that kept my writing (and reading) at bay.
This year, I want to aim for less pomp and circumstance. I’ll have the essential keyboard and idea on hand and give it a whirl before thinking too much. I can squeeze out 10 minutes of solid writing time before my brain cells snooze and my fingers begin to slur the typed words.
January 2018 comes as a fresh, unblemished year. My writing goals can be crafted and re-crafted; the intents and purposes shifting with the seasons (or pseudo-seasons, as we have in Houston).
I thoroughly enjoy the idea of stereotypical writing dreamscapes. A corner in a cozy cabin warmed by a crackling fire or a busy coffee shop with a cup of joe next to a laptop. The rustle of papers accentuated by the striking of a freshly sharpened pencil or a large desk with billowing curtains overlooking a vast sea. All these images (and then some) hold a firmly nostalgic place in my writing life.
What I have in reality, though, is starkly different.
Five kids don’t leave many pencils freshly sharpened. Coffee shops weren’t made for a trio of toddlers and laptops don’t remain unmarred by sticky hands or spills for long. Seas equal beaches, which equal grains of sand stuck to your eyelashes, and cabin fireplaces…well you can only imagine the allergies.
So this year my resolution is to write with what I got, not what I dream of having. To pull up the big girl pants and get to work!
Some goals I’m going to keep in mind and keep me chugging along on the daily, weekly, and monthly:
- Daily writing – fiction, nonfiction, blogging, or articles
- Weekly reading – the goal, again this year, will be 50 books
- Weekly review of writing topics – make sure I have topics on hand when I get to sitting down and writing
- Monthly assessment of writing – do more of what’s working and toss out what’s not
Do you need a daily or weekly team to help you stay motivated and keep working toward your writing goals this year? Join the Daybreak Press Writing Circle on WhatsApp as a virtual support system and keep company with those who are walking a similar path. Join in at bitly.com/daybreakwritingcircle
Originally published on the Daybreak Press Blog
Afshan Malik 