Revolutionize Your Writing

Desire is the key to motivation, but its determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek.” 

-Mario Andretti

When thinking about writing resolutions for 2016, consider a writing focus and revolution instead.

Timothy Pychyl, a professor of psychology at Carleton University in Canada, describes resolutions as an effort to reinvent oneself. People make resolutions as a way of motivating themselves, he says. Pychyl argues that people aren't ready to change their habits, particularly bad habits, and that accounts for the high failure rate of resolutions. Another reason for the high failure rate involves unrealistic goals and expectations.

You may think that if you have a writing plan this year your entire life will change. When it doesn't, you may get discouraged and then revert to former behaviors.

Take a look at realistic ways to focus and begin your 2016 writing year. Make it a year long process. 

Plan every day to focus on an aspect of writing. Set realistic, specific goals. You will write a set number of pages each day, each week or by a set date.

Take small steps. Many people quit writing because their goal requires too big a step all at once. Write three lines and stop. Write for ten minutes and stop.

Create a support system. Make a pact with a writing accountability buddy.

Celebrate your success between goals. If you write today; you're a writer today. Applaud yourself!

Be mindful. Stay physically, emotionally and mentally aware of your inner state as you write moment by moment. Avoid living in the past or future.

Don't take yourself so seriously. Have fun and laugh when you feel cranky and don't want to write. Write about cranky. Write even more.

Revolutionize your writing instead of writing resolutions