Okay, we know. Your new year’s writing resolution is to finish the project you’ve been dreaming of for years. But we’d like to challenge you to do more with your year than putting words on pages because expanding your skillset is going to help you write more efficiently and make it easier to meet your goal. Here’s a few resolutions we have in mind for the aspiring writer:
Write 25 Words a Day
If you’re looking to work on building a writing habit that is more consistent, the key to success is creating a low barrier to entry. By having an easily achievable minimum standard of care, it’s much easier to find a way to include it in your day. Asking of yourself to write 1000 words a day or an hour a day is likely to create problems for your future self by rendering them incapable of success with business. But you can write 25 words while you’re waiting in line for coffee or even at the end of the day when you’re exhausted. And most days you’ll find yourself writing much, much more because you’ve already done the hard part and gotten started.
Reconsider Your Chapter Breaks
Scenes are important periods of time as marked by a character’s experience, but chapters are markers of a reader’s experience. Knowing the difference can make a huge impact. It’s likely that you’ve written your first draft with characters in mind. Maybe it’s time to reconsider where those chapter breaks fall for readers now. Leave them on something that piques their interest and gets them wondering what comes next.
Work on Your Dialogue Timing
Timing dialogue and action beats seamlessly can be a particularly difficult skill to master, and without it it’s easy for a reader to get lost mid-conversation. But taking the time to hone your dialogue timing will also help you improve incorporating characterization, themes, concise description, and specific action. Though it may feel like a small skill to focus on, you can get a lot of coverage by taking the time.
Find Answers to Your Burning Questions
If you’re coming into the new year finding that you have lots of questions about where you are in the writing process, finding a beta reader can make a huge difference by giving you a third party perspective on your story. Make sure to give them a beta reading questionnaire to help guide their feedback, and include your specific questions as well as some more general options for them to give you their unled, honest reactions.
Find More Collaborators
Writing can be a lonely activity, and when it is, you’re likely to make easily remedied mistakes and paint yourself into corners. So, finding others to collaborate with can be a huge relief. This can look like a writing group, a beta reader, a critique partner, an editor, or a book coach, and more. There’s no shame in building a network of support. Even most self-published authors have a team that helps them bring their book to market.
Learn How to Break a Writing Rule the Right Way
Rules are meant to be broken. I’m sure you’ve seen this after doing countless hours of research of writing technique and then picking up any bestseller. It can be frustrating when you feel like those who make it big aren’t playing by the rules. But the key to really standing out is knowing those rules and then breaking them in ways that are intriguing to the reader rather than simplifying your narrative. Taking the time to learn how to break the rules can leave a huge impression with an agent.
Try out a New Self-Editing Technique
Self-editing is hard. That’s why many of us get in our grooves and just keep going until we feel like our novel is finished. But changing your editing technique could change your perspective on the novel, making it either easier to edit or a more profound finished product. Just seek out some self-editing resources to see what clicks for you.
Make an Investment in Your Writing
If you’ve been having a hard time committing to your writing goals, pivoting to one that will help you focus better can make a huge difference. Much like how people will commit to a new gym membership or workout gear early in the year, you too can make an investment in your authorial career. This can look like a new writing laptop, a round of edits, a desk, a book on writing technique, a few coaching sessions, or even a treat you only get to enjoy while writing. Whatever it takes, making your writing sessions feel a little more special can be a great and useful goal.
Banish a New Crutch Word
I don’t know about you, but I have a tendency to go back over my text and feel like I have words I use repeatedly. Of course, some of these are just indicative of your tone, but too simple of prose will feel repetitive and bore readers. So, in case you don’t already know your crutch words, taking a moment to learn some strategies to overcome them can make a huge difference in building a more authentic authorial voice.
Making your new year’s resolution to tackle that new project you’ve been dreaming of or finishing the one you started is great, but it’s also the one you’re always going to have. By choosing to add on another that builds new skills, you’ll be actively participating in improving your craft and thereby improving your chances querying. So, take a moment to assess what new skills you’d like to gain for 2023 and set aside time for it.
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