6 Ways to Make 2014 the Best Yet!

January is a month filled with obscure celebrations and events, such as: Someday We'll Laugh About This week (2-8); or the No Name Calling week (20-24). January 2nd is I'm Not Going to Take It Anymore day; the 24th is Belly Laugh day; and the 29th is Free Thinkers day. January is also Book Buzz and National Mentoring month.

But the biggie for January is, drum roll please . . . making (breaking) resolutions. I have to be honest with you, I've never fully supported the idea. Personally, I believe denial only leads to craving and failure. If I want to be successful in a resolution, it must be something positive that I can add to my life. Something that will make me more productive, more nurturing, more loving. With that thought in mind, I've written a list of 6 suggestions. I asked two of my author mentor/friends for their input with this question: "What's the best resolution you ever made that helped your writing career?" You'll find those answers in items 2 and 6. It may surprise you.

Have you made any resolutions for this year? If not, maybe one of these ideas will help:
1.  VOLUNTEER - Share your talent with others. Offer to write whatever the organization/school/company needs (it keeps your skills sharp). Host a book fair. Help your library. Mentor a child. Most of us acquired a love for books because someone shared their love of the written word with us. Pass it on!

2.    MAKE A DECISION - Writers are used to facing hurdles and rejection slips. It comes with the territory. Harder still is making choices after you've experienced a modicum of success especially when one path is stability and the other uncertainty.

"I don't make New Year's resolutions," said #Alan_Brennert, award-winning author, producer and screenwriter. "But I made a kind of resolution back in 2000 when I committed myself to finishing my novel "MOLOKA'I" rather than pursue a staff job as a writer on Law & Order, with whose producers I had met while I was still partway into writing "#MOLOKA'I." The latter turned out to be my first, bestselling book and a major turning point in my career;  had I taken the former, all I would have had to show for it (other than money) would have been just another bunch of episodic television scripts based on other people's characters."

A major decision like the one Brennert made is one only you and your family or support team can make. Do you take the road less traveled or do you merge with traffic? Nobody can answer for you, however, as the legendary Yogi Bera once said, "when you see a fork in the road, take it."

3.     MENTOR - Seek the counsel of those you respect, those who are better established in the field of publishing than you. You'll be amazed at their generosity and wisdom. I firmly believe we provide a better product to the reader when we collaborate rather than compete. There's a wonderful nursing adage that is applicable to writers as well: "See one, do one, teach one."

4.      LIMIT YOUR TIME ON SOCIAL MEDIA - Everyone has their own style of browsing. Focus on priorities. It's so easy to get caught up in chit-chat. During the day, I set time aside to add updates to my Facebook fan page or write a quick tweet. It's important to keep readers informed and to build an author's platform.

If you're struggling with a personal style, look at the fan pages of authors you admire. I also looked at the pages for sports teams, other celebrities, and food pages (the last may have been because I was hungry). After noting what I found attractive, I began to see my own style emerge.

I don't read the "news feed" until evening. That's my time with friends; a chance to relax and find out what's happening in the eSocial 'hood.  

5.     ORGANIZE

• Your thoughts - Prioritize your needs and follow through. If you're serious about your craft, make sure you have the tools needed to ply it. If you prefer writing on a typewriter (like mythical author Hayden Konig in #Mark_Schweizer's Liturgical Mystery series) because it brings you into character, that's one thing but if you're still pounding away on a Commodore 64 . . . it's time to upgrade.
• A place for everything - Next time you misplace something, look at the clock and measure how much time's been wasted on the search (Yikes! I just found my resolution for 2014).
• 24/7 is all any of us ever have - Observe how successful people use it. Set a schedule; one that's reasonable. Balance is a  key component to productivity.

6.     JUST WRITE - "My best resolution was to write 10,000 words a day for 2013 and I reached my goal!" said #Melissa_Foster, New York Times Bestselling and Award-winning Author of #The_Love_in_Bloom series (Snow sisters & Bradens).  She graciously asked if I would like her to elaborate on this but I was stunned senseless at what she had accomplished!

In answer to your question, Melissa, I would love to hear more.

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Alan Brennert is from New Jersey and now living with his family in Los Angeles. To learn more about him and his work, click on his name.

Melissa Foster, a mother of six, lives with her family in Maryland. Click on her name to learn more about her books and the foundations she's created.

Mark Schweizer lives in Tryon, North Carolina and is author of an hilarious Liturgical Mystery series.

Jo Ann V. Glim is a 40-year veteran of freelance writing and author of BEGOTTEN: With Love (available in eBook the beginning of 2014).

Follow/LIKE on Facebook Jo Ann V. Glim, author