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Monday, December 16, 2013

Are You Ready for 2014? by MM Pollard


editor, Black Velvet Seductions,
the MM in Workshops with MM




Do you make New Year's resolutions?

Maybe a better question is, Do you keep your New Year's resolutions?

We all have the best intentions on January 1st with our new list of resolutions, whether that list has one resolution or many. Here are some tips to fulfill your resolutions in the new year.

1. Translate vague resolutions into concrete goals with a specific time period, not the entire year.
Resolution: I'm going to write a book this year.
Goal: I'll write (insert number) words every day or week.
Month or Year is not a choice, even though either one is the more likely choice of procrastinators.
WHY? Turning your resolutions into concrete and specific goals helps you keep a handle on them. You can easily see if you are going forward or backward at the end of every day or week, depending on the time period you have used for your goal. Fall behind one day, you still have more days that week or another week to make up the words you didn't write that day.


2. Make sure that your resolutions are truly yours, not your family's for you.
Why?
Your life is yours. You have the right to choose your own goals. Even if you self-disciplined enough to achieve someone's goals for you, you won't feel self-satifaction at their completion.
More than likely, you will use every excuse that shows up to delay working on their resolutions for you.

3. Make your resolutions visible. People learn many ways: by seeing, hearing, doing. Paint a picture, write a poem or a journal, compose a song or music, make a poster -- whatever works for you. Here's the important part: put your picture, etc., where you will see it every day WHERE you will work on your goals. When you get so used to seeing your visual aid that it becomes "invisible," move it to another place in the same room.
Why? Creative people need to create -- think of that poster as a brainstorming activity. You must think about your resolutions/goals to compose that song.

You pour a part of yourself in your creation. You make an investment in time and in yourself just to make your resolutions visible before you have done one thing toward fulfilling them.
Let's say you spent hours writing that poem. If you quit, that poem becomes worthless. Do you know a poet who wants to write, who enjoys writing, worthless poems? I think not.

4. Reward yourself when you have achieved a small goal, like writing your word count goal for the week.
Why? Writing a book is a HUGE goal. Expect it to be WORK. A year is a long time to wait to reward yourself for your daily successes. Reward yourself along the way as you achieve your small goals, and you'll be more likely to fulfill your New Year's Resolutions.

In my workshop Moving from Resolutions to Results, sponsored by FFnP, students will learn to appreciate where they are in their journey as a writer; let go of shouldas, wouldas, couldas; break down goals into action statements with deadlines; manage their time; and face and defeat procrastination.
The two-week workshop begins January 6, 2014. I hope to see you in class,

MM Pollard
About MM Pollard

As an English teacher for fifteen years and, currently, as acquisitions editor and copy editor for Black Velvet Seductions, MM Pollard has helped writers correct ungrammatical grammar, misused usage, problematic punctuation, and poor writing.

MM has presented workshops on Savvy Authors and Writer U. Many RWA chapters, including Colorado RW, Kiss of Death RW, Passionate Ink, Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal RW, Maryland RWA, and Florida RW, have also sponsored her workshops. Through her fun workshops – English class can be fun! – she is sure she can help you, too, master the fundamentals of English composition.

 
MM’s Fundamentals of English – blog – mostly English-related information and a complete list of MM’s workshops

MM’s Fundamentals of Writing – monthly newsletter – sign up on her blog



Also, I hope you will join my class titled


MOVING FROM RESOLUTION
TO RESULTS
Hosted by
Fantasy-Futuristic & Paranormal Romance Writers
This Two Week class starts January 6th
For more information click HERE

 
Sign-up HERE
 

2 comments:

Nancy Lee Badger said...

I cannot believe this year is almost over. Writing and publishing-wise, I did very well. I look forward to finishing my current manuscript, self-pubbing another, and submitting a third to publishers. Am I ready for 2014? The jury is still out. Thanks for the tips!

MM Pollard said...

You're welcome. Best of luck in 2014.

MM Pollard