A New Writer You Will Be in 2023

Everyone makes resolutions ahead of the coming year. You’ve got your standard weight loss and exercise resolutions that usually fail a week into the new year if you don't integrate them into your daily routine. There's the ever-popular personal pledges to improve some part of our emotional selves; take things in stride, don’t react to triggers, seek out kumbaya moments, and practice kindness to all along with dishing out random acts of kindness. Put yourself out there, volunteer at an animal shelter or soup kitchen. And don’t forget the trendy vow to take up a new hobby; learn to cook, start a new collection, create some art. These are all worthwhile decrees and by all means, partake, but I’m proposing writing resolutions for 2023.

If you’re new to the writing scene, make it your business to promise your inner writing star that you will make time to write. Create a space unique to you that motivates and inspires you to write. Seek out writing websites, forums, and groups to join. Hone your craft by learning about how to structure a story properly. Practice proper punctuation. Alert yourself to alliteration and the like. Scour the Internet for writing tips and grammar rules.

If you’re at the my-book-is-done stage. Make sure your story shines. Nail your opening line to grab attention. Be certain your first pages are error-free and amazing. Ensure that each chapter makes the reader want to read more. Check to see whether you are in the correct genre lane. Confirm that your word count meets the requirement for your genre. Fix stylistic and grammar mistakes. Find a good proofreader/editor. Ready your query letter. Research agents and publishers for your genre.

If you fall into the waiting-for-responses-so-you-can-cue-the-confetti category, continue to improve your manuscript by making it more concise. Keep writing while you wait, either start the next in the series, or write something completely new.

A few final resolutions for 2023, please make it your business to share your writing knowledge with other writers. Share what you've learned about the publishing industry or the indie author/self-publishing route. Help others avoid the pitfalls you endured and marshal them onto the right writing path. Your wisdom could truly benefit an up-and-coming writer or potential author.