New Writing You in 2022

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. 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, practice kindness. 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 2022.

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 category of waiting-for-responses-so-you-can-cue-the-confetti, 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.

Thank you to all who visit this website. It's been my pleasure to mentor, inspire, and share my wisdom! Make 2022 your best writing year! Here’s hoping one of us gets published.