6 Ways to Pump Up Your Writing in 2017



Happy New Year, everyone!

I don't make New Year's resolutions, but I do make goals for the year. One of my goals for 2017 is to resurrect the writing blog! Sure, I make writing videos on my YouTube channel pretty regularly, but I do miss the blog. I'm back today with some suggestions on how you might want to increase your writing in the new year.

1. Track your daily word count - The first time I participated in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), I discovered how satisfying it is after a productive session to look back at the number of words I had written. And even on days that weren't so productive, I could say, "well, at least I did write 200 words today", which made me feel better about writing every day, even if some days I could only write for 20 minutes. You can just use an Excel spreadsheet or you can get fancy and use one of the tracker tools on the internet.

2. Try a writing challenge - Speaking of NaNoWriMo, you should give it a shot this year. Or if you don't want to wait for November, check out Camp NaNoWriMo in April and July. If writing a novel in a month isn't your thing, try the 30-Day Poetry Challenge in April, or StoryADay in May. Or if you don't want to wait until April or May, you can try the 30-Day Writing Prompt Challenge or the Writer's Block Challenge at any time. (And you can always pick up my e-book, The 30-Day Writing Challenge: Begin or Enhance Your Daily Writing Habit.)

3.Try writing via voice recorder - Do you have a long commute to your job or to school? Do you like to think out loud? Try using a voice recorder to record ideas, dialogue, poetry, whatever. You can find a recorder on most phones or pick up an actual mp3 recorder. (Or go old school and get a tape recorder.)

4. Join a writing community - Go to Meetup.com and find writer's groups in your area. If there aren't any, join and online writing community like #writestuff, AuthorTube, or Critique Circle.

5. Find an accountability partner - This could be another writer like a critique partner, but it doesn't have to be. Find someone who will hold you accountable, and check in with each other once a week or even once a day to discuss your goals and the steps you plan to take to achieve them.

6. Give yourself monthly writing goals - Speaking of goals, you are more likely to achieve them if you have them. Start each month with a specific and defined writing goal. That way you can turn vague resolutions like "I want to write a book someday" into specific things like "I will write two short stories in July." Specific goals are more likely to be met.


 

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