I recently signed up for a free membership to the ICCWA – International Association of Conscious and Creative Writers founded by Julia McCutchen.
~In honor of her first granddaughter, Lyra born on December 31st, she is offering a 31% discount on her products at IACCW until January 31st.
~She had this article about 7 Tips for Creating Your New Year Writing Success Strategy.
The New Year is a fabulous time to inject a fresh burst of energy into your plans for writing and publishing your book.
So here are 7 tips to help you have your best writing year yet:
1. Identify what is genuinely important to you about your writing. So many people today live in the fast lane. As a result, it is easy to lose sight of what really matters.
With your writing, being consciously connected to what is truly important enables you to give yourself permission to prioritise your writing time. This means that you will get your writing done and feel more creatively satisfied as a result.
So start this year by taking time to re-connect to the source of your inspiration to write. Then write about that in your journal to refer back to in the coming months.
2. Clarify your vision. With that connection in place to keep you grounded, the next step is to sharpen your focus on where you are heading. Being clear about your vision will inspire and motivate you to maintain your progress.
One of the most powerful ways of bringing your vision to life is to create a Vision Board. This involves making a collage of images to represent yourself as an author and what you want to achieve with your writing.
If you have already made one, the turn of the year is a wonderful opportunity to add new images which feel appropriate for this year, or make a fresh one to reflect your new ideas for 2013.
3. Clear your inner and outer space. When it comes to the creative cycle, space is often overlooked. Yet it is a crucial ingredient of the creative process. In fact, space is the true source of your most inspired ideas.
Starting with your inner space, I recommend that you empty your mind and enjoy a break from thinking regularly. Strange though this may sound, it is an exceptionally good way to recharge your creative fire.
De-cluttering your outer space, especially where you write, also has an immensely beneficial effect on the free flow of your writing. So if you haven’t had a clear-out in a while, this is your chance to do so.
4. Get organised. One of the challenges that many writers face is keeping track of all their ideas efficiently. Most creative people find that ideas for a project can arrive at any time of day (and night!).
Many experienced writers have pads of paper and pens scattered all around the house, and never leave home without a notebook. Yet ending up with piles of disorganised notes can be frustrating and time consuming when you can’t find what you’re looking for.
If this resonates with you, turn over a new leaf this year and purchase some new files (colourful ones always make this task more fun), and dedicate a few hours to putting your notes in order.
5. Make a plan. For some writers, planning comes easily and naturally. For others it is such an unwelcome task that it never gets done at all!
Yet having the right kind of plan to work to can actually free up your creativity rather than curb it. Certainly, proper planning is part of making the shift into the more serious gear that writing a book for publication requires.
Depending on where you are on in the writing process, this may mean making a plan for completing your article or manuscript, or drafting your synopsis in preparation for approaching agents or publishers. Whatever applies to your individual situation, a plan will guide you step-by-step towards your vision.
6. Pay attention to your choices and decisions on a daily basis. Writing a book involves an important balance between the big picture (the vision) and the detail (the words on the page).
Each and every day, how you choose to spend your time and deciding what your priorities are become the defining moments on your journey.
The future arises out of who we are in the present moment and the smallest daily decisions lead to the largest long term results. So bring your awareness to your choices today and see the positive effects tomorrow.
7. Take action! Of course all of the visioning and planning in the world will only take you so far. When all is said and done, vision and action go hand in hand.
So avoid being seduced by having a beautifully tidy writing space with your Vision Board on your wall, your notes beautifully filed and your plan carefully scheduled … but no writing actually happening!
Remember what this is all for – to move you forwards joyfully and creatively towards successful published authorship – whatever route you take to get there.
The results of your efforts need to show up on the page and this is where you’ll know whether or not you are on track for success with writing your book for publication in 2013.
Good luck and enjoy the journey of diving ever more deeply into your conscious and creative expression as a writer!
Q4U: What strategies resonate most with you? What others do you use to keep you on track with your writing? Share your experience below.
© Julia McCutchen 2013. All Rights Reserved.
Julia McCutchen is an author, conscious writing coach, intuitive mentor, and the founder & creative director of the International Association of Conscious & Creative Writers (IACCW). A former publisher of books on spiritual and personal development, Julia teaches conscious creativity, conscious writing and a holistic approach to writing for publication that combines the inner journey of creative self-discovery with the practical steps required for writing and publishing books. She is the author of The Writer’s Journey: From Inspiration to Publication. For more information and a FREE Special Report on Discovering Your Authentic Voice – on the page and in the world, visit www.iaccw.com.
TERESA TIDBITS:
#3 Clear your inner and outer space – Starting with your inner space, I recommend that you empty your mind and enjoy a break from thinking regularly. Strange though this may sound, it is an exceptionally good way to recharge your creative fire.
TM: –>LOVE THIS! For me, I try listening to music or taking a walk. BOY! When I read this it hit home for me because I identified with this quickly. My outer space to me isn’t the issue but sometimes my inner space (my mind, especially my EGO) can have me thinking I’m not going to succeed at my writing or questioning my writing.
#5 Make a plan -Depending on where you are on in the writing process, this may mean making a plan for completing your article or manuscript, or drafting your synopsis in preparation for approaching agents or publishers. Whatever applies to your individual situation, a plan will guide you step-by-step towards your vision.
TM: –>I have to say I’m a BIG planner. I’m one of those people who make a grocery list every time I go to the store. When I work, I write down a to-do list so I can plan what I will be accomplishing in my day. When I write, I plan the amount of words, pages or chapters I wish to accomplish at a given time frame. It keeps me accountable and on track.
#7 Take Action – So avoid being seduced by having a beautifully tidy writing space with your Vision Board on your wall, your notes beautifully filed and your plan carefully scheduled … but no writing actually happening!
Remember what this is all for – to move you forwards joyfully and creatively towards successful published authorship – whatever route you take to get there.
–>TM: Yes, it is great to outline and create a vision board but it is vitally important to write. Take the action of the writing. Putting the pen to paper or fingers to the keyboard. Take the next inspired step and WRITE! Without the doing, there isn’t a book.
