Four writers share their picks for writing resolutions to keep this year:
“Be resilient. Know that a rejection is not about you or your work. Develop thick skin, pick yourself up off the ground and keep submitting your stories, poems, articles and query letters. In the writing business, success is partly about talent, but mostly about perseverance.”
—Ethan Gilsdorf, journalist and nonfiction writer
“Do as Hemingway did – always stop writing for the day at a point where you know exactly where you’re going next and can’t wait to get there. Resist the temptation to finish a scene before you call it a day; it will do wonders for your ability to get going quickly and confidently the next time you sit down to write.”
—Jenna Russell, journalist
“Choose a writing day. I have a number of writer friends who only write on Saturdays. It seems to work for them. Another idea: Go on a research trip. Sometimes putting yourself physically in a world similar to the one you hope to create is the perfect way to get a story moving.”
—Alexandra Bullen Coutts, young adult author
“In the New Year, writers should resolve to ask the questions they’re afraid to ask: of themselves, of their world and of their work. And to spend less time on social media.”
—Amy Brill, novelist
“Keep an eye on trends and understand the market but write the story only you can write. Write from your heart and be a little afraid. This is how you find your voice.”
—Robin Constantine, young adult author
“Write what you believe is missing from literature. Write what you’ve always wanted to read. Write what you’re afraid to write.”
—Jericho Brown, poet
