#WriterResolutions for 2016

2015 was a crazy year for me. Baby Bowman changed just about every routine I’ve come to rely on, plus I had two books published. I learned a lot in 2015. I also stressed a lot…

Recently I was chatting with author-bud Susan Dennard about new year’s resolutions resolutions. As writers, what did we want to focus on in 2016—what could (and should!) we be doing differently to help with stress, sanity, overall happiness, and so on…

So in the spirit of the holidays, we decided to not only share our #WriterResolutions, but to ask you all to do the same! I’m sure there are resolutions I’m forgetting, and perhaps something you guys suggest will jog my memory. Or vice versa—maybe YOU can take inspiration from our #WriterResolutions. And then maybe we can all help each other stay true to our goals in the new year!

Here are my #WriterResolutions for 2016: 

(Don’t forget to see Susan’s via her newsletter!)

1 — Strike a better work/family balance

I’ve had this goal pretty much for forever. Each year I get a little better at it, but there’s always room for improvement. And with how quickly Baby Bowman is growing, this goal seems more important than ever.

2 — Stop comparing

No, seriously, Erin. STOP COMPARING. I know my writing journey is going to be different from everyone else’s and yet in moments of doubt and panic, it’s so easy to wonder why So-and-So got that fancy marketing campaign, and why Joe Schmoe’s book is selling better. I’ve known for years that the only thing I can control is the writing and that comparing leads me to dark places, and yet I continually struggle with this goal. So I’m hoping to change that in 2016. If I’m going to play a comparison game it should be this one: Make my next book better than my previous book. The end.

3 — Be grateful

Instead of focusing on the next good thing that might come my way, I want to religiously remind myself of the things I have NOW. A lot of good things have already fallen on my plate. I’m so thankful. And so grateful. I don’t want that to fade as I approach a year in which I have nothing contracted.

4 — Do more yoga

I used to work out religiously (like, 5-6 days a week), but remember that comment about Baby Bowman changing my routine? Yeah, that. I don’t have the time to jet off to the gym or swim laps whenever I feel like it. Squeezing in a run has even become a nightmare. But yoga… oh man do I love yoga, and I love that I can do it in quick 10-min spurts, in any room of my house, with minimal gear and usually in whatever I’m wearing. (Writers wear yoga uniforms non-stop, after all.) And not only is yoga great for me physically, it always calms my nerves. I feel taller, more open, more relaxed after practicing. How can that not be good for me—as a writer and as a person?

And that’s it! Now tell me…

 

What are your #WriterResolutions for 2016?

Please share them with me and Sooz on twitter, your blog, or whatever outlets you feel like using. Just be sure to use the #WriterResolutions hashtag.

Let’s all keep each other on track next year!

 

 

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