Happy New Year to all Writers' & Artists' users and Yearbook readers!How are you today? Are you looking back at 2009 and weighing up the highs and lows? Or are you thinking of the year ahead as a new opportunity - made any resolutions?
New Year resolutions – shudder. It's a bit odd how people wait until January to abstain from booze, pies and cakes (as usual I've vowed to and am dreading it). I mean, why do we do it knowing we'll most likely fail come 17 January when the absence of a cheeky sherbet is driving us loop the loop?
And what about writing resolutions: is 2010 the year you start your book, do a writing course, or even, the ultimate in writing-related resolutions – finish your book and get it published...
Now that last one is a biggy, particularly if you're abstaining from booze and chocolate at the same time. Just how will you do it, and will you be crushed if you don't?
Maybe we'd all be better start by making bite-sized resolutions. It could be a case of deciding to write X amount of words a month or finding out all you need to know about the publishing industry and submissions before you start approaching agents.
We can help you there: you could make a start by getting stuck into the inspirational tales from the likes of Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett and JK Rowling in the Writers' & Artists' Yearbook (particularly if Father Christmas brought you one!).
Or book a ticket for our 'How to get published' writers' conference on Saturday 13 March. We'll tell you all you need to know to get your masterpiece into the marketplace.
Whatever your resolution, writing or otherwise, approach 2010 with positivity and creativity – it's the only way any of us will get anything done!
Warm wishes, Jo
(Editor, Writers' & Artists' Yearbook)
Tea Maljkovic on January 1, 2010
My resolution for 2010 is to write superbly and to do as much work (writing) as I can, to do it right. And also, I'd like to finish book 1 and start working on book 2 during this year...
Lesley-Anne Weir on January 1, 2010
Have spent most of today beginning to look into how a person goes about publishing a book! Got stories, ideas and characters swimming around in my head (usually doing most of their splashing when I'm trying to sleep). So my resolution for 2010 is to get them out there in that big old ocean of children's books!
Clare Kirwan on January 2, 2010
Yes! Yes! Yes! This is the year of the novel! I'm 60,000 words in and I got the Writers and Artists Yearbook for Christmas so the search for an agent commences. 7 New Year Resolutions for Writers on my blog, too.
David McDougall on January 3, 2010
My resolution is a simple one. Choose a deadline and stick to it.
Abigail Jackson on January 4, 2010
Because I'm currently doing my A Levels, I can only hope to finish my novel by the summer holidays. I'm 58,000 words in, and at the moment I'm reading over what I've done and enjoying it so far. I still think I'm too young to send off my novel once it's completed, so hopefully after I'm at least a year into my Creative Writing BA and get some feedback from my teachers and fellow students I'll be confident enough to send it!