Some of you will be aware of The Write Year page on this blog, a place I leave a monthly review of all writing developments and sometimes pitfalls. I like to finish each monthly entry with some TOP TIPS that might help others too.
I have not yet reviewed December – I will be adding more top tips to this post in the next few days (be sure to check back)!
I hope you have also had a great year of writing. Let us know!
TOP TIPS 
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Use a laptop/ PC not connected to the internet to complete your writing.
- No matter how tired you are feeling, do it anyway!
Make a writing schedule and try to stick to it.
- Prioritise – you can’t do everything, so choose which projects fulfil yourself and your aims the best, concentrate and focus on these.
- If you miss a writing opportunity make a note of it and look out for it again next year.
- Enjoy your writing. When you reach the point that it is grating, switch to something else or leave your PC completely (even if you’re close to a deadline) you are likely to find that spending sometime away from your focus helps you find more energy and drive to complete your targets when you sit back down.
- If (like me) you have no writing desk and your bed is your office, over time, even with fabulous support pillows, you may find you suffer back pain and can’t walk straight for the first minute when you get up!
- I may have said this tip before – Invest in a Polar Cup, your Costa/Starbucks/ Local coffee house is just within reach and it hasn’t cost you much!
- Know when to take a breather and when to push on through. Learn to recognise the difference between laziness and exhaustion and take the appropriate positive action – a rest or a push!
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Get someone else to motivate you if you can’t manage to spur yourself on.
We all need a personal cheerleader from time to time, but the most important lesson I have learnt is just to
- KEEP ON GOING! Move yourself forward and celebrate.
- Get out there – out and about – away from your desk, meet people, talk to other writers.
- Collaborate and share – work together.
- Network.
- If you don’t ask you wont receive… so ASK!
- Surround yourself with creative, like minded, positive people.
- A positive attitude creates positive things.
- Most of all enjoy what you do and keep doing it!
- Spread your wings slowly to expand.
- Fifteen years is a long time, but it’s not the end of the world.
- Listen to your inner voice – it can guide you and often knows more than you do.
- Approach people, talk to them. Writers are people too and a source to point you in the right direction, I have discovered more avenues to explore by being brave.
- Get your books signed. Make it personal to you.
- Do a little research. The internet is an amazing tool beyond social media.
- When you are ready… JUMP – you will know when this time comes!
- Find calendars of events in your region, pen them ALL into your diary and choose week by week where you want to go and where you want to be seen.
- Contacts are useful and often appear out of nowhere!
- Keep an address book of all the people you meet with notes on areas where they can support you.
- Support other writers, buy their books, I have bought 3 this month.
- Find where you want to be and go there.
- Surround yourself with a supportive network. Lean when you need to.
awritersfountain 