What you get by achieving your goals is not as important
as what you become by achieving your goals.
— Henry David Thoreau
In my last post, I took an honest look back at how well I kept my writer’s resolutions for 2014. I did pretty well. I kept most of my resolutions and have been writing my little fingers off all year, mostly outside of Rubber Ducky Copywriter.
Now it’s time to unwrap my new set of writer’s resolutions for the coming year.
Rubber Ducky’s Writer’s Resolutions for 2015
Since last year’s resolutions worked so well, I’m going to focus on keeping up the pace.
Resolution #1: Continue to “shut up and write” like I did in 2014.
Resolution #2: Stop using my home office as an emergency laundry room.
Resolution #3: Devote at least four hours each week to my primary work in progress.
Resolution #4: Install a “writer’s resolution jar” and pay $1 it each week for each of the above resolutions I break that week.
Of course, I want to add to it. That’s the trap so many of us fall in to every year we make our writer’s resolutions. But everything else I want to add is a distraction, something I can’t measure or something to be checked off of my To Do list.
If I can half-ass or ignore something without knowing it, it shouldn’t be on my list of writer’s resolutions.
My writer’s resolutions need to help form the foundation for being the writer I want to be.
Shutting up and writing? That’s working.
Not stockpiling clean clothes in my chair? That’ll be a nice change.
Devoting time to my work in progress? That’ll help me finish.
Resolution jar? That’ll keep me accountable.
My other goals include submitting a guest post proposal to one of my favorite blogs. I’m also going to read more professional development books and add another round of proofreading to my work to better weed out typos.
Thirsty for more?
My list of writer’s resolutions is short. If you’re looking for more inspiration to make your own list of writer’s resolutions, take a look at these three top-notch places to start.
25 Writer Resolutions For 2013 (And Beyond) by Chuck Wendig
I wouldn’t necessarily call these “resolutions” but I do think every writer, regardless of niche, would benefit from reading this list. My favorite is #26 is the best. (Yes, #26.)
13 New Year’s Resolutions for Writers by Jeff Goins
Even though Jeff states that he’s not a big believer in making resolutions, he does offer some good advice. My favorites are numbers 6, 8 and 9.
Writer’s Digest: 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Writers by Rachel Scheller
This list is centered more around writing fiction than blogging or other disciplines, but it’s still full of good advice. In particular, resolution #5: “I resolve to…call myself a writer.”
What about you? Do you make writer’s resolutions? What’s been your most successful one so far? Share in the comments.
Rubber Ducky Copywriter™ 
Why not put in $1/week for every goal you achieve rather than miss? That way, you’re catching yourself doing something right, AND rewarding yourself for it. Paying yourself for getting your goals done may leave you without much in the jar at first, but as you accomplish your goals more often, you’ll feel better about yourself, and your jar will fill up faster.
That’s actually a pretty good idea. I’ve found that an entirely positive reinforcement approach doesn’t work with me for some reason. But maybe a carrot & stick approach could be effective.
A dollar in when I do well. And a dollar out when I don’t.
I think you’re on to something. Thanks! 😉
I think I like your idea even better than mine. Appeals to the logical side of me.
I ended up in an online business group where you set overall goals and then break them down every 90 days. It works really well, mainly because I never really wrote goals down before.
LOL @ laundry. 😀 Congrats!
Nice idea! Sounds like another good way to make sure you’re making progress. 🙂