Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Better New Year

Welcome 2014 and I wish all of you a better 2014 than 2013. If 2013 was a good year for you, then I hope this one is even better. For some 2013 was the year of challenge and adversity, perhaps disappointment. To you I say Happy, Better New Year.

Last year for the A to Z challenge, my theme was based on all the things I intended to do once I left my day job and became a full time writer. An entire list of goals to make myself a better, more prolific and more profitable writer. After four months of being a full time writer I have some general reflections on what I thought were great ideas.

Firstly, I love being at home and writing every day. The only days I haven't written in the past four months have been days I was traveling. I love having that cup of coffee or hot tea at my elbow. I like wearing my fuzzy socks and slippers to my job and getting the laundry done in between scenes. It's wonderful.

But I've also found I put a lot of pressure on myself to keep up with promotion and social media. When I had the old day job, I knew I didn't have enough time to spend hours on that side of the writing life. But now I should have the time and always feel like I should be doing more. More Facebook, more Twitter, more blogging and more, more everything. It sucks a little joy from the writing experience. But a few days ago I was enjoying browsing at the bookstore, flipping through some writer magazines, when I realized how much I enjoyed the unhurried moments like that one. And I discovered my New Year's resolution.

I'm not marking down a number of pages, novels or short stories that I'm going to write. I'm not going to vow a certain amount of blogging or other social media. Instead, this year I'm going to find my comfort zone. I'm going to avoid any stress or frustration with how much social media work I do or how much promotion I get done. I'm going to be myself and not try to make myself into some media wizard. I'll take time to enjoy the stack of jigsaw puzzles I have been longing to indulge in. I'll try some of those recipes I've found on Pinterest. I'll work on my cross-stitch that I find so rewarding. I will work out most days. I'm going to find that balance between my writing job and the rest of my life. I will never live up to all the goals I set down last April in A to Z. And I think it will make my 2014 a Happy Better New Year.

Are you setting goals for next year? Was 2013 good for you? Don't forget that IWSG will post next Wednesday instead of today.

23 comments:

Unknown said...

Oh Susan, as always, you inspire me.

Maria Zannini said...

That's been my revelation too. No more merry-go-round. I want to reconnect with the things that make me happy.

Happy New Year, hon.

Frankie Miller said...

Happy New Year, Susan. I'm going to try to set some goals but I like to feel relaxed. Promotions do cause pressure, and the less pressure the more I tend to do.
Quilting is also relaxing. I must do more sewing.

Dana said...

Happy New Year, Susan! I agree with the others: you are an inspiration. ☺

Joss said...

Happy new year. I think you have a good plan in place for this year and I hope it goes well for you :)

Trisha said...

I'm impressed with anyone that can write full time & keep up their discipline. I know that if I didn't have my day job, I would be a total slacker with my writing. When I have my day job, I make the most of my nights. Not so when I'm on holidays or something. ;)

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year, Susan!

Elizabeth Sara said...

I want to care less about food and more about truly living.

Michael Di Gesu said...

That is very WISE of you, Susan...

BALANCE is the key. As writers we NEED TO LIVE... We need to be with people. Experience new things. Keep creating in different venues...

ALL is good as long as we LIVE. Spending countless hours behind a computer screen is NOT living.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! ALL the the best!

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Oh, thank you, Dana and Melanie. Fanny, I never was into quilting though I appreciate the talent involved and love the results.
Maria, a busy person like you inspires me.
Happy New Year to you, Joss and Suzanne.
Trisha, I was the same when I had the day job. I really had to learn discipline.
Elizabeth, I need to lock myself out of my own kitchen so I don't think about food.
Michael, you have such a positive outlook on life, I try to emulate it.

Pat Hatt said...

Sometimes social media can suck the fun right out of it, but when you get 100 blog posts ahead, you can have a ton of time to relax, so nice lol Happy new year

L. Diane Wolfe said...

That's a smart idea. I get tired of the rushed moments, too. There's always something more we could do or need to do, but sometimes, to heck with it. Life is meant to be enjoyed.

mshatch said...

It's all about balance it seems and yet it's so hard to find! Happy New Year :)

mooderino said...

I had too much to do in 2013 and I ended up doing none of them very well. Fewer and better in 2014, I think.

mood
Moody Writing

Tonja said...

2014 was a terrible year for me. I let myself relax a bit and not be rushed (because of all the bad stuff happening around me), and I ended up not writing much at all. The irony is writing would have made me feel better.

This year I need a more concrete goal - not words, but minutes - and not too many to set me off balance. Happy new year!

Cate Masters said...

I'm the same as you. But I found instead of promoting, I ended up wasting too much time. No more of that in 2014.
Happy Better New Year to you!

Heather R. Holden said...

Happy New Year! I love how your goal is for you to find your "comfort zone." I can easily see how that'd help make life less stressful!

Christine Rains said...

That's a fantastic resolution. I'm trying to find my balance this year too. I had a good writing year in 2013, but not at all balanced. For my own happiness, I need to find it. Happy New Year!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Great post, Susan. I remember those A-Z posts of yours and really enjoyed them.

I wish you all the best in 2014! :)

Robin said...

I think that finding the balance is one of the hardest things we deal with as people. I, too, find myself thinking that I need to do More of This, Less of That, and by golly just Some of the Other.

Unknown said...

I found I'm still learning to balance my time now that writing can be my (almost) full-time devotion. I have to refocus and treat it like any job that has many facets and give it a set time limit. Blessings to you in the coming year.

David P. King said...

A better year than 2013? I look forward to that! The possibilities are endless. Let's rock this new year! :)

Ava Quinn said...

That sounds like a perfect resolution, Sue! :) Hope to see you Saturday!