With New Beginnings

You know how every single year you start racing to get together a list of irrational, almost impossible things called New Year's Resolutions? Well, this year I'm asking you not to do that. You read it right. Don't do that.

I mean it's fine if you have certain traditions - like praying on the day or going to church. I know some people that go to church on New year's then promise that they'll go every Sunday or so for the rest of the year. Well, let's say we know that it doesn't happen.

Unfortunately, some people have a knack for letting things like that get them down. By October, they start rustling through their drawer to find that sheet of paper that had the heading NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION. So let's stay away from that.

As writers, we certainly do not need that type of pressure, but with the New Year, does come new beginnings, so let's start a new tradition.

Has anyone ever had the urge to start a new book? Maybe try out a new genre or even a POV in writing? Have you ever wanted to strip down a story and change a few things up? Rewrite your content a bit? Do a collaboration with someone?

Well, 2017 is your shot. Let's drop some goals.

But not the New Year's Resolution type - the type that starts and ends after a few weeks or a month. This year we'll delve into a new form of goal setting to help further ourselves as writers, and readers alike (I haven't forgotten about you guys either.)

We're gonna start a new genre. Last December- myself, and another Author (Alexandra_Knighton) both put our feet into the Romance genre for the first time. Even if we both had written romance before- it being a strong pinnacle in about 75% of books, we had never written purely with that theme. Even now, my book still doesn't just cover the Romance genre - it's more of a tragedy leading up to romance, but minor details.

The point is, I want you guys to set achievable goals.

In the Wattpad community, there are hundreds of thousands of abandoned books. Works that had brilliant starts, but the Author lost motivation or got busy with life, and because of that, we're left wanting more of something.

So here it is. Do you have a book that you abandoned? Something you lost motivation for a while ago? This is your chance to finish it. Get off your butt! Go to your drafts and start reading that story again. Get back into the idea that you had started and finish it. Regain the emotion you had that connected you to and drove you to start the book in the first place.

Think about your characters! How do they feel? You left them sitting on a park bench waiting for a bus without a bus ticket. Or standing at the corner hoping that their lover would show up. You left your character alone - so how about some sympathy for the lost soul? Where were they going when they hopped into their overly expensive car and told their best friend goodbye? They don't know, and neither do we.

It's time to reinvent that story.

It's time to continue what you started and let your character know what the next leg of their journey is. Let us know!

I know you find it hard t0 continue something because you've dropped it for so long. Even now, I have unpublished some of my works in the hopes of later revisiting them. However, the problem is that I can't find the time to do it- you can't find the time to do it.

So make time.

Set aside a week or a month, for something that you once fell out of love with and make yourself love it again. Give yourself some time to focus on that one project and allow it to be reinvented.

You have something you wanna edit- do the same.

You have that new genre you wanna try out- take a load off and focus on it.

You have a POV you find interesting but never had the courage to jump into- well- jump into it.

This year it's the time for you to try new things-  just one at a time so you don't get overwhelmed. So you don't lose the passion you have for it. And remembering that you are a writer on Wattpad- make sure and ask your followers and readers for support. Tell them what you're doing and let them get into it with you. Give them updates on your progress. Give them a peek at your new storyline.

I didn't forget about you readers either.

I know a lot of people that simply read on this glorious site. They are the ones who comment and give us that multitude of reads that make our hearts soar with joy. So to you readers- I propose the same.

Some of you have a library full of books that grabbed you and made you feel intrigued- but then, you turned off your computer or tablet or phone. Maybe you went to sleep and forgot what you were reading, because honestly- sometimes the book is so good you don't actually look at the name anymore. Or it could be that you just started another book, and another book, and another book. Never getting to return to the one you started in the first place.

So take a trip through your library/reading list. Dig through it and finish a book a week- or two. Hey, everybody reads at their own speed. But the point is let's complete some things and achieve some goals. You may even have a book that's sitting there that you wanted to read because someone recommended it. This is the time to read it.

I hope you got what I was saying in lieu of my rambling here- I always get carried away.

My point is: do something this year that means something. Try something new that won't just be ticked off a list, but will help you along in your journey on Wattpad. Maybe that new POV that you wanted to try will give you some tips on writing and looking at things in different ways. Maybe you win a Watty from the genre you finally decided to try- I'm just speculating here!

Let's make 2017 a year of New Beginnings - Literally.