Well, it's that time of year again. The cold is creeping in, (although to be honest, I think it's marched in this weekend), the daylight hours are fading fast and the leaves on the trees are starting to change and drop.
I have to say, I love this time of year. Not for the cold and damp. Oh no! However, I do love the myriad of colours that slowly emerge. Mother Nature puts on a magnificent show to enjoy. Of course, it goes without saying that I also love it when the heating comes on, or you can put the fire on and snuggle down with a cup of hot chocloate, a glass of fine Merlot, and lose oneself in a good book - Not that I ever need an excuse to put the fire on or dip into a book. (So hubby would tell you!)
I also see this as the time of year to begin sorting out my writing. Oh, I'm not talking about edits and the every day motion of applying the BOCHOK method and actually writing. No. I'm talking about looking back and assessing how my writing year has been.
Some would say that this is not a good idea. The past is just that. Wrong! As someone with a BA in History, I believe that the past is an integral part of who we are today, and that goes for every aspect of our lives.
Okay, I never actually set myself yearly goals to be strictly enforced the minute Big Ben has finished his chimes. Nor do I look back on the year slipping by and begin a needless exercise of self-flagellation for any missed deadlines or too many lazy days - I have a low pain threshold!
However, I do take it as a means of helping to boost my self confidence and self belief. How? Well, every event in my writing world teaches me something. It could be something as simple as a word I haven't come across before, or discovering a new, useful Website or Facebook page (yes, there are a lot out there). It could even be something as monumental (for me, anyway) as teaching myself how to index and add hyperlinks to an anthology of short stories, not forgetting formatting manuscripts so that they can be published as ebooks on Smashwords and Amazon KDP.
You see where this is going? Yeah yeah, I've entered short stories comps and submitted to magazines without as much success as in past years, and I've had my little tantrums. What writer doesn't? But, (and it's a big but with shiny bells on), all these aren't failings. Not really. When I look back on these last few months, I don't see myself as the Fall Gal (apart from liking the colours on the trees). I don't sink into a fit of despair and bemoan my lack of success.
Nope. Not anymore. These days, I look back and see someone who is growing stronger everyday as each separate writing journey helps me take another step closer to fulfilling my dreams. So tell me, what are your successes this year? What are your proudest moments of the last year? I mean, this time last year I didn't have a clue how to format an ebook, or blog for that matter. So, at least two successes there! And, after all, you know what they say - from little acorns......
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