1.
I made it
a priority. The biggest thing I did was negotiate a four-day workweek
so I could spend Fridays working on fiction. Was that easy? No. It took a few
months of discussion among the bosses and figuring out how and if they could
make that work. But I had established myself enough there that they were
willing to try it, and they knew that fiction writing was an important part of
my life. More and more employers are realizing that helping their workers
pursue their passions leads to greater engagement and happiness in the
workplace. And that’s good for everyone. You don’t have to change your work
schedule, but could you reserve Saturday morning or Sunday evening as your
writing time? A couple of hours in the early morning?
2.
I kept
myself accountable. I knew that it would be easy to let an extra day “off”
become – well, a day off. So I treated fiction writing like a job, arranging a
workplace at a church downtown. They had lots of quiet space and
were happy to have someone use it. Some days I worked here, other days I went
to a coffee shop or a friend’s empty apartment. This friend left me a gift of
pens and a new notebook, which I used to track my progress and jot down
questions and problems with story and plot. I made excellent progress on
finishing and editing two novels.
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| At my "office." |
3.
I submitted
my work to literary journals and entered contests. It’s easy to get
discouraged by rejection. You can improve your odds of publication by A.)
Making sure your piece is really ready and B.) Finding literary journals that
are interested in the style and genre of stories that you write. The AWP Conference's book fair is a great way to get to know more about hundreds of
literary journals and small presses and talk to the folks who edit them. Check
local and state writing and book festivals for contests. Having the goal of
submitting to a journal or a contest helps you hone your work and stick to a
deadline. This year, my short story “Geography Lesson” won the Mill Prize for
Fiction at the Fox Cities Book Festival.
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| A faraway picture of me reading my short story at the Mill Prize ceremony in April. |
4.
I spent
time with other writers. The Mill Prize led to a job offer teaching fiction
at The Mill -- A Place for Writers. I taught a fiction class during the summer
and fall, interacting with writers of various skill levels, interests and
experiences. Being an instructor challenges my own skills and forces me to
think about writing from different perspectives. You can get the same thing
from being a part of a writing group. Can you join or form a small group of
writers that meets regularly to discuss and critique your work? Sometimes it
helps just to have a circle of other writers for the camaraderie and support.
5.
I went on
a writing retreat. Some Goddard College classmates of mine developed a new writing retreat in Tuscany, and it was amazing – not just because, you know, Italy –
but because of connecting with other writers, the powerful writing prompts and
being totally and completely out of my element. Plus, wine. But you don’t have
to go to all the way to Italy to benefit from a writing retreat – there
are plenty of retreats in your own backyard, many of which offer subsidies and grants. Some
are self-directed, giving you the silent space that writers crave, and some are
led by instructors to help you create new work or improve what you’ve already
been working on.
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| The Tuscan adventure with Wide Open Writing. I'm in the back in the beige jacket. |
What are your plans for writing in the new
year? What resolutions do you have about your work in 2015?
