Friday, December 11, 2009

New Year's resolutions for creative types

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
~ Aristotle
It's that time of year again--New Year's Eve is less than three weeks away! Have you ever made an ambitious resolution, only to drift slowly back into the old, familiar status quo? Have you ever made a resolution that had a lasting affect on your life and/or career?

How about this year? Do you plan to make any New Year's resolutions related to writing, illustrating, or other creative pursuits? How about productivity, marketing, or other aspects of the business side of what we do? Life in general?

Please share your thoughts here in the comments! We'll not only hold you accountable, but you just might inspire the rest of us to reach for excellence, too.

6 comments:

Julie Reinhardt said...

OK, I'll be the first. I almost chickened out. This year is all about craft for me. My playlist is a group of monks chanting in the background, "Write, write, write...."

Martha Brockenbrough said...

Julie, I'm doing the same. Only I'm having Chippendale dancers in the background.

Oh, but I kid. My resolution is to have more confidence and stop being such a doubting daphne.

Karrie Zylstra-Myton said...

I like the 'doubting daphne,' Martha.

So...mine is to keep at it. I know it sounds like I'll be doing more of the same but I'm facing big family changes in the next year. My resolution is to keep writing in the midst of it all. And to avoid being a nervous nellie as I think about it:)

Anonymous said...

Julie, seriously? Where'd you find a playlist like that? I want it!

Martha, a doubting daphne? I would never have guessed. You radiate confidence!

Karrie, sounds like "keep at it" might be just the prescription you need. Maybe you can turn writing into a lifeline--one constant that you can always control and rely on.

I'm going to try to establish a writing practice and focus on putting more of "me" into my writing, wherever that might lead. This is the year I find my voice.

Vonna said...

This year I shall pretend to be fearless. No! I will be fearless! At least in my writing. I'll still be shy at parties.

Michèle Griskey said...

I need to write more. I need to keyboard the words without worrying about the significance. I spend too much time now analyzing and not enough time in the act of just writing.