8 Questions Writers Should Ask Themselves In 2020
Setting goals and resolutions is an important part of getting ready for the start of a new year and new decade and asking yourself a few critical questions can get the creative ball rolling. Consider these eight questions when outlining your goals for 2020 and think about what achievements and improvements you made in 2019 compared to 2018 and how you’ll bring that momentum forward into the new year.
What is your single biggest priority as a writer in 2020?
Do you want to finally publish your novel? Are you still writing the story? Are you in the editing phase? Will you self-publish or traditionally publish the story? What part of the process are you currently in and what preparations need to be made to make this goal a possibility in 2020?
Photo by Vlada Karpovich.
As creative individuals, writers often juggle a million different passion projects at any given time, but to effectively execute any one task, we must focus out efforts on one project at a time. What project makes the most sense for you in 2020?
Take it from me —someone who has been officially diagnosed with adult ADHD—when I say I know how hard it is to focus your energy on one thing, but it’s equally as important as it is difficult. I don’t necessarily believe in the Jack of All Trades, Master of None sentiment, but I know if you have too many irons in the fire, you certainly will get burned one way or another.
The truth is that we just don’t have enough time and attention to do EVERYTHING. So, I challenge you to tackle the biggest, scariest project this year, and better yet, early in the year, to get yourself up over that dreaded hurdle and keep the killer momentum going.
How many books do I want to release in 2020?
This question isn’t just for traditionally published authors with book deals and advances. You know what they say about dressing the part? It’s the same with writing—if you want to be a published author with all those shiny book deals and advances, you must start acting like one now, and moreover, writing like one. If you can write an entire book, move it through several stages of revisions and edits and produce a polished, final copy that’s a feat of strength on its own, especially if you can do it in one year. Additionally, it’s even more incredible if you can do that a few times each year, but that’s what it takes to become a traditionally published and professional writer—consistency, dedication, patience, and perseverance. So, whether public or private, how many books will you release this year?
How much time will I devote to my writing each day, week, or month in 2020?
Part of being a dedicated and consistent writer is building time into your schedule for writing. This is the key to conquering writer’s block and harnessing your creativity and it’s crucial for any writer wanting to turn their passion into a full-time career. Consider when and for how long you will write every day. It might be a trial and error process but try a few different schedules and see what works for you. You might not be a “Wake up to write at 5 am” person like Amy Landino, but you might be able to squeeze in an hour every night before bed or something similar and less intense. Start with just 20 minutes a day and gradually increase the time so that you reach your desired time block for writing while building the daily writing habit without throwing your existing schedule into chaos.
How much money will I invest in my craft in 2020?
Consider what route you will take and start doing research. Maybe you are self-publishing—one avenue that isn’t cheap. You’ll have to pay for editing, layout and cover design, and marketing. Perhaps it’s time you got you’re a writing services listed on a proper website rather than you’re your LinkedIn profile? Hiring a developer, or at the very least, a designer who will put together your site using a hosting platform such as Squarespace or Weebly, will set you back a few hundred, depending on the complexity of the site. Maybe you want to learn more about writing by taking a few master classes. Add up all the different ways you can invest in your brand as an author and budget for these expenses so your creative growth in 2020 isn’t gated by money or lack thereof.
What are my weaknesses as a writer?
Photo by Vlada Karpovich.
We all have strengths and weaknesses and there are a few different methods of determining what your weaknesses as a writer are:
Have your manuscript professionally critiqued/reviewed.
Open up your manuscript to beta readers.
Participate in a critique group for feedback on your writing.
Have a friend who is well-versed in your genre read your manuscript
Post parts of your manuscript on free reading sites like Wattpad (I wouldn’t post the entire thing for free. Consider posting the first third of the story and adjust visibility as needed. Even though your writing is protected by US Copyright Law, it can be hard to know when someone breaks the law if they aren’t caught. This will better protect your writing against plagiarists.)
Once you’re aware of the trouble areas in your writing, you can work to improve them in 2020. Writers can have several strengths and weaknesses. Maybe narrative is your forte but dialogue…not so much. Maybe you need to learn how to employ the senses and imagery to create a more immersive and engaging reading experience. Maybe you need to improve your openings or endings. There are plenty of writing exercises to help you build your skill and strengthen these weaknesses.
What are my weaknesses as a marketer?
Many writers cringe at the thought of marketing their writing but it’s not really as scary as it initially seems. It just takes a little doing to get familiar with how marketing works but once you get it, it can be fun. To determine how familiar, you are with marketing what strengths and weaknesses you have, you can do the following:
Hire a marketing professional or schedule coaching call with one.
Join author groups online and in person and see how the other members market their work.
Read books and articles on marketing and follow tutorials on YouTube.
Research how other authors in your genre have successfully marketed their own novels.
How can I get involved in my writing community?
Photo by Canva.
While marketing is an important aspect of successful businesses in 2020, it’s also important to take care of yourself, both in an out of your craft. I’m not going to get all self-care-lecture-y on you, but you should, for your own sanity, get involved in the writing community both online and locally. I know it’s sort of become a mood to lock yourself away with your coffee and keyboard (or typewriter) and write all day long, but it’s important to have a constructive crew of like-minded creatives to surround yourself with. Other writers can act as sounding boards, sources of inspiration, and often, they have plenty of useful advice and information to freely give. Not only that, but by having critique partners, you strengthen each other’s writing because every manuscript can benefit from a second set of eyes.
Some ways to get involved in the local writing community:
Join a local writing group
Joining or forming a local book club
Attending local or regional writers’ conventions, conferences, retreats, or workshops
During NaNoWriMo, check for local Come Write-Ins in your area
Some ways to get involved in the online writing community:
Join Facebook writer groups
Join Betabooks.co to connect with beta readers and become a beta reader yourself
Engage with writers and readers in your genre on Twitter and Instagram by using relevant hashtags and commenting frequently on posts you truly love/connect with.
How can I grow my tribe in 2020?
This shouldn’t come as a surprise but like marketing, growing your community’s engagement is going to take some doing. Remember it isn’t and should never be just about the numbers. You want to make real connections with people and develop a group or true fans that will support you. This is your tribe and if cultivated carefully and correctly, they’ll stick around for a long time, through the thick and thin. They in turn will help grow the tribe and the wonderfully vicious cycle repeats.
So how do you grow the tribe? Some ways to inspire engagement on your platforms are:
Engage with other users on social media, especially in your genre and medium.
Provide quality, valuable content to readers via newsletter marketing Read my blog post on Newsletter Marketing That Doesn’t Suck here.
Pay for targeted adds through Facebook and Google (these are proven to be effective due to their highly skilled algorithms)
And that’s it for my 8 questions that writers should ask themselves in 2020. Of course these are just a few guidelines for narrowing down your goals for 2020 and it’s just a starting area. If you’d like to see more questions like these, and if you enjoyed this list, let me know! What are your goals and/resolutions for 2020?
Further Reading
—Payton
5 Actionable New Year's Resolutions For Writers in 2020
1.Share your writing with others more often.
Photo by Ivan Samkov.
It can be hard as a writer to be vulnerable and open to criticism, but it is crucial to our growth and improvement to feel comfortable putting our work out into the world, despite what others say. Always use your best judgment when dealing with criticism to determine if it was constructive or just negativity. But by opening up and letting the world into our stories, we grow and gradually become used to having other eyes on our work. Coming to terms with this is essential for aspiring writers desiring professional writing work.
2. Try a new writing style or medium for telling stories.
Do you usually write in a certain POV or tense? Do your stories typically take on a humorous or satirical tone? What voice do you normally write in? Is your target audience the same every time? Change it up by writing new stories in different ways.
Another way to freshen up the writing process is to work with different methods of storytelling. Of course, audio-visual mediums can be used for storytelling and often are, but I’m specifically referring to the written word—poems, plays, short stories, novelettes, novels, articles, blog posts, and reviews. Consider writing in a different medium to explore and learn new techniques, styles, and practices.
3. Watch, read, and write stories in genres you’re unfamiliar with.
This one likely requires some research but by branching out into a new genre, you learn all kinds of different storytelling techniques and styles that were gated by your own genre. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you open up your craft to new growth. Diving into new genres can seem unappealing at first, but you’ll find all kinds of hidden gems in other genres and the challenge will breed new creativity.
4. Make creativity part of your everyday routine.
I written extensively on consistency and building in time for writing but the gist is this: writing every day makes you a better writer because a) practice does make perfect and b) it acts like exposure therapy by bringing you face-to-face with the fear associated with the writing process (fears of inadequacy or imperfection) often enough that you get used to it and overcome this obstacle.
Photo by Ivan Samkov.
As someone who was incredibly busy and believed in the idea that creativity strikes only at certain time, I used to think this was impossible, but I can assure you it is achievable. Consider one of the previous options such as writing in a new medium. By writing new blog posts for this blog, all the time, I am exposing myself to the writing process and therefore making it increasingly easier to write in my passion projects.
The blog takes off the looming pressure of trying to achieve constant perfection and allows me to just write freely. Then, when I sit down to write fantasy, it’s easier every day, and since I’m all warmed up from writing blog posts, I can produce better quality work.
5. Learn to enjoy the writing process and not just the end result.
How does that quote go? It’s all about the journey, not the destination? Writing is EXACTLY like that. Our novels and stories are for others to enjoy and the process itself is for us to enjoy. It’s the intimate, scared process of bleeding onto the page, of pouring out our souls, and manufacturing stardust into the written word, and therefore it should be enjoyed.
Writers should completely and fully feel the fear, pain, sadness, confusion, satisfaction, happiness, excitement, and fulfillment, as well as all the other emotions that come with writing. They should wholeheartedly appreciate and understand the process of taking a fleeting thought and sculpting it into a living, breathing idea that takes root in the mind of others. They should value and hold dear the writing process because it is as integral to their being as air to the human lungs.
Photo by Ivan Samkov.
It’s never about the destination, the end product—because it’s not meant for us—it’s meant for our readers. It is however, about the process, the journey, the steps we take to get there and everything we experience along the way—the learning, the reckoning, the weaving of words to form a story. Most writers have a love hate relationship with the writing process and this is as it should be. However, we should also recognize the value and the wild, seemingly untamable beauty in the process.
Alright, let’s liven things up a bit, shall we? Sorry to get all mushy about writing on you there for a second. It’s something I hold dear to my heart so any chance I get, I am going to take the time to discuss the writing process.
That’s it for my 5 Actionable Writing New Year’s Resolutions for 2020! I really love all of these goals because they’re practical, actionable, and sustainable. I know those seem like buzzwords people just toss around, but I do really think these writing resolutions are ones that we all can stick to year-round!
What do you think of my writing resolutions? Do they overlap with your own writing resolutions? What would you add to this list? Comment below and let me know what you think!
Further Reading
—Payton
Oversaturation In A World of Overconsumption (There's No Such Thing)
If you’re a creative you may have heard someone say this before, or perhaps you’ve even said it yourself; The market is over-saturated.
This statement has been discussed widely in many entrepreneur circles and how its a major roadblock in many people’s road to success. However, its just not true.
Laptop displaying site analytics. Photo by
Carlos Muza.
If you’re a creative you may have heard someone say this before, or even said it yourself; The market is over-saturated.
This statement has been discussed widely in many entrepreneur circles and how its a major roadblock in many people’s road to success. However, its just not true. Yes, the idea of over-saturation is a roadblock, but over-saturation doesn’t really exist, especially not in 2019, where over-consumption of media is a prominent part of society.
One great example of this is easily found in your own YouTube subscriptions. Most, if not, all of us have been in the scenario where we’re left waiting for our favorite YouTube creator to come out with a new video. If they stick to a regular posting schedule, then we know when to expect to see their videos out, but it doesn’t mean that in the meantime, we’re not eager for those notifications. This is also true for other social media platforms, primarily Twitter and Instagram.
Here’s the tea. There’s no such thing as over-saturation in a world where viewers and subscribers are consuming content faster than it is being created. Creators often describe the process for videos, podcasts and even blog posts such as this and the behind-the-scenes work that goes into crafting content that will only be viewed for a few short moments. It’s hard to think about pouring all of that time and energy into a project that might not even capture someone’s attention for more than a few seconds.
This isn’t entirely a bad thing, though. While it can be a challenge to create compelling content that will engage an audience in a world filled with hand-held distractions, it can also be an advantage. In this digital age, people are consuming content faster than ever. It only takes a few minutes to watch a YouTube video and even less time to read a new Twitter post, which means that consumers are devouring content so rapidly, that the demand for new content is at an all time high. If you’re going to start your YouTube channel or your motivational podcast, there’s no better time than now, to do it. Social media markets may seem over-saturated due to the vast amount of creators posting on platforms, but this industry is still in its infancy. Over-Saturation doesn’t exist.
Gary Vee even supported this argument on Matt D’Avella’s podcast, saying, “…fragmentation of attention across all of these mediums has created a scenario where you can't have overexposure." -Gary Vee on content over-exposure in Matt D’Avella’s Ground Up Show, episode 101. Click here to hear the full episode.
Let me know what you thought about this hot take on oversaturation! Do you think it exists? Why? Have you ever experienced the dread that comes with oversaturation? Let me know in the comments below!
—Payton
Freelancing Basics
Freelance editing can be just as rewarding and fulfilling as editing for a traditional publisher, but likewise, it can be just as difficult getting started. I’ve compiled a few lists to help you get started with your freelance editing business. (If you’re not into freelance editing, that’s okay! Many of these tips can be applied to other industries!)
Freelance editing can be just as rewarding and fulfilling as editing for a traditional publisher, but likewise, it can be just as difficult getting started. I’ve compiled a few lists to help you get started with your freelance editing business. (If you’re not into freelance editing, that’s okay! Many of these tips can be applied to other industries!)
Getting started as a freelance editor:
Apply to internships while still in school and even after, to build your real-world experience in the industry, as well as your experience working with industry-standard programs and editing techniques.
Take masterclasses specializing in the different degrees of manuscript editing, grammar, and the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS.)
Aim for editing certifications to show your education and qualifications.
Join editorial associations to build connections with other editors in these networks and build your repertoire of resources in the editing industry.
Read all the books you can—on industry, writing, style and everything in between. Seriously. (And novels in your specific genre too, of course!) I have an ever-growing list of my favorite craft books. These are so helpful, not only for becoming more familiar with the editorial industry, but they will help you read and think more critically as an editor as well. Click here to view the list.
Notebook next to black eyeglasses and a cup of pens. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood
Finding work as a freelance editor:
Collaborate with other editors online and in-person to gain new perspectives, techniques and successful practices of others.
Connect with literary agents and other editors for their “reject” clients to build experience and make connections with artists who are just getting started. (reject clients may include clients the other editors and agents simply didn’t vibe with our didn’t have time to take on the projects of and does not necessarily;y refer to clients that are incompetent or lacking.)
Offer services both online and in your community to increase your experience.
Apply to any business or person with an online presence. Writing online copy is just as important as manuscript editing, especially in the digital age.
Specialize. Don’t try to do everything when you’re just starting out. Try a couple of different types of editing to see what you like and stick with that for a while. You’ll hone your skills and be more experienced in that niche.
Brown suede couch draped in leopard print throw blankets. Photo by Erik Mclean
Working from home as a freelance editor:
Time batch similar tasks. Freelance Editor, Mollie Turbeville, from Molliereads on YouTube, and bestselling author, award-winning speaker and entrepreneur, Amy Landino are both uber-successful boss ladies, living their best lives and managing their time with time-batching. The key to this is to schedule similar events and tasks on the same days, to eliminate wasted time. One way they use this practice is on days when they film for their channels, they will film several videos in one day while their “film-ready” or they’ll schedule several meetups in one day at the same coffee shop to cut down on time spent getting ready and travelling.
Keep looking for work. While your schedule may dance between being busy and slow work days, it’s important to keep multiple projects lined up. In this industry, its best to prepare for situations out of our control, such as when a writer backs out of a project.
Plan realistic hours for your work. It’s important to keep busy, but it is likewise important to create a meaningful and sustainable schedule for yourself. As an editor, burnout comes more often and destructive than for other occupations. Similarly, it is important to remember that when it is time to work, you must be responsible for yourself and your time. Editors cannot wait for motivation or creativity to strike because most projects are time-sensitive. Set realistic hours and stick to your schedule.
Create a workspace conducive to successful business practice. Environment is everything for freelance editors. For the same reason it is important that students don’t sleep where the study or study where they sleep, freelancers need a workspace that can be differentiated from their home environment. In the student example, it’s easy to see where the mental lines become blurred if one studies in their bed. This has been proven to decrease study effectiveness and degrade students ability to stay on task and alert in an area they associate with sleep. Similar to this example, freelances must be able to separate work life and home life to avoid burnout and to avoid blurring the lines between work and play. This may mean implementing a physical distinction, such as a divider or even setting up a home office separate from sources of entertainment. This distinction should make it so that when you’re in your workspace, you aren’t distracted or tempted to procrastinate and when you’re in your home, you don’t feel the pressure of work when it’s time to wind down.
Looking for more? Freelance editing workshops are projected to come out in 2020! Check out the classes planned for 2020, here!
Thumbnail photo by Kelly Sikkema