Did you make a New Years Resolution to write more? How has that been working out for you?

It’s that first millisecond of the New Year – cheers, clapping, and is that a hint of regurgitated vodka? – and the idea of Being a Go-Getter is still fresh. But, once you actually slog your way through January, it’s already somehow February and your writing is almost non-existent.

No fear! In this world of Netflix and 90 second microwaveable dinner, it’s common for your writing goals to be shoved in the back. Here are some ways to nudge it back to the forefront of your attention. They may be easier said than done, but what’s the harm in trying?

-        Create a deadline for yourself! It’s helpful to hold yourself accountable. Making a deadline gives you that extra sense of urgency to finish your work. Make sure that your deadlines are reasonable, though. It can be easy to mark a date on a calendar without really giving yourself enough time. At the end of the day, life happens, and sometimes that can interrupt your writing time. Don’t forget that your deadlines are there to help you get through it.

-        Join a writer community; hearing other writers’ challenges and successes can be just the push you need. Online platforms are perfect for meeting hundreds of other aspiring writers out there, like you, from different walks of life. You can always take it a step further by meeting in-person. Local libraries and independent bookstores typically offer writing events – there’s always something out there!

-        Read something that influences your writing skills and get the creative juices going in your noggin’. Take a glance at the best-sellers section, staff recommendations, or movie-adaptions to find a story that can spur on your own work. You could take it a step further and specifically look for a book in the same genre that you’re writing, too.

Get into the mindset of writing and you may just surprise yourself by starting something new. The year is not over yet.

submitted by ChiWriMo participant Sarah Luyengi