When I embarked on this article to find out how writers plan to have their most successful writing year, I thought most replies would have to do with time; finding more of it, making better use of it, etc. But only Fred Elford, author of Sometimes, I Fly, mentioned it more than in passing, “I don’t think I am very efficient in the use of time. One thing I am going to do is create a period of time in which I do nothing but things I can clearly and legitimately attach to either getting writing done or becoming a better writer. Since I have never been a disciplined writer, I need to create a disciplined approach to my writing. I have hated discipline from childhood and now find myself needing it! Irony.”
Until recently I had never heard of a literary salon but two of the writers interviewed for this article plan to take in more of them in the next year. Joan Dixon, a writer of Canadiana including eight books, explained what a literary salon is, “The literary salon seems to be making a comeback in all sorts of forms but it’s usually held in an art patron’s home and includes readings accompanied by music and art, ideally sparking lively conversation among guests and often accompanied by food and drink.” Dixon’s plans for a great writing year include focusing on her writing as much as her editing projects and to attend more literary salons for inspiration.
Another writer who will attend literary salons is Lee Kvern, an award-winning author of short stories and fiction. "I plan to do more things that include people, like book launches, literary salons and art happenings. I plan to worry less about what I'm not doing on the writing front and do more of what I haven't done this past year: find balance, people, sunshine. I plan to mentor young writers in such a way that they will not have that overwhelming sense of Never Enough: writing, accomplishments, awards, money, recognition. I plan to tell them that where they are now in comparison to where they'll be in a decade (if they stick with it) will seem like mountains climbed again and again, and that when the clouds clear, the view below is stunning. Because in the bigger peak of your life, what else is there but you and your Everest?”
Marni Fullerton leads one of Canada’s most successful independent entertainment production companies, Fullerton Features Inc. She has plans for a successful year:
1. Write more every single day and not be overtaken by the To Do list
2. Write fewer e-mails and call people more
3. To remain brave and passionately committed to my ideas and not second guess them
4. Remain focused
5. Embrace editing with joy rather than dread for more often than not what seemed brilliant the night before is NOT
6. To slow down and fight back the never ending push to be faster and faster in crafting
“Writing takes time and insights can't be forced regardless of deadlines looming,” Fullerton mentioned.
Sharon Ingraham, an Alberta poet, shares her thoughts, “I am analyzing which literary magazines are most likely to accept the type of poetry I write. Ditto for essays and short stories. I am a firm believer that winning contests is one way to get recognized on your way to getting a book published, and that’s especially true for poets. There is an online site, Winning Writers, that vets almost every contest in the world that I find invaluable. They keep track of which contests pay the best, stay in business, are prestigious and on and on.”
Ingraham continues, “I will prioritize better and find a better balance. I’ve started doing this already but I need to get even more organized and focussed. The major thing that I will be doing is submitting, submitting, submitting.”
Going from being self-published to publication by a traditional publisher is what Trevor Popik Hafso plans to do to have a great writing year. “I plan to be a lot more proactive in finding an agent and publisher for Three Little Pigs 2 - The Evolution of the Wolf. Although self-publishing has its rewards, I yearn for wider distribution and more powerful marketing such as a large publisher can offer. My hard work and talent still lacks credibility in the minds of the literary society because of the "self-published" label. Although I have never been a person who is concerned about what the status quo thinks, I still sincerely believe that my writing deserves to leave a larger legacy. I have heard that a publisher finds it hard to take a risk on an "unknown author". Also, I would love to be able to afford to write full-time.”
Do what it takes to have your best writing year ever!!
Toby Welch - Toby is a full-time freelance writer who specializes in magazine articles, online writing, e-books, and manuscript editing.
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