My blog has moved

Thank you for visiting my blog here at this site. I have moved all blog posts to my website. 

Please visit me at www.TheresaLynnHall.com or click the "My Website" tab above. 

Setting Realistic Goals

How can setting goals help your writing?

What are your goals?

I will be the first to admit that I don't always set goals.  I try, but then I get overwhelmed and frustrated when I don't meet them. Do I think they are necessary?  You bet! All writers need goals.  We know what we want--to sell a book.  We know that only happens if we actually write the book.  Sadly, not many writers can quit their day jobs to write full-time. I have to get in as much writing as I can between coming home from work, shuttling kids, cooking dinner, grading papers, cleaning, laundry, paying bills... you get the idea.  There is hardly any time left for writing.  About the only thing that makes me feel better is the fact that I know I'm not alone in this struggle.  I bet it's safe to say there are a lot of writers who feel the same way.

Now that we've established we're all stressed, short on time, and lack motivation after a long day at work, there needs to be a simple solution.  Or at least it needs to sound simple. So, here's my plan.  I've decided to start small.  Really, really small. I'm going to do something that pertains to my writing every single day.  Whether that's writing this blog, editing something I've already written, doing research for a new book, or working on a new submission, I'm going to "write" every day.  I'm going to write my goals down every day so that I can reflect on them.  Every.  Single.  Day.  Yep, I already feel stressed out.  

Don't give up!

What if I get sick?  Have a headache?  Company drops in?  I don't want my goals to feel like burdens.  I have enough stress in my life as it is.  You with me so far?  Okay. Here's my solution. I'm going to allow myself to have days where I actually write down "nothing" as my goal.  And I'm not going to stress out about it.  (You have to say that last part ten times or it won't work!)

Another piece of advice I would give new writers is to join a writing group.  Nothing helps you stay motivated more than fellow writers.  My group has a Finish the Book loop that helps keep me motivated to achieve my daily goals.  They aren't there to bash me if I don't meet a daily goal, but to encourage me to try again tomorrow.  It's what I need when life gets in the way of the writing,which it often does.  Having someone who understands the journey I'm on,  makes all the difference in the world. 

I encourage you to set a few small goals. Nothing big.  Just something that you already know you can achieve.  Take them one day at a time and watch how quickly your bigger goals are met.  Good luck to you and may God Bless your writing!

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. ~ Galatians 6:9 ESV

Why you should use your God-given talent for writing.

Why writers need to write. 

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)

I will be the first to admit that I have times when I don't feel like a writer.  I don't think I can find the time, I feel too stressed out, my house is dirty, I'm too tired... the list could go on forever.  I use them to justify the simple fact that I am not writing, but yet I call myself a writer.  So what's wrong with taking a break?  What's wrong with putting it off?  I can always pick it back up when the time is right.  Or when I feel like it. I used to think like that. Not anymore.

In my earlier years of writing, I joined RWA, ACFW, became very active in a few writer's groups, a critique group, and co-founded a writer's chapter.  I bought self-help books on point of view, characterization, dialogue, editing and lots of research books to help me write.  I studied the craft. I read books in my genre, always careful to study how other successful writers were doing it. I immersed myself in writing and I wasn't going to give up until I was published.  I thought once I was published, I wouldn't have to work so hard. 

Once a writer, always a writer

I published my first e-book in 2010 called Southern Comfort, with Pelican Book Group.  I had worked for many years to get a publisher's approval.  Once it finally happened, it validated that I AM a writer.  I now had an official writing credit to my name. I would forever be a writer. Even if I wasn't writing. Like many writers, I have a full-time job. I teach second grade. If you think that doesn't kill your creativity at the end of the day, I'm here to tell you it does! But add to that, the fact that I have a son in sports and an autoimmune disease, and I can rack up a million excuses why I don't have time to write or I don't feel like it.  I eased my mind by telling myself I wasn't going to stress over it.  I thought the talent would be there when I was ready to use it so I would just wait until the time was right.  Boy, was I wrong. 

Use it or lose it

In 2014, after taking a break from rough drafts, edits and rejections, I decided to submit again.  I was ultimately rejected.  I realized that I had been out of the game way too long and had jumped back in without so much as a warmup.  I had lost it. I was back to square one. I hadn't read a self-help book in ages and I had dropped my memberships to my writer's groups. I had stopped promoting my book and the royalty checks had stopped coming in.  I will admit, life threw a few obstacles in my way and my family always comes first, but looking back, I know I could've kept writing.  I should've kept writing. I didn't have to quit.  I was under the impression the talent would always be there and now I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong.  I began to pray and that's when I realized how  totally backwards my thinking had been. 

I found a blog written by Rick Warren and it really spoke to me. He wrote about how risky it is for us to not use our God-given talents.  This doesn't only pertain to writers, but to every single person no matter what your job is.  We each have a talent.  It is up to us to use it and perfect it.  We are to use that talent to serve others.  If we don't, God can and will take that talent away from us to give to someone who will use it. I had never thought about it like that before, and it made me realize how close I had come to losing mine.  

I am not implying that writers should never take a break.  We all need mental breaks from anything we do.  It's healthy and it's a good way to stay focused.  What I am saying is that staying away too long can be harmful to our talents.  I'm now trying to do something related to my writing every single day.  Whether that's posting to this blog (which I still think I'm a terrible blogger!) or working on research for a new book, I'm going to do something to hone my writing skills daily.  I thank God for blessing me with the desire and talent for writing. I don't want to take one day of it for granted.  

Sites:
Warren, Rick. "Making the Most of your Talents." RickWarren.com. 21, May 2014. Web. 20 July, 2015.