Welcome to the JoannaHarmonosky.com blog, where we are talking about TIME in the month of January! Keep checking back for new posts on this topic and feel free to drop suggestions to the author at joanna@joannaharmonosky.com.
2019 was rough for me, writing-wise.
In 2018, I decided that I would set out to accomplish my lifelong dream of becoming a published author. I had a half-formed book idea I was thrilled to tackle, a working knowledge of the indie publishing scene (I wanted control of all aspects of my book’s birth into the world, from marketing to its layout to the content itself), and the wherewithal to roll up my sleeves and get to work. I didn’t think it would be easy, but I also didn’t think it would be quite so hard.
My processes worked — for awhile. Each day the alarm would go off at 5:00 a.m. and I would somehow find the fortitude to drag myself, bleary-eyed, to the keyboard. I would crank out x number of pages, schedule enough social media to be “present,” then start my day. Until one day, the alarm wasn’t enough to coax me out of bed. My manuscript stalled. My followers began to wonder where I’d gone to (or at least, I like to hope so).
As authors, there are an innumerable number of distractions, obligations, doubters, and self-sabotaging behaviors that get in the way of our ability to get words on the page, which is why our theme for January is TIME — how to find it as a writer and make it work for you. I’m starting 2020 with a new writing “business plan,” which you’ll see reflected in all aspects of my life online (and in my book, which — will — come out — this year!)
Without further ado, and because this is what you came here to see — these are the writing-related mistakes I made in 2019, so you don’t have to make them:
Not having a unified strategy and intention behind my online “author” life, centered on my readers and the community I want to build.
If you are marketing a book — and if you are a writer or want to be one, then yes, you are — you need to get the word out about your work without being overbearing, and communicate with like-minded people while finding the time to add to your daily word count. It’s hard! So, do the things that matter and ignore the things that don’t. Your audience and followers WANT you to check in and provide them with meaningful updates and material. As long as your communication strategies center on that key component, it’s okay if your Instagram photos seem less than curated or you haven’t tweeted in two days. People crave authentic interaction and ignore behavior that seems false or misleading. Don’t forget, you are competing with millions of other voices for attention. Be the one that stands out.
Obsessively tracking my follower count.
Many people fall into this trap and I was one of them. Why is your follower count not a valid assessment of your popularity and reach? See above.
Not giving myself permission to be a “real writer.”
See also, “nobody in this world is going to give you permission to do anything.” This, too, is a trap. Silencing yourself because you haven’t yet hit publish on a manuscript, or you aren’t part of the traditional publishing world, or you feel that you’ll receive negative comments on a post? These are simply excuses to sell yourself short. The only way to keep moving forward is to give yourself this gift — you are a real writer, whatever that means to you, today. As far as I’m concerned, anyone is a real writer who shows up and does the work.
Not following a routine.
This may not work for everybody, but it’s my list — I get to make the rules, and I thrive on a good routine. If I don’t write first thing in the morning, it’s not going to happen. Even if this isn’t possible or doesn’t work for you, set yourself up for success by looking at the week ahead on Sunday and carving out set periods to write.
Not being kind to myself when my writerly plans went awry.
This may be the most important lesson on this list. How quickly you accept and manage the inevitable mishaps, missteps and obstacles in your writing life will directly correlate to the speed with which you get back to the work that matters. Don’t cheat yourself by centering in negativity or fear.
What lessons did you learn in 2019? Drop a comment below — I can’t wait to hear from you!
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Joanna Harmonosky 