I still do!
I've had a mixed year with some work through most of the year which had trailed out by the end. 2011 has started well and I hope to apply some of the lessons I've learned over the last year. I've earned a little money through Suite101 and Hubpages but I'm not going away to the Caribbean yet! I've had a great time, however and feel that my job is something that I am good at.
So, what about you? Do you want to be a writer in 2011? Have you got a burning desire to write a novel? Do you want to see your tagline in a publication or do you just want to share your online ramblings in a blog?
Here are my top five tips for writing more in 2011:
1. You ARE a writer! If you love to get your ideas and thoughts down on paper then you are a writer and don't let anyone disagree! If you start to see yourself as a writer, then you have more chance of becoming a writer. Of course you have to take some steps too.
2. Join a writing class. Colleges all over this UK are offering creative writing classes which give you the chance to meet with other writers, share your work and get some constructive feedback. The courses are usually general content with all kinds of writing covered. It's a great way to try out different types of writing.
3. Find time to write. When is your creative period? Is it early in the morning before the family get up or is it after the children have gone to bed. It can be embarrassing to admit to your spouse or partner that you want to do some writing, but offer them some of their own TV time and they won't care what you're doing with it.
4. Realise that it doesn't matter how you write or what you write. Some writers love big notebooks and smooth pens, others prefer a laptop or computer for speed. Actually I think there is a time and place for both. I love my notebooks for planning out or just scribbling down ideas, but computers allow fast writing and easy editing.
5. Keep going. There is a point in Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month), at about day 10, when you are struggling. The first flush of enthusiasm has gone, the inspiration is a distant memory and the ideas refuse to flow. You feel as though what you have written is rubbish and should be consigned to the nearest fire. Then you get an email which explains that you are not alone, that actually many other people who started writing the same time as you are feeling the same way and that it is not unusual.
The only way to overcome this feeling is to keep writing, word by word, sentence by sentence until you have reached the end. It may be rubbish, but today you are not editing, you are writing and you will find your inspiration again. You just need to keep going.
In 2011, there is no excuse for writing on your own, locked in your room. Explore the web, search for creative writing and connect with other writers. Share work, share ideas and improve your ability to write.
If you want to be a writer then make 2011 the year that you started to write for yourself and, who knows? One day you might make your dreams come true.
Photo Credit: Essays in Idleness by tonyhall on Flickr
