S-T-R-E-T-C-H-I-N-G Toward the New Year!

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Two weeks from today we step into 2013!! Doesn’t it seem like only yesterday that we crossed the threshold into 2012?

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With the holiday season upon us, free time is at a premium. So what can we do--in small segments--to proactively herald in a new writing year? Dr. Oz (you DO know who Dr Oz is, don’t you?) recommends starting each morning with ten minutes of stretching.
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So how about joining me in a “10-Minute Stretch?” There’s one for each day between now and the New Year—plus a few extras for the overachievers among us! Grab a notebook & pen, then set your timer! You’ll get much more out of these exercises if you bullet-point your thoughts and don’t just let them evaporate, unrecorded, into the atmosphere.
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1 - “Take ten” with God—and count your blessings. What are you thankful for?
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2 - Ask yourself: WHY do I write? Why do I want to be published/remain published? Knowing these answers will keep you going through the most challenging times, such as when you get a lousy review, a lower-than-low contest score or another rejection letter. Or when fresh ideas and words refuse to come.
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3 - Rededicate your writing to God and to listening to His voice as you write. You don’t have to write stories directed solely to the Christian market to do this.
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4 - Ask yourself: What am I offering readers? What promises have I made? I don’t mean promises to give away free books and a chance at a Kindle. I’m talking about STORY. What is it about your stories that reward a reader for their time and hard-earned money spent? If you’re published, what have readers or reviewers said they love about your book(s)? If you’re unpublished, what positive things do friends/family, critique partners and contest judges say? Write them down to review periodically. Commit to delivering on those promises.
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5 - Reflect on what you accomplished in your writing endeavors during 2012--what were the highlights of the year? Revel in them. Congratulate yourself. Write them down and put them where they’ll be a reminder in the coming weeks. During this “stretch” time do not belittle yourself for what you didn’t accomplish or compare yourself to others. This ten minutes is ONLY for positive reflection and celebration.
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6 - What lessons related to your writing have you learned this year? How will you apply those lessons in 2013?
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7 – Dream a little. What, if there were no limits, would you like to see next year bring to your writing?
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8 - Of the things you wrote down as dreams, which ones would you like to set as goals for 2013? (That means realistically achievable and measureable.) Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many--that only leads to discouragement.
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9 - Of the goals you selected, what mini-goals can you set to make the larger ones a reality? “Write a book” is a noble goal--but break it down into bite-size pieces. “Write 500 words a day” might be a better place to start.

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10 - What mountains, hills and valleys do you anticipate your goals will encounter in the coming year? Remember, obstacles aren’t necessarily BAD! Research for that fabulous story twist can be time consuming as can attending a season of your son’s baseball games, planning your daughter’s wedding or taking a long overdue vacation. Nevertheless, these events may divert you from your goals so must be taken into consideration when mapping a writing plan.
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11 - What strategies will you implement to work around these anticipated obstacles/challenges? How can you compensate for them? Determine to persist. Persevere. Seekers did. All of us had perfectly legitimate reasons for giving up the dream when obstacles continued to mount. As the saying goes, failing to plan is planning to fail.
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12 – Sometimes obstacles, challenges, setbacks and trials come out of the blue. Determine now how you will meet them. With fear and trembling--or with faith and courage? What ways can you sink your spiritual roots down deep NOW so that when an unforeseen storm blows in, you’re well-anchored to face it?
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13 - How can you s-t-r-e-t-c-h yourself in the coming year? Write a short story and submit it? Maybe enter a contest. Start a blog, Twitter or Facebook. Join a critique group. Become a member of a writers’ organization. Attend a conference. Submit a query to an editor or agent. Eat healthier. Exercise regularly.
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14 – Write a brief but glowing review on Amazon, CBD or Barnes & Noble for a book you enjoyed.
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15 - What can you do in ten minutes that will help you in the coming year? Perhaps setting up a binder, file or an electronic folder for your story notes? Maybe rearranging your work area. Shredding a stack of paper. Preparing a spreadsheet to track your word count. Making a tax folder to keep your writing-related receipts organized. Backing up your computer to a flash stick. Cleaning up your electronic files or deleting old emails. Updating your writer’s journey scrapbook/binder.
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16 – Brainstorm titles. Or moral premises. Story concepts. Opening lines. Scenes. Book cover ideas or blurbs. Blog topics. Black moments. Happily ever afters!
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17 - Jot off a note to a writer friend, letting them know how much you enjoyed their last book.

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18 - Make a list of “treats” for the coming year, rewards for meeting your mini-goals. Maybe time in your garden. A nap. Lunch or a phone chat with a dear friend. Playing with your children. Watching a favorite movie or reading a book you loved as a kid. Or perhaps settling down with a cup of tea to study a chapter in a writing craft book or a post from the Seekerville archives!
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19 – Brainstorm how you can carve out additional writing time, yet fulfill your other responsibilities. Maybe it’s getting up 30 minutes earlier or staying up later or turning off the TV. Maybe it’s packing a lunch and slipping out to your car in the office parking lot with your Netbook at noon. Or perhaps you can gradually increase your daily word count so you get more written in the same amount of available time.

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20 - Savor the moment. Watch the snow fall, go for a walk, or enjoy a cup of hot chocolate by candlelight. Laugh with your friends. Have fun with your family. Play with the dog. Listen to classical music. Watch the fire crackling in the fireplace as you remember past holidays, beloved traditions and the history behind your decorations. Step outside on New Year’s Eve to savor the stillness and observe the twinkling stars. Say “hello” to God. Commit the fresh new year to him. Be thankful.
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So, which of these 10-minute stretches are you going to start with TODAY? What made you pick that one first? What favorite “10-minute stretch” ideas can you add to this list?
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I hope these “10-Minute Stretches” help you ring in a ROCKING writing New Year!!!
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Glynna
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If you’d like to be entered in a drawing for a Winner’s Choice of one of my books, please mention it in the comments section, then check our Seekerville Weekend Edition for the winner announcements!
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Incidentally, a number of you have won books and other giveaways over the past 8 weeks that you haven’t yet contacted Seekerville to claim! Per our Legal link, all prizes must be claimed within 8 weeks of announcement or they are forfeited. We don’t have time to chase you down for snail mail addy's, etc., so please check our Weekend Editions regularly and contact us: seekers(at)seekerville(dot)net. Thank you!

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Glynna Kaye’s “Dreaming of Home” was a finalist in the ACFW Carol Award and Maggie Award, as well as a first place winner of the “Booksellers Best” and “Beacon” awards. Her “At Home In His Heart” garnered a 4½ star review and was chosen as a Reviewers Choice finalist by national magazine RT Book Reviews. She just turned in a fifth Love Inspired story set in Canyon Springs, Arizona, and is thrilled to be contracted for two more in that mountain country setting!