“20 Ways to Celebrate Your Writing Talents” by Joan Y. Edwards

Here are 20 ways you can celebrate your writing talents.

1. Join other writers in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)

2. Join other writers in Picture Book Idea Month (PiBoIdMo)

3. Invite another writer friend to eat lunch with you at your home or at a nearby restaurant. Read the first page or first 1000 words of each other’s manuscript.

4. Respect yourself as a writer.  Submit one of your manuscripts before the end of next month.

You Have the Essentials for Submitting: Go for it. 

Step 1 Get work critiqued, revised, printed, and proofed.

Step 2 Choose the publisher, editor, agent, or contest for this writing project.

Step 3 Write the pitch, query letter, cover letter, resume, bio, and/or proposal as required by the guidelines of the editor, agent, or contest you chose for submission this time.

Step 4 Proof and Send your pitch, query letter, cover letter, resume, bio, and/or proposal as required by the guidelines of the editor, agent, or contest you chose for submission this time.

5. Put little sticky notes on your computer or file cabinet that compliment you on your accomplishments. They can be silly or serious, but they have to mean something to you. You want them to encourage you.

• I wrote for 15 minutes today.

• I figured out the pitch for a new novel.

• I brought an old manuscript out of cold storage.

6. Respect your time to write. Set aside at least 10-15 minutes a day to write.

7. If you receive a rejection, send the rejected manuscript out to a different editor or agent within 7 days.

8. If you receive a reply that is not a form letter, have a party, dinner, or special dessert to celebrate getting closer to publication.

9. One day a week, do something that doesn’t have to do with writing, just because it’s fun for you.

10. Make yourself a certificate. Print out the words and decorate it with crayons, markers, or stickers. Frame it and hang it on the wall.

11. If your writing group meets in person, have a ceremony to celebrate each member’s completed manuscript.

12. Pray and thank God for your many talents every morning and every night, especially for your writing.

13. Give yourself a money reward for completing a manuscript, revising a manuscript, setting aside time to write, or submitting a manuscript to an editor or agent. It can be as little as a penny or as large an amount as you deem appropriate.

14. Buy a special gift for you. For instance, if you like hats, buy or design yourself a new hat each time you finish a manuscript. Have the design be one that the main character might wear.

15. If you know that a writer friend has submitted a manuscript, send them a snail mail or an email card. Encouragement may help them travel farther down the path to success at being published.

16. Go to a movie.

17. Visit a museum.

18. Call an old friend.

19. Cook your favorite meal.

20. Imagine what a character in your book would do when she was bored, tired, or excited.  Do it. Write down your feelings before, during, and after.

Celebrating is part of thankfulness and excitement to help you achieve your publication goals.  Develop unwavering faith.

Even with complications and obstacles, the vision of success in your mind, the excitement of getting it, your thankfulness, and your action toward it will create the reality for you.

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Celebrate You Right Now
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Copyright © 2011 Joan Y. Edwards