The end of the year has come upon us once again. If you are like me you probably are saying to yourself, “Wow, this year went by really fast!” You said this last year as well, of course, but this year you really mean it! While a new year always brings the excited anticipation of not knowing what the next twelve months will bring, we can be fairly sure that 2014 will bring midterm elections, the Winter Olympics and, closer to my world, more criminals with disturbing behavior.

As we prepare to hang those new wall calendars that we received for Christmas, it is time to ask that annual question – “What will my New Year’s resolutions be this time?” For the purposes of this post and using my assumption that many of you are here because you are avid readers and/or writers, I would like to offer a few suggestions for resolutions based on love of the written word.

Resolve to discover one new author every month. Whether it is reading a novel or blog or opinion columnist in the local paper, find someone whose writing has an impact on you and connect with the work.

Resolve to write 1000 words a week . . . at least. It really isn’t that much once you get going. And, what you write does not matter. Buy a beautiful journal and share a recap of each day within its pages. Finish (start?) that manuscript that has been lingering in your brain for months or years. Sit at the beach or somewhere that is relaxing and write down whatever comes to mind. Just write. The simple practice of it will feel wonderful.

Resolve to donate books to a local school or community center. You LOVE reading. It adds so much to your life. What about those kids whose parents cannot afford to have a book collection or who attend a school with a library that received its last new book more than a decade ago. You could be the one to start a lifelong love affair for a kid with books and writing and using the imagination!

There are plenty of other ways to make 2014 your best year yet. I would love to know what your plans are! And, if you decide to try one of my ideas in this post, let me know how it goes!

May your New Year be filled with joy, health and prosperity!

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Author Blog: https://authorjenniferchase.com/

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