Top 10 Things Authors Should be Thankful for to End the Year
This Was the Year of the Author. Be Grateful!
One big challenge many authors face throughout the year is finding dividends or rewards for their efforts. As the year comes to an end, you need to take a good look at your strengths and be thankful for the progress you’ve made. It doesn’t matter how far you’ve come; what should matter are the experiences and connections you’ve made along the way. Even if all your goals weren’t met, this time of year should be satisfying provided you stayed strong and
motivated and continued working hard for your readers.
Take some time to reflect on this year’s writing endeavors and truly appreciate what you have. Read our list of top 10 things to be thankful for. It’ll give you comfort and gratification through the end of the year.
1. Your Progress: Every author has felt aggravated or impatient at some point. Committing to writing as a career can take a lot out of you, especially if you’re not making the progress you’ve been working towards. While this can be frustrating, if you continue to set goals and take the appropriate steps to meet them, your progress can only improve. Keep your head up and take pride in your achievements!
2. Invaluable Editors and Publishers: There are many authors out there who publish their own work. However, when you are not able to go this route, be thankful that editors and publishers are always there to oversee your work and finish the job for you! Editors put the polish on your story and often do not receive credit for your publication, especially if your area of expertise is in articles. Take time to appreciate their effort.
3. The Power of Social Media: It’s amazing how social media really shows its face in everything nowadays. If you are not active on Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other popular social media sites, you still have to appreciate their rising power for writers of all genres. If you’re thankful for the ways it can help you and your business, and don’t block it out because of the insanity it can create, you’re doing it right! If you are having trouble mastering the social media aspect of being an author, you may want to read up on our 10 Social Media Marketing Mistakes to Avoid.
4. Your Networking and Support: Writing is often solitary work. You can get into a zone and achieve massive production, but there aren’t always others next to you to help celebrate your success. While there is social media to keep you updated on EVERYTHING, it’s the support you actually receive that you are the most grateful for. This can include your friends, family, and connections you’ve made in your journey. If you work with a partner, or are involved in a community, feed off that energy and make it known in your writing.
5. Armies of Critics: Every field has its share of critics that try to get in your head and block the progress you’ve made. You need to think of their feedback as an encouraging assessment, not simply negative energy stonewalling your work. If every person that gave you feedback on your writing told you that you were amazing, why would you want to improve? This could result in a loss of inspiration or innovation to change up your pattern to really impress your readers. Smile and keep working hard when a critic tries to get in your way!
6. How Far Technology Has Come: Technology sure plays a key role in authors’ success. Imagine how difficult it would be if authors could only use a pen and paper to get their work published! We’re talking about all of the ways you can read and write, including the rise of the Kindle and Nook for people of all ages. Books will always be a warm welcome for readers, but technology makes it that much easier for us to get our hands on new reading material.
7. Here’s to the Readers: Even if you’re just starting out and haven’t acquired an audience for your writing, you need to have an appreciation for the millions of readers out there. There will always be generations of loyal readers. They can be your friends, neighbors, family members or strangers on different continents. They take the time to hear what you have to say, whether it’s fiction or your best advice. Keep writing for your readers; it should be one of the most important reasons you continue to do it. Click here for a few easy ways to say thanks to your readers.
8. Movies and TV Shows: The film and television industries have made significant progress in the last 30 years and are showing no signs of slowing down. It almost seems like there are more TV shows today than there are books! It’s important that you relax and enjoy a good movie or television show once in a while. It doesn’t matter where your expertise lies, you take in some unexpected inspiration for your writing this way. Be thankful that there are so many different genres to watch, and we encourage you to open up to other styles. You never know what movie can change your perspective and drive you to explore other possibilities!
9. Competitive Business: If you’re an avid reader, you can certainly name a few well-known authors who have made a name for themselves. Some have had great success educating the masses, taking their audience into extraordinary worlds. They paved the way for other authors to find their own success. While these people may have had a significant part in your past, and may influence your future, it’s your current competition that you should be thankful for. They keep you on your toes and give you the motivation to improve the same way critics do (they’re just not in direct contact with you). Be grateful that you’re not the only one out there in your field, it could get lonely!
10. Flexible Schedule: The last item on our list can be very rewarding for writers of all types. If you chose to pursue this as a career or hobby, be thankful that your schedule does not depend on a cold 9-5 work schedule. You can take breaks as needed, work all night or continue your work on-the-go. When you have more control over your work schedule, it can help curb sleep deficiency and take away stress from the everyday commute. However, you still need to have passion for your writing as well as that powerful drive to succeed! If you are not exactly thrilled to start a new year and are taking this “flexible schedule” too literally, we have you covered. Take a look at our recent article to help you End Your Procrastination and Get Back into Writing Mode!
In the end, we all want growth and development in our field of expertise. Be thankful for all of the resources you have at your disposal and appreciate where you are with your writing career.
We’re certain that you have things of your own you’re thankful for. Share your thoughts in the comments below. We hope next year is even more satisfying for you!
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