Writing Goals 2023: Chore or Choice

By Lakshmi Sunder

As with every January, these first few weeks of 2023 have been full of promise. I can practically feel the positivity radiating off the world around me—the sweat dripping off the forehead of a gym newcomer, the pristine 2023 Planners peeking out of a student’s backpack, the soon-to-be-painted canvas propped against an artist’s wall.

This phenomenon touches writers as much as it does anyone else. Each year, I make a resolution to finish the first draft of a novel by the end of the year. But most years, this resolution doesn’t turn into a reality—largely because writing goes from a practice of excitement to an encumbrance. But, below are some simple steps to keep writing from becoming another chore in 2023:

1. Join a writer’s group. Writing doesn’t have to be a solitary act! Joining writers’ groups with people who are interested in similar genres—like poetry or journalism—or have similar goals—like completing a manuscript—can be an excellent way to hold yourself accountable, learn how to give and receive feedback, and find your creative family. Research some local writer’s guilds in your city, or join virtual communities like our very own #TeenWritersProject, where we offer shared spaces to generate and polish up work. 
2. Try a new genre. While we all have our preferred genres, a way to keep writing fresh is to branch out a bit! Trying something you aren’t good at can dampen the pressure to make the perfect first draft. If you’re a memoirist, try poetry. If you’re a poet, try comedy. The author of Winnie-the-Pooh initially wrote murder mysteries! 
3. Journal. Not all writing has to be for an audience. Ending your nights with something that is purely for yourself—and is in fact something you don’t want other people to read—can be a great way to remind yourself why you write in the first place. Buy a journal—a 99-cent composition book will do—and let your thoughts flow onto the page after you wake up, during downtime, or before you go to sleep. Your entries don’t have to be an edge-of-your-seat story or a tear-jerking poem. Let the words flow onto the page and don’t worry about grammar or being engaging. This is for you! 
4. Take breaks. Any passion—even the ones closest to your heart—can become a “chore” if burnout is in the mix. Breaks, both short- and long-term, are one of the best antidotes for burnout. If you have a goal to write 500 words per day, you don’t have to do it all in one sitting! Every hundred words, consider getting up and taking a lap (this often helps my creative juices flow). Longer breaks can be even more cathartic. If you find yourself tinkering with an idea and feeling stuck, put it away for a while. Focus on another project, or take time to do other things that matter to you! 
5. Submit to supportive and positive publications. The word “submit” can be daunting for writers and make it difficult to put pen to paper (or fingertip to keyboard). That’s why it’s important to submit to positive publications that will support you as you go on your creative journey—whether or not your work gets accepted, or even after you see it printed on the page. #TeenWritersProject is a great example of this kind of publication because we are not only a publication. We offer generative workshops, feedback sessions, and chances to get hired. And we host contests where teens get paid for their amazing words!