Encourage, Equip, Inspire

 We’re now almost halfway through January, so any New Year’s resolutions I might have been tempted to make have safely receded into the dim and distant past.

 

Actually, that’s not quite true. A new year always seems like a good opportunity to review my writing and set myself some goals for the next twelve months. On previous occasions, I’ve focused on output and achievements. Often, some of these have been quite small – have a letter published in a magazine – but looking back at the end of the year can be a real boost. Even if I don’t tick off everything on the list (write a best-selling novel is one that still eludes me) I can feel encouraged by the progress I’ve made.

 

This year, I’m trying to think a bit more about how I develop my skills as a writer and establish good writing habits. The ACW strapline – Encourage, Equip, Inspire – feels like a good place to start, and I’d like to invite you to join me.

 

Encourage

 

What encouragement have we received in our writing over the past year? How can we encourage and support others in 2023?

·       Message someone to say how something they wrote has helped you

·       Read and review someone’s book

·       Tell a friend/neighbour/your dog about your latest favourite read

·       Buy a coffee/chocolate cake/large bottle of whisky for a writer friend

 

Equip

 

This isn’t about having beautiful stationery and the latest piece of writing software on your laptop (although you can never have too many notebooks).

·       Buy/borrow/steal a book on writing – I’ve just been recommended Why Will No-one Publish my Novel? by the late Fay Weldon

·       Find a new writing podcast to follow or a blog to subscribe to

·       If possible, go on a writing retreat/attend a writers’ day (ACW has a couple of online workshops coming up in February which are free to members)

·       Alternatively, plan your own DIY writer’s retreat – turn the phone off, sell your kids for the day, make a large pot of coffee and then spend the day however you best feel helps you develop your writing skills

 

Inspire

 

Okay, so this one is harder to pin down. Inspiration often comes at completely random moments. How many of us have hit upon the perfect plot twist at 3:42am and then wrestled with whether we should risk the ire of our significant other by turning on the light in order to write it down?

·       Read, read, read and then read some more

·       Based on the principle that inspiration often strikes when least expected, try doing something completely different – go for a walk, dig the garden, listen to music

·       Ask yourself “What if…?” questions – what if two young people from rival families fell in love, or your new husband’s previous wife died in mysterious circumstances?

 

My final tip applies to all three categories: meet with other writers. Joining a writing group is a great way to find encouragement and inspiration, as well as equipping yourself with new writing skills. And of course, one of the best ways to improve your writing is to simply sit down and get on with it (or lie down/stand on your head – whatever works for you). Let me know how you get on!

 

Fiona Lloyd is Chair of the Association of Christian Writers and writes regularly for Together magazine. Her first novel, The Diary of a (trying to be holy) Mum, was published by Instant Apostle in January 2018. Fiona also works for Christians Against Poverty.

 

Twitter: @FionaJLloyd & @FionaLloyd16