Resolutions are great if you can stick to them. For me, by mid January I am back to my old habits. What if I told you that there was a better way to start your year? After reading One Word That Will Change Your Life by Jon Gordon I decided to try it. Each year I pick one word that guides me through the year.
Around the same time, I came across a blog post by Christine Kane. Can A Single Word Really Change Your Life? Christine decided to ditch her New Year’s Resolution and selected one word to guide her for the year. She demonstrated how that one word made a difference in her life. You do not simply choose a word and by magic your life changes, but rather let the energy of the word guide you. Christine provided a short guide help you to find your word using her Discovery tool.
Words Work
For 2023 my word was ACTION. When it comes to submitting queries and manuscripts, I need to take action. It was not easy for me and for most authors to put our work out there. I knew I needed to take Action in the form of learning about queries and the submission process. I enrolled in a course which gave me a better understanding of all things related to submitting to publishers and agents. This gave me the confidence to submit several queries during 2023. Other actions included author events, joining organizations for writers, giving and receiving critiques, classroom visits and more.
My one word for 2024 was TRUST. I need to trust myself as a writer and author and take more writing risks. Trusting myself as a writer meant that I would continue to trust my writing was good enough and trust that writing is a learning process where I can grow my craft. If you missed my accomplishments for 2024 you can find them here.
My One Word for 2025 is RECEIVE. It is a word that I am have been thinking about lately and how it applies to my life as an author. I will be honest, I am a giver and I am not great at receiving. This year, I would like to become better at receiving whatever comes my way. I would like to be more open and gracious to all possibilities and opportunities. Who knows where this will take me, but I am looking forward to the adventure.
My wish for you is to have a Happy and Healthy New Year. Here’s to a wonderful 2025!
Early Alert
World Read Aloud Day is February 5th. This is one of my favorite days of the year. It is a free event and I can visit classrooms all of the United States and read my books. It is important to book early so if you are thinking about a visit please contact me as soon as possible. Learn more about World Read Aloud Day here.
With gratitude …
I am so glad you’re here. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I am grateful that I can share my writing journey with you. It is an endless journey of learning and growing. A journey that I am enjoying.
I am now booking author visits for the spring, 2025 school year. If you are a classroom teacher, teacher assistant, Parent Teacher Association President, or After school Director I can work with you to create a visit that will meet the needs of your students. Please contact me to book your visit.
My website has been updates and it is now interactive. There are surprises everywhere. Click on the balloons and see where they take you. Can you find two writing videos? Freebies? A chocolate chip recipe? There’s even a special freebie to anyone who subscribes to my newsletter. Check out the resources for children, parents and teachers, librarians and homeschooling families.
Please consider purchasing a copy of Two Wins for Wiley or Gertie Saves the Day for gifts. Books make great gifts. Books can be read over and over again. It is my wish to get as many books as I can into the hands of children. Children need to hear all kinds of stories. A book is the best gift for both children and adults!
Call to Action …
You can really help this author by leaving a book review on Amazon or Goodreads. You can leave a review for Gertie Saves the Day here or here. Two Wins for Wiley here or here. Reviews can be as easy as 2-3 sentences. It should take about 30 seconds to leave and would make a huge difference for this author.
