NYE Contemplations: In 2012, Time to Treat Writing Like a Job.

So: Amanda Hocking. I'm about six months late on this one—seriously, have you heard of this woman?—but I was reading about 20 young up-and-coming professionals during my (admittedly cliché) NYE afternoon of writing down my goals for the coming year, and I am astounded.

Amanda Hocking has already grossed approximately $2 million from self-publishing her 10 novels on Amazon. And now, she has a multimillion dollar, multiple book deal with St. Martin's Press. She is 26.

What stands out the most to me about her story was one line in the NYT profile about her, remarking on the turning point in her writing career and success (emphasis is mine):

It was January 2009, and Hocking started treating writing as a job. Before, it was “something I always did . . . like playing video games.” After, she wrote even when she didn’t feel like it. Over the next year, she wrote “at least five or six new novels.”

I have definitely been guilty of treating my writing as merely something I do. So in 2012, my main goal is to start treating writing like a job. (And in case I'm being confusing, yes, I do still have a full-time job as a copywriter. I'm talking about my writing.)

Maybe I should give Ms. Hocking a call. Maybe I should seriously think about writing YA fiction. Or maybe, I should just shut up and write.

What are your goals for 2012? 

Happy New Year's Eve, everyone! Make some merry, and please, don't drink and drive!

Take 9: Mental Health Break

This little experiment has proven to be quite interesting (err, for me, at least). I've been thinking a lot about the actual act of writing, about discipline, about believing in my own abilities, and not making excuses for not working hard at a craft.

But I'm going to have to be real for a minute. If I don't step out of my brain a little bit and just relax, I'm going to go insane. Okay, maybe not insane, but let's just say I'm so deep in thought lately about writing, and life, and being motivated, that my head is starting to hurt. My social interactions are getting more awkward than usual. (I know, I didn't think it was possible either!)

Last Friday, in a post not directly for the experiment, I wrote this essay that I'm actually really proud of, and I think was directly inspired by all this writing. But today, all I can think of right now is everything I need to accomplish in a span of about three hours. I'm not inspired. I am stressed. 


But this actually brings up a relative point:

I think part of writing, or other creative endeavors, is also learning that sometimes (particularly when you've actually earned it), you have to give yourself a little mental health break. 

It's Friday. I have a party to go to tonight, and I still need a dress. I'm taking that mental health break now. But before I go...

I'm wondering, all of you creative types that I'm hoping and pretending are reading my blog:

When do you allow yourself a mental health break? How do you self-assess how hard you've worked, or how much you've accomplished? 


I hope that this doesn't end up being a rhetorical question! I really do want to know. I'm actually serious about this self-discipline bizness. Comment, why don't you. I double dare you.