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#IWSG: DNF Books, Writing in 2021 & 365 Days of Gratitude

1/6/2021

20 Comments

 
The first Wednesday of every month is the Insecure Writer's Support Group. Posts go up the 1st Wednesday of every month. Check it out here and join if you need support with your writing. Don't forget to stop by and say hi to the co-hosts: Ronel Janse van Vuuren , J Lenni Dorner, Gwen Gardner Sandra Cox, and Louise - Fundy Blue!

January 6 question - Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?


I actually haven't DFN many books. I'm either really good at picking books I know I will like or I am very easy to please when it comes to books. Of the ones I haven't finished, it's either because life got in the way and I set it down and just never picked it back up, the story and writing bored me and I lost interest, or it was too predicable and I wasn't in the mood for predicable cliches.

NOW, ON TO MY INSECURITIES.

It's 2021 and I'm both glad 2020 is over and terrified. Who knows what this year will throw at us. Will it be kind? Or make 2020 look like a walk in the park? I'm trying not to dwell on it too much. I can't control how the year plays out.

Instead, I want to focus on what I can control: myself. I have a plan to release two books this year, get my mermaid series edited, and write on two WIPs. The plan is simple. There's not a lot packed in there, but that's on purpose. With my chronic health issues, I have to be flexible. I never know when I'll be knocked out by pain or for how long. By giving myself a simple and easily adjustable plan where I can schedule things ahead of time, I should be able to achieve my goals despite any wrenches thrown at me.
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Before you pop off to other IWSG blogs, I want to invite you to join me in doing 365 Days of Gratitude Challenge. After the mess that was 2020, I decided to spend 2021 posting one thing per day that I'm grateful for. Or at least try to post every day. I'm going to miss some days, I have to be realistic and expect that. But I'm still going to do it because I want to spread something positive.

If you would like to join me, feel free to do it on whatever platform you want and how often you want. What you are grateful for can be as big or as small as you want. Use the hashtag #365gratitude. I'll try to stalk the hashtag on various social media so I can see who is joining me.

What books have you set aside and why? Do you have a plan for 2021 or are you going to wing it? Would you like to join me in spreading something positive this year?

If you enjoyed this post and want exclusive content, consider becoming a member of my community on KO-FI or PATREON!



20 Comments
Madeline Mora-Summonte link
1/6/2021 07:23:33 am

Not planning too much and being flexible are good ideas. I'm getting better at keeping things a little looser, leaving myself some wiggle room.

Wishing you all the best in 2021!

Reply
Tyrean A Martinson link
1/6/2021 07:35:09 am

Wow. You have big goals! Flexibility is good. :)
And yes, I will join you, probably on Twitter or Facebook, with a few Instagram posts in there, too.

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Alex J. Cavanaugh link
1/6/2021 07:49:35 am

That's a great attitude. We can only control ourselves.
Hope you get those books released.

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M.J. Fifield link
1/6/2021 09:05:32 am

It is always so important to focus on what we can control.

Best of luck with your goals this year.

I'm enjoying your gratitude challenge posts. We always need more of that in the world.

Reply
Sandra Cox link
1/6/2021 09:19:33 am

You have a busy 2021 ahead of you.I trust it will be much, much better than 2020.
Wishing you buckets of success and a Wonderful-Writing New Year.

Reply
Anna
1/6/2021 10:48:30 am

Well you can't achieve a goal without setting one. Even if they aren't achieved, you'll be on the road to getting them done. Good luck in this coming year. :-)

<a href="http://emaginette.wordpress.com"> Anna from elements of emaginette</a>

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Rebecca Douglass link
1/6/2021 11:51:49 am

Those seem like good goals! I need to put some real thought into my goals, and how I hope to proceed.

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Loni Townsend link
1/6/2021 01:34:57 pm

I love that you're focusing on gratitude. I try to keep it at the forefront of my mind, but I'm terribly at consistently recording things either through social media or journaling.

I hope you achieve your goals this year!

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Cathrina link
1/6/2021 02:17:58 pm

Those are phenomenal goals! I wish you much success!

Love your Gratitude Idea. Perhaps I'll join in.

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Samantha J Bryant link
1/6/2021 04:05:46 pm

I don't often have DNF anymore either. I think I've just become a better book-shopper--better at knowing if a book is "for me" before I crack the cover.

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Susan M Gourley link
1/6/2021 05:12:55 pm

I just read an article to day about the best way to handle the long term stress this past year has caused is to concentrate on what you can control instead of focusing on what you can't. You're ahead of the advice. I also have a lot to grateful for.

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Liz A. link
1/6/2021 08:15:08 pm

I read somewhere a tip that I've used ever since. While you are brushing your teeth, think up three things you're grateful for. It's a nice mindfulness reminder. Good luck with your hashtag.

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Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy link
1/6/2021 10:56:32 pm

They are good goals for the year. I love that you've made them flexible for your health.

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CD Gallant-King link
1/7/2021 09:29:22 am

I've been following your days of gratitude on social media and I think it's a great idea. Unfortunately I just do not have the focus to be able to commit to doing anything that regularly. I'm taking 2021 just one day at a time!

Good luck on all your New Years writing goals!

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Larry Kollar link
1/7/2021 07:52:02 pm

Flexible goals is a win, any way you slice it. As we learned last year (and it’s soooo nice to refer to 2020 as “last year”), things can change and upend pretty much everything. That’s a constant at work; most of the goals we set in spring are moot by fall. May the flare-ups pass you by this year!

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C. Lee McKenzie
1/9/2021 08:25:21 am

Very sensible to focus on yourself and your reaction to what's going on around you and not on what's beyond your control. You'll stay sane that way!

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Kate link
1/10/2021 09:09:25 am

I think focusing on things we're grateful for is a great idea. We need to focus on the positive, not the negative to get through this year.

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Chrys Fey link
1/12/2021 07:53:40 am

I think there's only a handful of books I DNF.

365 Days of Gratitude sounds perfect.

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Nick Wilford link
1/18/2021 06:10:21 am

That sounds like a busy year to me. Good luck with your goals. Keeping things flexible is essential because we never know what else the world will throw at us.

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J.H. Moncrieff link
1/26/2021 06:20:21 am

Having a manageable set of goals is a great idea, especially if you struggle with pain. Sounds like you have an awesome plan for the year.

I also love the idea of the blog challenge. I've been writing at least three things to be grateful for every day for years. It helps to look back and see that, even in tough years, there was still a lot of good things happening.

Reply



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