The Year of Writing Dangerously

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Welcome back to the Write Away blog and welcome forward to the new year. A year with possibilities, riches (of some sort, even if not money), and fulfillment. At least, that’s the goal, right? The resolution?

This time of year is clogged with suggestions for how you can make a new, improved you. Just resolve to this, that, and the other, and presto bingo! Out pops a better version of you!

Or not.

While about half of us make resolutions, only about 8% of us follow through. I talk more about making and breaking resolutions and a viable alternative tomorrow at Romance Righter, Angelica French’s blog (www.angelicafrench.blogspot.com). Check it out tomorrow if that interests you.

But back to Professional Writer You. Over the years I have tried different genres and writing formats to challenge myself. I’ve dabbled in paranormal, scifi, historical fiction, biography, romance, women’s fiction, and culinary mysteries.

I’ve written short stories, full-length plays, 10-minute plays, novels, novellas, and non-fiction.

I keep learning when I try a new format or genre. One goal this year is to try writing humor. That will likely be my most difficult challenge yet. Humor writing is hard! While everyone thinks that a dying nice guy is a tear jerker, we don’t all agree on what makes things funny. One person’s witty wisecracker is another’s annoying pest.

Another writing goal I have for the year is to write in first person. First person terrifies me! To only know what your narrator knows. Why isn’t omniscient observer good enough anymore? So, of course, I have to try it! What’s to lose? Time, right? Maybe get a bit of a bruised ego? But the old, “nothing ventured . . .” saw comes to mind.

Time and ego are small potatoes in the grand scheme. So, ride along with me? Prod me to tell you how I’m doing. Join me in The Year of Writing Dangerously.

And what are you doing to stretch yourself this year? Tell me of your writing travel plans in the Comments section below and what challenges you expect to encounter. Let’s enjoy our journeys together.

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