Focus Words For Writers

We hear a lot lately about having a focus word that is all yours for the current year. It appears to me to be a better alternative to January resolutions. One word to carry with you for a full year. One word to hold onto. One word to use as your guide for the year.

The poster today has a word that would be a good focus word--grateful. We writers could use that in our writing journey. There are many things we can be grateful for and also some to which we'd find it difficult to attach that word. Even so, since this was the word you chose, you are going to try to find the positive side. 

How about strong as your focus word? If you pledge to be strong in whatever situation comes up, you should come out on top. 

Maybe you'd like to choose honesty so that you can be honest in every part of your writing life, most of all to yourself. We sometimes show a quality to others but cheat ourselves. If this is your focus word for 2019, start with yourself.

Happy would be an uplifting focus word. If you choose to be happy this year, you'll make an extra effort to find happiness in whatever happens. That's not always easy to do when we encounter a major disappointment in our writing life. There should be a tiny corner of happiness in those situations even if you have to search diligently to find it.

Someone might select fruitful as their word for this year. Wouldn't that spur you to more productivity in what you write? 

How about using inspired? If that's your word, you might look harder for the inspiration needed to grow as a writer. 

Along the same line, motivation could be a helpful focus word. If you're concentrating on that word, you are going to look harder for things to keep your writing life going strong. 

2018 was a difficult year in my personal life so I have selected joy as my focus word in my writing life this year. I hope to find joy in whatever way I can as a writer and blogger and in my other life, too. Choosing that word will make me look for the joy in places I might not have done so in the past.

Will your focus word make life perfect? Of course not, but it could make it better.

Here is a list of focus words you might consider for 2019, ones above and a few others. Pick one as your own. 

• grateful
• strong
• honesty
• happy
• fruitful
• inspired
• motivated
• joy
• productive
• mature
• giving
• helpful
• trusting

You might make a sign with 'your word' on it. Place it somewhere near your writing area as a daily reminder to practice it, look for it, or use it.