New year = new inspiration

Picture by Pamela Wilson
This is my favourite time of the year to work!

As the often hectic Christmas season is packed away in boxes with the decorations, and the new year is ushered in with fresh enthusiasm and renewed vigour, many of us are at our most creative, inspired and dedicated.

Like a new bloom welcoming the warm rays of summer, we are ready to open ourselves up to new opportunities, challenges and tasks.

That's why I have chosen this - my first post of the new year - to find out about your direction, your desires for your writing goals, your strengths and those areas you hope to improve upon.

So, tell me, where are you headed and what articles will help you on your path to success?

What is it you want to know about the writing and publishing industries? Do you have burning questions about the freelance writing business or are there just a few little nuances you'd like clarified? What do you want to learn from published authors about their writing journeys, their highs, their lows, their successes, their advice about getting published and communicating with editors?

Unlike newspapers and magazines where you are served up a daily smorgasbord of items you may or may not want to devour, writers' blogs are like the Choose Your Own Adventure novels where you get to have a say in the content you want to read.

So, go on, pick an adventure. Choose the path you want to take. Tell me what it is you want to read about on the topic of writing and getting published.

The story so far

Based on questions and discussions with aspiring writers late last year (it really wasn't that long ago... just a few days really), I already have some exciting posts lined up.

There's some more useful, easy-to-understand grammar and structural tips on the way, following on from previous grammar and writing posts.

I have also posted, in the past, articles about the various elements of making money from writing and treating it as a business, but there is always more to be said on this topic, so I will say it in coming months.

Already this year, I have a fantastic line-up of new and established Australian authors who will let us take a sneak peak at their creative processes, the toil that turns mere words into great stories, their secrets to success and more.

Enlisting the expertise of other well-known writers, I will also offer exercises and activities throughout the year to help you kick start or refine your writing processes.

So start jotting down those questions you want answers for or, alternatively, those answers you feel others may question. Post them here on the blog or contact me privately and let's get the adventure started!

I am taking a one-week hiatus from WriteSmart next week to clear my schedule of deadlines, to allow those proverbial creative juices to start flowing in earnest and to collate your blog post ideas.

But stay posted for the weekly return of WriteSmart articles from January 20.

Alternatively, feel free to use the time to flit about on WriteSmart and catch up on any posts you may have missed last year.

There are articles on how to make newspaper and magazine editors notice you, how to write features, and which publications you should aim for when you are new to the game.

You might like to read about those journalists who have become published authors, some of whom were headhunted by the publishers in the first place. (Every writer's dream, surely!) Or, perhaps you want to know how to get a literary agent or how to handle rejection.

Enjoy your week and let's chat soon.

For more information about Pamela Wilson or WriteSmart, log on to http://www.writesmart.com.au/