Focusing in on My Word of the Year

Each year, I choose an annual theme, an idea I originally got from Steve and Vicki Palmquist of Children’s Literature Network.

But it’s been so hectic lately I haven’t yet chosen mine for 2012. Which should be a good clue. I need to FOCUS! There are lots of ways I need to apply this theme to my writing life:

Photo: Keven Law
  • I need to focus my actual writing. In picture book after picture book, my issue is that there’s not enough focus. The conflict I set up doesn’t quite match the resolution. So even though the character succeeds, something feels off. Must work on that!
  • I need to sharply focus my time. My income was down more than 50% last year (I’ll be sharing my annual money post in the next month or two after I do taxes), so I have to focus on income-producing writing.?So in order to have any time at all for writing that may or may not generate income, I have to cut all the fat out of my schedule. I just took a leave from one of my critique groups, and I might have to make that permanent. I’m looking at all my habits, from blogging to social networking to marketing, to figure out which ones stay and which ones go.
  • And then, whatever I’m working on at the moment, I need to focus and give it 100%. I’ve been practicing yoga for a year now, and I really think that has helped me learn to clear my mind. I’ve got to work on that skill even more for 2012. My first step to that will be keeping email and Facebook closed except for my quick check-ins between tasks. So I might still open them hourly, but I won’t click through to them every few minutes to check things.

I know Becky Levine posted her annual theme?and maybe lots of other people have, too. Do you have a particular word, theme, or feeling you’re working on in 2012?

28 Responses

    1. Thanks, Debbie–that’s so nice of you! I do like the idea of more focused critique groups, but (sadly), I’m having to drop some of my critique groups rather than add to them. Maybe someday…

    1. Thanks, Debbie–that’s so nice of you! I do like the idea of more focused critique groups, but (sadly), I’m having to drop some of my critique groups rather than add to them. Maybe someday…

  1. Laura, Thank you for all of your honesty and generosity in this space. I’ve been thinking about you lately and how focused you are, even before KNOWING that this was your word. I admire all that you do and how you seem to juggle all kinds of social networking and blogging and interacting with the community, all while writing beautiful books. One of my goals (I don’t have a word yet) is to learn from what you do… So, thank you! a.

    1. Amy, wow, thank you! That’s one of the things I love about sharing our writing lives online–how much we learn from each other. When you started your Sharing Our Notebooks, I thought, How is she going to do ANOTHER wonderful blog? And I admire so much how you reach out to teachers on your blogs. That’s going to be one thing I need to focus in on this year. And speaking of beautiful books, what’s your FOREST pub date?

      1. You’re right…making friends in here (and then meeting them in person!!) has been a real blessing. Thank you for your kind words on my blog. The Notebooks blog is a bit slower, but I’m back to 3x/week on The Poem farm. I missed it! FOREST is now scheduled for Spring 2013…fingers crossed! Good luck focusing and updating too! a.

  2. Laura, Thank you for all of your honesty and generosity in this space. I’ve been thinking about you lately and how focused you are, even before KNOWING that this was your word. I admire all that you do and how you seem to juggle all kinds of social networking and blogging and interacting with the community, all while writing beautiful books. One of my goals (I don’t have a word yet) is to learn from what you do… So, thank you! a.

    1. Amy, wow, thank you! That’s one of the things I love about sharing our writing lives online–how much we learn from each other. When you started your Sharing Our Notebooks, I thought, How is she going to do ANOTHER wonderful blog? And I admire so much how you reach out to teachers on your blogs. That’s going to be one thing I need to focus in on this year. And speaking of beautiful books, what’s your FOREST pub date?

      1. You’re right…making friends in here (and then meeting them in person!!) has been a real blessing. Thank you for your kind words on my blog. The Notebooks blog is a bit slower, but I’m back to 3x/week on The Poem farm. I missed it! FOREST is now scheduled for Spring 2013…fingers crossed! Good luck focusing and updating too! a.

  3. Laura, I like Focus a lot. It’s definitely part of my recommit theme. I took up yoga, too, last summer, and it’s huge, but so far I’m not brilliant at extending that calm and peace outside of the yoga studio. Getting better, but a long way to go. Good luck with this year!

    1. Well, I’m not that calm or peaceful, that’s for sure. But I feel like I’ve gotten a little bit of skill at the “let it go” part and the “focus on one breath” part. Just a little bit. Still working on it!

  4. Laura, I like Focus a lot. It’s definitely part of my recommit theme. I took up yoga, too, last summer, and it’s huge, but so far I’m not brilliant at extending that calm and peace outside of the yoga studio. Getting better, but a long way to go. Good luck with this year!

    1. Well, I’m not that calm or peaceful, that’s for sure. But I feel like I’ve gotten a little bit of skill at the “let it go” part and the “focus on one breath” part. Just a little bit. Still working on it!

  5. Focus is a great word for the new year. I need to have it ready every time I sit down with my laptop. There are too many ways to stray off course with it. I am going to be selfish, though, and put in a plug that you NOT stop your blogging! I so enjoy reading yours. It inspires me to keep working on my little projects.

    1. Exactly! I used to be very efficient, but I’ve been straying off course. And we’ve seen in the Italian cruise ship news what terrible results that can have:>(

      Thanks for the encouragement. I definitely won’t stop blogging entirely. But I might scale back a bit or try to tighten the focus…Have to do some real thinking on that:>)

  6. Focus is a great word for the new year. I need to have it ready every time I sit down with my laptop. There are too many ways to stray off course with it. I am going to be selfish, though, and put in a plug that you NOT stop your blogging! I so enjoy reading yours. It inspires me to keep working on my little projects.

    1. Exactly! I used to be very efficient, but I’ve been straying off course. And we’ve seen in the Italian cruise ship news what terrible results that can have:>(

      Thanks for the encouragement. I definitely won’t stop blogging entirely. But I might scale back a bit or try to tighten the focus…Have to do some real thinking on that:>)

  7. I concur with Amy.

    Laura, I feel FOCUS should be my word as well for this year. Nose to the grindstone, curb the daydreaming and get to it. I’m finishing up my 2nd manuscript and gathering material for a 3rd one. Will be sending manuscripts 1 and 2 to a publishing house in March at the latest but need to keep at it. You’re a great motivation for that Salas!

    1. That’s awesome, Charles. I think we need both, the nose to the grindstone AND the daydreaming:>) But this year for me has to be more about the nose! Good luck with manuscripts 1 and 2–looking forward to reading your future poetry books!

  8. I concur with Amy.

    Laura, I feel FOCUS should be my word as well for this year. Nose to the grindstone, curb the daydreaming and get to it. I’m finishing up my 2nd manuscript and gathering material for a 3rd one. Will be sending manuscripts 1 and 2 to a publishing house in March at the latest but need to keep at it. You’re a great motivation for that Salas!

    1. That’s awesome, Charles. I think we need both, the nose to the grindstone AND the daydreaming:>) But this year for me has to be more about the nose! Good luck with manuscripts 1 and 2–looking forward to reading your future poetry books!

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