Three Words

Week of January 1, 2013—A Brand New Beginning

Wednesday, January 2—Three Words

ABC News regularly features a segment entitled Three Words. In the segment,

people summarize the events of a week in three words.

Last year, I was inspired by a story on ABC about folks setting goals for the new

year using only three words. I encouraged Picture This! followers at the beginning

of 2012 to choose the three words that would guide them through their year of

writing. Some of you may have completed that exercise. I hope you did, and I hope

your three words guided you throughout the year.

The three words could be used to lay out a plan for any aspect of your life—work,

relationships, love, health, fitness, and so on. But once again this year I want to

focus on using the three words to serve as my mantra for my writing life. Here are some

of the possibilities I came up with:

·       Write with passion

·       Write every day

·       Write something new

·       Always be original

·       Find the funny

·       Write. Write. Write.

·       Revise. Revise. Revise.

·       Dream. Do. Be.

·       Think like kids.

·       Be truly authentic.

·       Don’t over-think it.

Really any of those three-word phrases would get my writing year pointed in the right direction. But I have another phrase that I think better summarizes where I want my writing to go 2013.

Follow your heart.

So there you have it . . . my three words for 2013. Instead of trying to figure out what the market wants, what would please a certain editor, or what might sell—I want to write what’s on my heart.

Now it’s your turn. What words will guide your writing in 2013? Feel free to post your words. Then let’s check back in six months and see where our three words have taken us.