WISE WORDS

"Never start a large writing project on a Monday in December." So says Anne Lamott. 'Tis the season for a thousand things to do, and unfortunately writing is often the first thing to get the boot. But not to worry: January with its new number and white pages will soon be here. Now is the time to set some manageable, achievable writing goals. It helps if you can be realistic -- don't set a goal to write a 50,000 word novel in the next month if you work full time and have young kids. Perhaps commit to writing a short story a week? I am pretty sure one of the reasons I love writing poetry is because it is not so overwhelming as a novel and I can get something worthwhile on paper in a relatively short amount of time. It's really important to challenge yourself, but to also know your limits. Be the Little Engine that Could. You can do it!