You know what it’s like. You can’t wait for the fun and frenzy of getting ready to go back to school. First, you plot a course for the new clothing and the “must have” styles, then on to the pens, pencils and the perfect notebook. It wouldn’t be complete without that greasy lunch at the food court. Ahhh… back to school.

You wouldn’t think of neglecting the back-to-school ritual. Neither should you disregard preparing for your new year of writing. You need to gear up for your success. Here’s why.

Setting a definite start date makes it tangible.  When you know exactly what date you will start, every part of you gears up for it.

You learn how to prepare. It forces you to think about your writing year coming up and helps you determine what you’ll need to write successfully.

It generates excitement. There is nothing like a brand new laptop or notebook to get the creative juices going about that next book. Unpacking and opening a fresh new Book Buddy ratchets it up even more.

It gives your dream legs. A runner can dream of the Boston Marathon all she wants but unless she puts her legs to use, she’ll never do it. It’s the same with your dream of being an author.

It builds in accountability. You wouldn’t dream of skipping school. Ok, maybe you would but that’s a topic for another post. You get my point. You hold yourself accountable to do your homework.

Some people are completely satisfied with daydreaming of becoming a writer. That’s ok, I suppose. But if you are serious about writing books that will change people’s hearts and make a mark in the world, you have to go back to school.

It takes discipline, courage, and the tenacity to see it through the entire year. You owe it to yourself and the world to do your homework. Do it for you. Do it for your readers. The literary world will be glad you did.

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Reba J. Hoffman is a natural encourager and Member Care Coach at My Book Therapy. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Counseling and is the founder of Magellan Life Coaching (www.magellanlifecoaching.com). She is the author of Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal published by My Book Therapy. She also publishes a motivational and encouraging blog, FindingTrue North. Contact Reba at reba@magellanlifecoaching.com.