Happy New Year!!

No, don’t check your calendar. We are still in 2020. This is September. There are four more months to go.

But doesn’t September feel like a new beginning? I know it has to do with the start of a school year. I’ve been out of school for *mumble mumble* years, but this time of the year has always felt as fresh as January 1st, even as the days fade away and the leaves start to fall from the trees.

This has been a crazy year for everyone, and I feel like we could all use a fresh start. So your writing tip for today is this: Start something new when you begin to feel stale.

There is much to be said for pressing on and finishing something, but I think there is equal value in starting something new when you have been bogged down in a project for a long time. Sometimes that spark of creativity can help with the old project by giving you fresh eyes and perspective. Start a new story, write in a new place, or choose new music to listen to while you write. Try a new shirt, try a new food, or reach out a make a new friend, Take this start of a new year that comes toward the end of a calendar year and start something new!

And hang with the Storyteller Squad this month! We have such great things coming. Candice is going to teach us all about feeding our creative monsters. Kristen will be talking about Blake Snyder’s 10 genres that can fit in any story. Michelle will share some things that she has learned at a conference that will help you (and me) as we write.

Looking for good book recommendations? Jill will review Robert Beatty’s four-book Serafina series. Burt will introduce us to Howard Wallace, P.I. And Julane will review The Trebors by Caroline Barney.

And if you need to be motivated, look for posts from Tracy and Michelle as they coach us through writing through pain and life imitating art.

We’re glad you’re with us this month! What new thing are you going to start?