Celebrate Your Writing Wins

Let’s be real, writing is hard, but one way to push through a novel’s saggy middle, the inevitable critical feedback, endless editing, and all other manner of creative discouragement is to celebrate your writing wins.

Regardless of if your win is solving a plot problem, typing The End on a draft, or receiving a five star review, when it happens, it’s an amazing feeling.

You are pursuing your art.

It’s easy to overlook small wins, but celebrating them is so important to reinforce our accomplishments and refuel our motivation.

Writers, Celebrate Your Wins!

This week, I’m celebrating two wins, and I’m hoping to ride the resulting wave of happy as long as I can.

For my first win, a prominent book reviewer reached out for an advanced copy. I’m really excited to see what they think of the story, and I’ll update you all when that happens.

For my second win, and people…

—THIS IS HUGE—

…Oil and Dust got picked by Barnes and Noble as a NOOk Top Indie Favorites promotion, in the Science Fiction and Fantasy category.

For real!

Here’s the link if you want to go see it. And while you’re there… consider snagging a copy!

Your Wins are My Wins too

I love to celebrate writer wins.

Whether it’s seeing another writer has signed with an agent, or their book has hit a bestseller list, or someone has shortlisted their book for an award—their good news gives me a tremendous boost. Not merely because it reinforces my drive to keep going, but also because I want to read their books!

The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate. -Oprah Winfrey

Celebrating Success Encourages Others

Not only can you use an accomplishment to fuel your creative process, others can use your momentum too!

Celebrating your win is also a way to recognize the people who have helped you achieve your success, and talking about your wins can encourage others to apply your strategies to their own projects.

When you commit to follow through on your book, you are forgoing the time—learning, drafting, revising, editing, and marketing—from other things you care about. This might include hobbies or sports you enjoy, time with friends and family, sleep, and, if you’re independently publishing, money too.

Celebrate your writing wins along the way so we can all enjoy your triumphs, while reminding ourselves why we persevere, even when things get tough.

Header Photo by Adi Goldstein on Unsplash