My father always resolved never to make New Year’s resolutions. Admirable indeed, although few possess his fortitude!

What are your goals for 2023? I remember when I first started writing articles and books for publication. Rejections abounded, and this was at a time of plentiful magazines and regional newspapers publishing unknown authors.

Winning a contract from a traditional book publisher has always been challenging. Some years ago, my uncle told a teacher colleague of his that I was a published author. The colleague responded, “Do you know how hard that is?”

I wish I could say that becoming a traditionally published author has become easier. It has not.

Rejection scares us from proclaiming we’re writers. Someone might like to put you in your place. When I was a young teenager, I recall telling one of my mother’s friends that I wanted to be a model on The Price Is Right. She considered the thought ridiculous, so I abandoned that idea. That’s one time I benefitted from a dose of realism. Her bitter medicine showed me I didn’t want that career badly enough even to attempt it.

As with any career, a person needs enough desire to be a writer to make the goal of publication happen. Be determined to write no matter what obstacles you face. Published or not, when you write, you can say, “I am a writer.” No one can take that identity away from you if you continue writing.

Happy New Year, and Keep Writing!