Episode 027 | Resiliency Systems

The most important systems you’re going to set up in readiness for NaNo and your writing life belong are your Resiliency Systems.



It helps immeasurably to have made time for writing, set up systems and learned little tricks to make the most of your writing time, figured out your best outlining, research, and drafting systems. However, they can all end up abandoned and untouched if you don’t have your resiliency systems in place. Sooner or later, something is going to come your way that makes you doubt yourself (talent, discipline, whatever), your story, or both. Be ready.



Mindset is your first line of defense. Knowing what motivates you, facing your fears, choosing carefully the words you say to yourself, valuing yourself (including your health) and your own contributions to the world are the foundation of everything else. For some refreshers on ways to develop some of those habits and skills, check out these episodes:



* Episode 003 | What Motivates You?* Episode 016 | The Value of Fear Lists* Facing Your Writing Fears by The Rookie WriterRewrite Fear Worksheet by Sage Cohen* Episode 017 | The Words You Say to Yourself* Episode 004 | Self Care: BECAUSE not SO THAT







Other Writers are invaluable. You can’t have too many of them in your life. Who knows better what you’re going through than someone else who’s out there doing their best to get their words down onto the page and then to get those pages out into the world to their readers? They can offer you context, they can offer you advice and feedback, they can tell the difference between when you need a shoulder to cry on and when you need a (gentle, but firm) kick in the pants. They speak your language, and they know stuff — the name of a new agent that just tweeted that they’re looking for a story like yours, the deadline for a contest that’s perfect for your type of story, etc. Find them and then make them a part of your day-to-day life.



* Episode 008 | Who You Need in Your Writing Squad* NaNo Site Buddies* Facebook Groups



Family, Friends, Fans, and Faith (as you understand it) are there to love you and remind you that you’re more than you’re writing, that you need to take breaks, take a nap, take a chillpill, whatever. Remember to keep them at the center of your life and you can’t go wrong. When they ask how it’s going, tell them. When they ask what they can do, give them a job. Can they help and/or trade off with you on childcare? Are they good cheerleaders or natural born coaches? Do they read in your genre and would be good beta readers? Do they have a knack for grammar?