Happy New Year, readers! I hope these first few days of 2018 have been filled with fun and laughter and that the rest will be blessed.

I love to make goals for myself and my writing schedule for this year is full to bursting. But one of the other things I like to do is have a one word focus. This year I've chosen the word Create.

You might be thinking I've picked the easiest possible word for a writer to choose. Aren't we creative 24/7 anyway?

Well, yes, that is a fair point. However, this year I want to focus not only on my writing, but on other aspects of myself as a creative. I want to draw, paint, garden, cook, throw clay, and do other creative projects without seeing them as a distraction from my writing. I want to enjoy just creating things that don't have to be marketed or have a price set for them or have deadlines. In short, I want to create just to create.

Why?

One of the joys we find in life is enjoying a hobby or talent. Writing is one of my talents that I really enjoy. I love to tell a good story and I love immersing myself in the world and chatting with my characters. But I also love sitting with a pencil and just doodling. I love to paint. I like to take something and make it into something new. This year I want to explore all the different ways we create and hopefully inspire others to create in ways that are meaningful and special to them.

How am I going to do it?
​Each week, I'll take time to be creative in some way that isn't related to my writing. I might draw a picture, paint something, spend time in my garden, or do something completely new! I'll make a video of my creative session, even if what I create doesn't turn out perfectly. In fact, I hope some of my creative attempts are "failures". I'm guilty of expecting perfection from myself and this is an opportunity to try things without the expectation of them turning out exactly how I saw them in my head. The videos I take will be posted each Wednesday as part of my #CreateWednesday series. The first one is up on my YouTube channel. Hopefully as we continue into 2018, we can create some new things together. Take the time this year to explore yourself as a creative. It's not just the visual arts or literature or music that count as creativity. There are simple, every day things we do to create. 

If you want to share your creative endeavors with me, send me an email or tag me on social media. You can also use the hashtag #CreateWednesday. 

Here's to a joyous and creative 2018!