“Desire, ask, believe, receive.”  Stella Terrill Mann

Has the new year put you in a manifesting sort of mood? That’s what’s happened to me. I’ve been busy putting my intentions for 2011 in writing, which is a great idea. It’s getting me focused and motivated, both of which are definitely valuable forms of energy. Now, if I can combine my focus and motivation with discipline and action, I’ll have everything I need to succeed.

For me, this year is all about pushing myself to the next level in my writing. “Make a commitment, make it public, make it happen” — that’s one recipe kicking yourself into gear. With this in mind, here are the intentions I’ve set for the next 12 months:

•  To complete a very tight first draft of my YA novel.
•  To find the perfect agent to represent the novel.
•  To land a fantastic, exciting book deal for my novel.
•  To motivate tons of new readers through this blog.
•  To update and refresh Birthing the Elephant.
•  To dive into and master social media!
•  To revise my play and get it out to producers.
•  To complete my screenplay on Oscar Wilde.

Wow! Putting these out to the universe is surely writing dangerously! This is a long and ambitious list, but it’s definitely doable.

Now it’s your turn! What are your intentions for moving forward with your writing? Being as specific as you can helps. You don’t have to go public —  but it is definitely a good idea to get them down on paper. You might want to keep them where you can see them every day. Another idea: share them with a trusted friend or writing buddy who can act as your commitment cheerleader.

Here’s what I believe we all need to make progress on the writing front: focus, motivation, discipline, and action. Let’s add a healthy dose of persistence to the mix and make it happen. Any other ideas for making 2011 a great writing year?