So, it’s a brand new year and you’re absolutely rarin’ to get to those writing goals! Look at you go!

Except that first, you need to clean up the holiday stuff. And then, you need to get those kidders back to school, and whoops! You’re back at work! And now it’s the end of the first week later and you haven’t exactly written one sparkly word. (Insert wah-wah here.)

Okay, there’s no need for all that head-slapping. You just need a little challenge to get that push in the right direction. Luckily, I’ve found just the thing (or two)!

Thing 1: If you’re a Facebook user, sign on with Sylvia Forbes and her crowd over at the January Writers who’ve pledged to write something every single day in January. I like this challenge for two reasons. One, I spend an awful lot of time over at Facebook…er, marketing myself. So now, when I pop in, I usually see a couple words about the January Writers. Which is a great reminder to me to stop…er, marketing, and get back to writing. I also like the January Writers because Sylvia Forbes is a delightful writer who publishes the Bylines Writers’ Desk Calendar every year. Which happens to be a swell calendar, whether you need inspiration or organization.

Thing 2: Remember all those picture book ideas from the Picture Book Idea Month? Yes, yes, the ones now gathering virtual dust in some forgotten file on your laptop (Or maybe that’s just me). Anyway,  the 12 x 12 x 12 Challenge is a perfect way to take those ideas and get to work on them! After all, you have an entire month to get a picture book idea to a manuscript ready for possible submission. You have inpsiring posts from Julie Hedlund’s guest writers, and you can join in the Facebook group, too, for added support. Plus, you get a swell badge for your blog that folks will see and think, “My, my, isn’t that writer industrious?!”

Start your new year with a challenge that will challenge your writing and you may be surprised where you’ll go! At the very least, you’ll save your poor forehead. (Or maybe that’s just me.)