Starting a year-long Voice project

Happy new year, Reader!

In this first Writing Practices of the year:

1. What you're saying "yes" to in 2025
2. Ready to play with your writing voice? My 2025 project with you.
3. The Writing Voice Exercise for January
4. Confetti 🎊

Let's dive in.

Your Year of Yes

Last time (last year?), I asked people to share with me what they're saying "yes" to in 2025. Here are a few of your plans for the year ahead.

• Writing a memoir
• Finishing a memoir! (I detect a theme)
• Finishing and publishing a novel
• Creating an author platform
• Translating Writing to Be Understood (This one delights me!)
• Completing and publishing a collection of short stories
• Sharing writing publicly

And this one: "Finally embracing my lifelong dream of becoming a writer."

Yes.

Whatever your goals for 2025, please know that I'm cheering for you. If you have questions or obstacles, send them along and I'll see what advice or inspiration I can offer.

And, congrats to Brenda for winning The Year of Yes. January's give-away is another gem. Watch for it in two weeks.

Ready to play with your writing voice?

In 2025, I say "yes" to experimenting with different types of writing—and that means tinkering with my writing voice. So, I’m going to work through the concepts in The Writer’s Voice. Again.

I know, I wrote the book and did all of the exercises in 2023. But, this work is timeless and perpetual.

The book is designed as a 12-week course, so I thought: Why not do it as a 12-month adventure with this group?

So, the first Wednesday of every month, I’ll share an exercise from The Writer’s Voice, and we’ll do them together.

If you already have the workbook, you can follow along and revisit the topics. If you want a physical copy, find it on Amazon or buy the PDF directly from me here. But, you don't need it to do these monthly exercises.

Like last year, I’ll post one quick blog and video at the start of every month. You're invited to share your lessons, experiments, or revelations with me and, with your permission, this group.

Are you ready? It’s January, and the lesson is about using our inner ears.

In January, we listen and notice

Voice isn't just a metaphor when it comes to writing. Many readers "hear" an inner narrator. So this month, practice reading passages aloud from favorite writers and works. You'll tune your ear to the auditory qualities of writing voice, and may pick up a few things to try.

Want to share revelations with me or this group? Send them along. This will be fun.

Confetti 🎊

Here are a few fun things to brighten your New Years' Day

A quote, and book, for the start of the new year.

If you're in a rush to dive into your writing resolutions, focus on finding a sustainable pace. Here's a quote from Effortless by Greg McKeown:

The book's philosophy applies well to writing—and it includes specific writing advice as well. Highly recommend.

Other nonfiction book recommendations

Need a few nonfiction book recommendations? I put together a few of my long-time favorites here. Check them out if 2025 will be a year of reading.

Curious Reader News

IndieReader published a lovely review of The Curious Reader's Field Guide to Nonfiction. It brightened my day!

That, my friend, is more than enough to start the year. I'll be back in two weeks, and look forward to hearing if you try the voice exercise!

Happy New Year.

Anne

Have a friend that might enjoy doing these exercises with you? Share this email with them. And if you got this from someone, get your own copy here.

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PO Box 66285 Scotts Valley, CA 95067

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