Go Big January

by Kelly Carey

There is something tantalizing about the clean slate that January brings. It’s the kick-off to a wide-open year of possibility.

It’s a time to try something new. Something big. Something that might nudge you out of your comfort zone. Perhaps you’re a picture book writer but a novel has been kicking around in your head. Maybe a middle grade novel in verse has been tapping your shoulder.

If you have a project that feels daunting and requires a brave inhale - let January be your sword. January is powerful – she has potential and so do you.

This is the moment to Go Big January!

But, since we are 24 Carrot Writers, we will not be stumbling willy-nilly into this new endeavor. We need a plan! Let’s map out five best practices to make the most of Go Big January.

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Step 1: State Your Intention
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Make the whispering muse LOUD!

Write your Go Big January idea down—on your goal list, your calendar, and in an email to yourself (set to resend daily). Scribble it in excited—not angry—capital letters. Use a joyful, colorful pen. Not a pencil. This new endeavor deserves permanence.

Then share your intention with a trusted writer friend or your critique partners. Post your Go Big January project hopes in the 24 Carrot Writing Facebook group. Title it: Go Big January! The encouragement will pour in, I promise.

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2. Grace Over Goals

Normally, 24 Carrot Writing encourages measurable goals. But this endeavor is different. It’s unfamiliar territory and you don’t yet know your stamina. One hundred words a day? Maybe. A chapter a week? Possible.
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For this out of your comfort zone project let word counts and chapter targets rest. This month is about grace, not goals. Give yourself space to figure out how the work flows. There will be time for goals later. 
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3. Be a Mad Scientist  

Remember middle-school brainstorming sessions? Get in that frame of mind. Try everything.

Be a mad scientist with this new project. You might blow something up. Who cares? It’s only January. You’ve got time to pull out the fire extinguisher, sweep up the burnt debris, and try again.

Let every crazy idea out. That self-editing monster? Lock it in a drawer. Shove a granola bar in its mouth (fine  - leave it a water bottle too), but do not let it out.
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You’re going to mess up. That’s the idea. Tip over. Fail. Then learn, reset, and keep going. 

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4. Embrace the Discomfort

You’re trying something new which means it will be hard, and you will feel awkward. It would be easy to reach for what feels familiar. But Go Big January is not a time for relaxing into comfort - that’s what July beach days with their sunglasses and fruity drinks are for. January is about hearty foraging through snow drifts, crackling fires, and brave mugs of cocoa.

Do not fall back to your more comfortable projects. If you primarily write picture books, but your Go Big January project is a YA novel – don’t retreat to picture books this month. If you’re working, you’re working on your Go Big January project and only that work.

Those other projects have eleven other months to intrude. Not this month. This is Go Big January. 
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5. Take the Full Month (or More)

Don’t change course until you’ve given your Go Big January project the whole month. Only at the end of January should you take stock and reflect. Don’t scrap the project or second-guess your big plans until you have devoted a solid 30 days of effort. 

​Maybe Go Big January will spill over into February or better yet March. Wahoo you crazy mad scientist you! Afterall, you still have an enormous chunk of the year ahead, so you have time to experiment, be adventurous, and let this project gain traction.
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That’s what January—and a fresh year—is all about.