As is often the case at the start of a new year, 2018 began with a wealth of change-focused and forward-thinking articles full of advice and projections for the year ahead. Specifically, our collection of posts for this week examine the end of stress for busy writers, mistakes that can hold you back as an author, and America’s public domain drought. They challenge the assumptions of trends in higher education, the value of writing self-efficacy, and what it means to be an academic. And finally, they suggest paths to success including themes rather than resolutions, tips for creating writing goals that work, a 5-day goal setting challenge, and a willingness to embrace your inner procrastinator.

Whatever 2018 has in store for you, we hope it includes progress and success in writing. After all, as Natasha Lester says, “Getting started on writing a book isn’t as hard as it sounds. You don’t need a plan and an outline. In fact, all you need are two things: time and one idea.”

10 Instant stress-busters for busy writers

Why is it that the busier we are, the worse we treat ourselves? When life gets crazy, that’s when we are most in need of some TLC — and that’s exactly when we are least likely to give it to ourselves! Here are a few quick and easy stress-busters to help you survive a hectic, busy writing schedule!

3 author mistakes that will hold you back in 2018

Writing, publishing, and marketing a book require a great deal of time and knowledge.

Most authors feel a great sense of accomplishment when they hit “publish” on Amazon and make that labor of love available for purchase.

The smile that comes with that achievement quickly fades, though, when you discover that nobody is buying your book.

2018 is the last year of America’s public domain drought

American copyrights now stretch for 95 years. Since 1998, we’ve been frozen with a public domain that only applies to works from before 1923 (and government works).

An alternative list of 7 trends for 2018

The 7 key trends that the Peterson and Rudgers identify for higher education in 2018 are: 1. Eroding support for higher ed. 2. Challenges to the business model. 3. Violent activism and balancing free speech, safety and climate. 4. #MeToo movement in the academy. 5. Student safety in Greek life and athletics. 6. Reckoning with the racist past. 7. Presidents as public thought leaders.

What do you think? What would be your 7 trends?

The value of valuing writing self-efficacy: Changing thinking

If Doctoral programs didn’t change your thinking, they wouldn’t be doing their job would they? Here at the start of a new year, I thought I might reflect upon what has happened to my thinking on my planned thesis project to develop a measurement instrument to assess writing self-efficacy.

The 21st-century academic

No matter how much faculty members cling to “the good old days,” there is no going back. We might as well embrace the possibility of creating a new kind of academic. They’ve changed the professoriate — why we teach, what we teach, how we teach, and where we teach.

This year I will…

As one year ends and the next begins, newspapers and social media will be flooded with articles about how to make and keep New Year’s resolutions. I don’t do resolutions, but since moving to the UK two years ago, I have starting doing themes.

7 Tips for creating writing goals that actually work

Every New Year gives you a chance to set new goals. Script Magazine Editor, Jeanne Veillette Bowerman, shares tips for creating writing goals that are realistic in hopes this will be the year that truly elevates your career!

Goals, reviewed. Join the 5-day goal setting challenge.

If you are ready to set realistic, attainable goals for the upcoming semester, TAA member Jane Jones invites you to participate in her 5-Day Goal Setting Challenge. We’ll start on January 8th, and each day for five days you’ll receive a short goal-setting lesson in your inbox.

In 2018, don’t be afraid to embrace your inner procrastinator

As the year draws to a close, we often take this time to reflect on our behaviour and consider what we want to change. Those who are prone to procrastinate may contemplate changing their way of getting things done, especially if they have been criticized, shamed or punished for their delay. But they don’t need to change: Contrary to popular belief, procrastination does not necessarily interfere with success.