Writing Goals and Gratitude

Author and editor William Arthur Ward writes, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” How many times in 2006 have you thought that you should write a real, handwritten, thank-you note instead of sending another quick email? Have you thanked your writing mentors, your critique group, and your family for their words of encouragement when you felt like giving up? If published, did you remember to thank your editor, your agent, your fans?

Recent studies by Dr. Michael McCollough and Dr. Robert Emmons have found that people who are grateful have “higher reported levels of alertness, enthusiasm, determination, optimism and energy.” All of these qualities are much admired in a writer, beginning or published. If that’s all it takes, for 2007, my first goal is to express more gratitude.